Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Cerro de Pasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Cerro de Pasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $998 per month in Lima vs $515 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,550 per month in Lima vs $852 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,101 per month in Lima vs $1,189 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Lima costs about 94% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lima and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Lima 25% lower, Cerro de Pasco 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.19 PEN 14.74

$2.76 PEN 9.73

51.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.47 PEN 118

$27.58 PEN 97.1

21.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 PEN 24.89

$7.12 PEN 25.07

-0.70%

Cappuccino

$2.59 PEN 9.11

$1.92 PEN 6.76

34.90%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.19

$0.71 PEN 2.50

28.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 PEN 2.12

$0.40 PEN 1.41

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 PEN 7.63

$2.25 PEN 7.92

-3.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PEN 13.49

$3.88 PEN 13.66

-1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 PEN 5.05

$1.42 PEN 5.01

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 PEN 9.56

$2.19 PEN 7.71

24.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.61

$1.24 PEN 4.36

5.65%

Eggs

$2.92 PEN 10.27

$2.30 PEN 8.08

26.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 PEN 28.41

$7.81 PEN 27.50

3.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 PEN 19.84

$5.68 PEN 19.99

-0.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 PEN 36.92

$7.76 PEN 27.31

35.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 PEN 7.04

$2.07 PEN 7.28

-3.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.92

$0.67 PEN 2.36

65.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 4.03

$0.40 PEN 1.42

185.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.38

$1.14 PEN 4.02

8.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.51

$0.71 PEN 2.51

40.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.28

$0.51 PEN 1.80

82.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 PEN 2.93

$0.81 PEN 2.85

2.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 3.05

$0.84 PEN 2.96

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 19.22

$5.65 PEN 19.89

-3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.61 PEN 30.32

$7.08 PEN 24.92

21.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 6.02

$1.76 PEN 6.21

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 PEN 10.87

$2.47 PEN 8.71

25.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 PEN 2.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 PEN 110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 PEN 11.59

$3.42 PEN 12.05

-3.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 PEN 7.74

$2.11 PEN 7.44

4.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 PEN 29.24

$8.08 PEN 28.46

2.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.62

$1.36 PEN 4.78

-3.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.4K PEN 68.3K

$19.7K PEN 69.4K

-1.50%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.5K PEN 86.4K

$24.5K PEN 86.3K

0.09%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$56.8 PEN 200

0.04%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.44 PEN 43.80

$12.63 PEN 44.47

-1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.14 PEN 85.0

$23.62 PEN 83.2

2.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.15 PEN 106

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.93 PEN 66.6

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 PEN 24.96

$6.83 PEN 24.04

3.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$219 PEN 770

$216 PEN 762

1.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,119 PEN 28.6K

$7,926 PEN 27.9K

2.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 PEN 174

$49.94 PEN 176

-0.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.79 PEN 130

$36.38 PEN 128

1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 PEN 324

$89.8 PEN 316

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 PEN 311

$89.9 PEN 316

-1.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 PEN 2,148

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 PEN 1,229

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 PEN 3,577

$391 PEN 1,375

160.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 PEN 2,199

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,185 PEN 7,693

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 PEN 4,676

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 PEN 2,199

$460 PEN 1,617

35.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lima: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 36% higher in Lima, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Lima versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $191 – making Cerro de Pasco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lima vs Cerro de Pasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lima is pricier by about 94%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,498 per month in Lima and $772 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Lima and $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Lima, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Lima at $998. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.