Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lima and in Chapeco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Lima versus $980 in Chapeco.
Lima $1,014
Chapeco $980
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,613 in Lima versus $1,454 in Chapeco.
Lima $1,613
Chapeco $1,454
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,211 in Lima versus $1,927 in Chapeco.
Lima $2,211
Chapeco $1,927
🌍
Living in Lima is roughly 4% more expensive than in Chapeco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Lima25% lower, Chapeco28% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42PEN 15.19
$5.53R$28.05
-20.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.56PEN 119
$35.46R$180
-2.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.80PEN 23.37
$8.92R$45.20
-23.77%
Cappuccino
$3.30PEN 11.34
$1.92R$9.76
71.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06PEN 3.64
$0.75R$3.80
41.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66PEN 2.26
$0.59R$2.98
11.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.54PEN 8.71
$1.45R$7.33
75.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.24PEN 14.55
$2.31R$11.73
83.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.58PEN 5.43
$0.90R$4.56
75.56%
White Bread(500g)
$2.61PEN 8.97
$1.14R$5.78
128.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.34PEN 4.60
$2.14R$10.85
-37.38%
Eggs
$2.93PEN 10.08
$1.86R$9.44
57.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.45PEN 32.45
$8.24R$41.75
14.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.75PEN 19.75
$7.53R$38.20
-23.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.69PEN 33.29
$10.95R$55.5
-11.51%
Apples(1kg)
$2.02PEN 6.95
$2.34R$11.88
-13.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07PEN 3.66
$0.99R$5.02
8.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37PEN 4.70
$0.53R$2.68
158.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.47PEN 5.05
$0.70R$3.54
110.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.95PEN 3.25
$0.53R$2.70
79.25%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91PEN 3.14
$0.53R$2.70
71.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90PEN 3.10
$0.95R$4.83
-5.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89PEN 3.04
$0.70R$3.53
27.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.74PEN 19.71
$2.32R$11.75
147.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.21PEN 31.64
$9.31R$47.19
-1.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84PEN 6.31
$0.88R$4.48
109.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11PEN 10.67
$1.48R$7.49
110.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.72PEN 2.46
$0.97R$4.94
-25.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.03PEN 89.4
$36.44R$185
-28.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.54PEN 12.17
$1.28R$6.50
176.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.07PEN 7.12
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.75PEN 26.62
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.71PEN 5.86
$1.17R$5.93
46.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6KPEN 74.1K
$22.9KR$116.0K
-5.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.6KPEN 98.2K
$30.5KR$154.6K
-6.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$68.2PEN 234
$172R$873
-60.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.73PEN 54.0
$10.47R$53.1
50.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.48PEN 90.9
$18.84R$95.5
40.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.94PEN 117
$26.24R$133
29.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.10PEN 69.0
$33.45R$170
-39.91%
Cinema Ticket
$7.22PEN 24.80
$6.68R$33.86
8.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201PEN 689
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.9KPEN 44.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7PEN 184
$26.98R$137
99.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.88PEN 123
$18.26R$92.6
96.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.8PEN 288
$36.87R$187
127.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8PEN 271
$53.6R$272
47.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$729PEN 2,505
$415R$2,103
75.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$349PEN 1,197
$329R$1,668
5.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,186PEN 4,073
$851R$4,313
39.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$696PEN 2,391
$536R$2,718
29.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,360PEN 8,105
$1,509R$7,649
56.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,356PEN 4,657
$987R$5,005
37.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Chapeco
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$663PEN 2,278
$414R$2,097
60.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.78
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lima: October 17, 2026
Last update for Chapeco: October 17, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lima
$349 34.4%
Chapeco
$329 33.6% ↓ 5.6%$20
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$227 22.4%
Chapeco
$196 20% ↓ 13.9%$32
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$123 12.2%
Chapeco
$111 11.4% ↓ 9.8%$12
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$113 11.2%
Chapeco
$61 6.2% ↓ 46.2%$52
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$110 10.9%
Chapeco
$201 20.6% ↑ 82.5%$91
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$48 4.8%
Chapeco
$40 4% ↓ 18.1%$8.8
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$43 4.2%
Chapeco
$42 * 4.3% ↓ 2.8%$1.2
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lima
$696 31.5%
Chapeco
$536 27.8% ↓ 23%$160
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$519 23.5%
Chapeco
$449 23.3% ↓ 13.4%$70
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$413 18.7%
Chapeco
$396 20.6% ↓ 4.1%$17
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$252 11.4%
Chapeco
$136 7% ↓ 46.2%$116
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$126 5.7%
Chapeco
$212 11% ↑ 68.1%$86
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$117 5.3%
Chapeco
$113 5.9% ↓ 3.6%$4.2
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$87 3.9%
Chapeco
$85 * 4.4% ↓ 2.1%$1.8
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Lima and $415 in Chapeco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lima pays 60% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $35.00 in Lima vs $35.00 in Chapeco. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $196, with Chapeco cheaper for home cooking.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Chapeco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lima or Chapeco?
Chapeco wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Lima. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chapeco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lima or in Chapeco?
Average pay runs 60% higher in Lima, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lima compared to Chapeco?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Lima versus $415 in Chapeco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Lima or in Chapeco?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Lima compared to Chapeco?
All in, you'll spend $1,014 per month in Lima versus $980 in Chapeco – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lima or in Chapeco?
At $980 in Chapeco versus $1,014 in Lima, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chapeco but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Chapeco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lima or Chapeco?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chapeco delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $980 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chapeco hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chapeco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.