Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Cordoba
For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $1,351 in Cordoba, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
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 Cordoba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $996 per month in Lima vs $1,351 in Cordoba, rent included.
Lima $996
Cordoba $1,351
A couple spends around $1,594 per month in Lima vs $2,281 in Cordoba, rent included.
Lima $1,594
Cordoba $2,281
A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Lima vs $3,211 in Cordoba, rent included.
Lima $2,191
Cordoba $3,211
🙂
Lima is about 26% cheaper than Cordoba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Lima sits 26% below the global median, while Cordoba is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42PEN 15.21
$13.74ARS 20.8K
-67.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.04PEN 121
$53.3ARS 80.8K
-34.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.84PEN 23.52
$13.21ARS 20.0K
-48.22%
Cappuccino
$3.27PEN 11.26
$3.70ARS 5,608
-11.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10PEN 3.80
$2.56ARS 3,879
-57.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65PEN 2.23
$2.03ARS 3,073
-67.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.58PEN 8.88
$3.36ARS 5,097
-23.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47PEN 15.39
$3.64ARS 5,515
22.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59PEN 5.48
$1.63ARS 2,470
-2.45%
White Bread(500g)
$2.58PEN 8.89
$2.82ARS 4,282
-8.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.36PEN 4.67
$2.06ARS 3,120
-33.98%
Eggs
$2.95PEN 10.14
$2.45ARS 3,721
20.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.10PEN 31.30
$10.14ARS 15.4K
-10.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.81PEN 19.98
$8.19ARS 12.4K
-29.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.83PEN 33.80
$11.48ARS 17.4K
-14.37%
Apples(1kg)
$2.01PEN 6.92
$2.56ARS 3,885
-21.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08PEN 3.70
$2.30ARS 3,489
-53.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37PEN 4.71
$1.66ARS 2,511
-17.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.48PEN 5.08
$2.75ARS 4,169
-46.18%
Potato(1kg)
$0.96PEN 3.32
$1.17ARS 1,779
-17.95%
Onion(1kg)
$0.85PEN 2.93
$1.35ARS 2,040
-37.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.88PEN 3.03
$1.26ARS 1,908
-30.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87PEN 2.98
$1.68ARS 2,554
-48.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90PEN 20.31
$4.99ARS 7,562
18.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.81PEN 30.31
$4.86ARS 7,365
81.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92PEN 6.59
$2.26ARS 3,431
-15.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20PEN 11.02
$3.66ARS 5,552
-12.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.68PEN 2.33
$1.27ARS 1,930
-46.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.74PEN 92.0
$57.3ARS 86.8K
-53.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.81PEN 13.10
$1.28ARS 1,946
197.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.04PEN 7.02
$1.94ARS 2,944
5.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.14PEN 24.57
$7.12ARS 10.8K
0.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.65PEN 5.67
$1.16ARS 1,760
42.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2KPEN 76.3K
$35.0KARS 53.1M
-36.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7KPEN 88.3K
$36.1KARS 54.7M
-28.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$73.0PEN 251
$159ARS 241.2K
-54.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.26PEN 55.9
$17.46ARS 26.5K
-6.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.60PEN 94.9
$32.30ARS 49.0K
-14.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.07PEN 114
$28.56ARS 43.3K
15.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.49PEN 67.1
$23.34ARS 35.4K
-16.50%
Cinema Ticket
$7.39PEN 25.41
$10.11ARS 15.3K
-26.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$182PEN 626
$218ARS 330.9K
-16.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3KPEN 45.8K
$4,151ARS 6.3M
220.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6PEN 181
$127ARS 192.7K
-58.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.23PEN 118
$103ARS 156.8K
-66.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.8PEN 288
$141ARS 213.1K
-40.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.0PEN 272
$134ARS 202.8K
-40.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$723PEN 2,488
$489ARS 741.6K
47.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$340PEN 1,170
$306ARS 464.4K
11.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,184PEN 4,074
$1,001ARS 1.5M
18.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$635PEN 2,183
$792ARS 1.2M
-19.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,449PEN 8,423
$2,762ARS 4.2M
-11.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,372PEN 4,718
$1,591ARS 2.4M
-13.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Cordoba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$653PEN 2,245
$656ARS 994.2K
-0.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.94
48.5
-81.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026
Last update for Cordoba: October 4, 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
$340 33.6%
Cordoba
$306 22.3% ↓ 9.9%$34
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$226 22.4%
Cordoba
$275 20% ↑ 21.6%$49
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$124 12.3%
Cordoba
$236 17.2% ↑ 90.6%$112
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$117 11.6%
Cordoba
$209 15.2% ↑ 78.7%$92
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$112 11.1%
Cordoba
$227 16.5% ↑ 102%$115
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$48 4.7%
Cordoba
$49 3.6% ↑ 2%$0.9
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$43 4.3%
Cordoba
$73 5.3% ↑ 68.7%$30
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lima
$635 29.5%
Cordoba
$792 25% ↑ 24.7%$157
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$517 24%
Cordoba
$634 20% ↑ 22.6%$117
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$417 19.3%
Cordoba
$738 23.3% ↑ 77.1%$321
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$133 6.2%
Cordoba
$226 7.2% ↑ 70%$93
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$250 11.6%
Cordoba
$505 16% ↑ 102%$255
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$115 5.4%
Cordoba
$121 3.8% ↑ 5%$5.7
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$88 4.1%
Cordoba
$149 4.7% ↑ 69.1%$61
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $723 in Lima versus $489 in Cordoba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 0% higher in Cordoba, 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 $35.00 in Lima versus $53.0 in Cordoba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $275 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Cordoba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cordoba cheaper than Lima?
Yes – Cordoba is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,494 per month in Lima and $2,027 in Cordoba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Lima or in Cordoba?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Lima and $53.0 in Cordoba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Lima and in Cordoba?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $996 in Lima and $1,351 in Cordoba. That's a gap of about 36%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Lima or in Cordoba?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Cordoba at $1,351. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cordoba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lima or Cordoba more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Lima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lima or Cordoba?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cordoba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.