Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Decatur, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,042 a month against $1,741 in Decatur, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lima, Peru
Decatur, IL, United States
Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,042
/mo nomad
Decatur, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,741
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Decatur, IL

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 Decatur, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,042 per month in Lima vs $1,741 in Decatur, IL, rent included.

  • Lima $1,042
  • Decatur, IL $1,741

A couple spends around $1,651 per month in Lima vs $2,683 in Decatur, IL, rent included.

  • Lima $1,651
  • Decatur, IL $2,683

A family of three spends $2,259 per month in Lima vs $3,625 in Decatur, IL, rent included.

  • Lima $2,259
  • Decatur, IL $3,625

Lima is about 40% cheaper than Decatur, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lima sits 23% below the global median, while Decatur, IL is 29% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.64 PEN 15.95
$20.38 $20.38
-77.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.34 PEN 118
$85.8 $85.8
-59.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.01 PEN 24.12
$9.24 $9.24
-24.13%
Cappuccino
$3.22 PEN 11.09
$5.59 $5.59
-42.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13 PEN 3.90
$2.26 $2.26
-50.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 PEN 2.09
$1.67 $1.67
-63.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.93 PEN 10.08
$5.04 $5.04
-41.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 PEN 14.63
$6.06 $6.06
-29.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 PEN 5.44
$1.25 $1.25
26.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.61 PEN 8.98
$2.94 $2.94
-11.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.30 PEN 4.47
$1.98 $1.98
-34.34%
Eggs
$2.92 PEN 10.05
$4.67 $4.67
-37.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.54 PEN 32.82
$13.88 $13.88
-31.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.71 PEN 19.66
$14.59 $14.59
-60.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.47 PEN 32.58
$13.36 $13.36
-29.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 PEN 6.91
$4.38 $4.38
-54.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.02 PEN 3.52
$1.97 $1.97
-48.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 PEN 4.99
$4.08 $4.08
-64.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 PEN 5.14
$3.29 $3.29
-54.71%
Potato (1kg)
$0.91 PEN 3.14
$0.84 $0.84
8.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.89 PEN 3.07
$1.12 $1.12
-20.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.86 PEN 2.97
$1.47 $1.47
-41.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 PEN 3.06
$3.02 $3.02
-70.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.47 PEN 18.83
$14.09 $14.09
-61.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 PEN 35.00
$14.83 $14.83
-31.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 PEN 6.21
$2.15 $2.15
-15.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 PEN 10.84
$2.05 $2.05
53.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.66 PEN 2.28
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.89 PEN 110
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 PEN 11.79
$3.31 $3.31
3.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 PEN 6.80
$1.70 $1.70
16.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.60 PEN 33.04
$24.90 $24.90
-61.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.71 PEN 5.89
$1.13 $1.13
51.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K PEN 75.3K
$35.9K $35.9K
-39.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0K PEN 100.0K
$26.7K $26.7K
8.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.8 PEN 227
$85.6 $85.6
-23.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.26 PEN 52.5
$69.8 $69.8
-78.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.87 PEN 92.5
$61.7 $61.7
-56.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.91 PEN 113
$74.5 $74.5
-55.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.12 PEN 69.2
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 PEN 24.49
$11.84 $11.84
-39.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 PEN 1,064
$1,857 $1,857
-83.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.4K PEN 73.5K
$41.0K $41.0K
-47.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.0 PEN 179
$66.0 $66.0
-21.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.69 PEN 123
$50.8 $50.8
-29.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.8 PEN 281
$103 $103
-20.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.0 PEN 268
$142 $142
-45.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$727 PEN 2,501
$890 $890
-18.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 PEN 1,284
$560 $560
-33.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,249 PEN 4,297
$1,021 $1,021
22.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$739 PEN 2,544
$822 $822
-10.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,380 PEN 8,191
$947 $947
151.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,365 PEN 4,697
$940 $940
45.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Decatur, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$650 PEN 2,238
$4,645 $4,645
-86.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.38
6.78
23.60%

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

Last update for Lima: October 31, 2026

Last update for Decatur, IL: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lima
$373
Decatur, IL
$560 50% $186
Groceries & Markets
Lima
$228
Decatur, IL
$381 67.1% $153
Eating Out
Lima
$127
Decatur, IL
$311 145% $184
Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$111
Decatur, IL
$163 46.2% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$108
Decatur, IL
$217 101% $109
Getting Around
Lima
$48
Decatur, IL
$12 * 75.3% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$47
Decatur, IL
$98 108% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Lima versus $890 in Decatur, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Decatur, IL are about 7.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Lima versus $86 in Decatur, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $381 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Lima
🇺🇸 Decatur, IL
🕒 Local time
00:04 12:04 AM
23:04 11:04 PM
1 h behind Lima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,989,369 Capital
77,047
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.44 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lima Decatur, IL 5,900 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lima
  • Decatur, IL

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 Decatur, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lima cheaper than Decatur, IL?
Yes – Decatur, IL is pricier by about 67%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,564 per month in Lima and $2,612 in Decatur, IL. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $727 there versus $890 in Decatur, IL.
Is eating out cheaper in Lima or in Decatur, IL?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Lima and $86 in Decatur, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Lima and in Decatur, IL?
Groceries cost about 67% more in Decatur, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,000 enough for either Lima or Decatur, IL?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,042 in Lima and $1,741 in Decatur, IL, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Lima or Decatur, IL 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 the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lima. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Decatur, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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