Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and El Congo

For one person, living is cheaper in El Congo: $576 a month against $996 in Lima, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

El Congo

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$576

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in El Congo

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 El Congo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $996 per month in Lima vs $576 in El Congo, rent included.

Lima $996
El Congo $576

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in Lima vs $598 in El Congo, rent included.

Lima $1,594
El Congo $598

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Lima vs $621 in El Congo, rent included.

Lima $2,191
El Congo $621

Lima costs about 73% more than El Congo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lima and El Congo are more affordable than the global median – Lima 26% lower, El Congo 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.16

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 120

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.44

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.22

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

$1.10 PEN 3.78

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.46

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.86

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.65

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.11

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.19

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 19.91

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.68

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.89

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.69

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.70

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.06

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.30

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.92

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.02

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.24

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.57

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 10.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 91.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.49

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.65

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

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

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

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

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

$73.0 PEN 250

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

$16.26 PEN 55.7

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 94.6

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 113

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 66.8

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.33

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

$182 PEN 624

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 180

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 117

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 287

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 271

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,479

$706 $706

2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,166

$570 $570

-40.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,060

$964 $964

22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,176

$626 $626

1.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,394

$4,281 $4,281

-42.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,702

$1,283 $1,283

6.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,237

$964 $964

-32.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

5.72

56.29%

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for El Congo: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$340 33.6%

El Congo

–

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.4%

El Congo

–

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

El Congo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

El Congo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

El Congo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.7%

El Congo

–

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

El Congo

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $723 in Lima versus $706 in El Congo. 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 48% higher in El Congo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇸🇻 El Congo

🕒 Local time

03:11 3:11 AM

02:11 2:11 AM

1 h behind Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

8,905

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lima El Congo 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Lima
El Congo

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 El Congo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $996 in Lima, $576 in El Congo – roughly 73% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,494 per month in Lima and $864 in El Congo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Congo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Congo, where all-in costs run around $576, than in Lima at $996. In El Congo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lima has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $576 in El Congo to $996 in Lima. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with El Congo. 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.