Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Fresno, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $2,894 in Fresno, CA, rent and utilities included – about $22,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index
139

Cost of Living Index in Fresno, CA
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Fresno, CA Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Fresno, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,894

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Fresno, CA

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 Fresno, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $996 per month in Lima vs $2,894 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Lima $996
Fresno, CA $2,894

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in Lima vs $4,460 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Lima $1,594
Fresno, CA $4,460

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Lima vs $6,026 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Lima $2,191
Fresno, CA $6,026

Lima is about 66% cheaper than Fresno, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lima sits 26% below the global median, while Fresno, CA is 116% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.16

$20.18 $20.18

-78.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 120

$70.5 $70.5

-50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.44

$14.12 $14.12

-51.56%

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.22

$5.15 $5.15

-36.50%

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

$1.10 PEN 3.78

$3.02 $3.02

-63.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$2.14 $2.14

-69.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.85

$6.79 $6.79

-62.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.34

$9.11 $9.11

-50.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.46

$1.12 $1.12

41.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.86

$2.67 $2.67

-3.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.65

$4.67 $4.67

-70.88%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.11

$5.38 $5.38

-45.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.19

$11.02 $11.02

-17.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 19.91

$9.57 $9.57

-39.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.68

$15.58 $15.58

-36.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.89

$5.06 $5.06

-60.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.69

$2.03 $2.03

-46.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.70

$4.34 $4.34

-68.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.06

$3.25 $3.25

-54.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.30

$7.93 $7.93

-87.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.92

$2.72 $2.72

-68.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.02

$2.44 $2.44

-63.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$3.03 $3.03

-71.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.24

$12.19 $12.19

-51.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.21

$18.06 $18.06

-51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.57

$2.19 $2.19

-12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 10.98

$6.40 $6.40

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$1.21 $1.21

-43.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 91.7

$47.99 $47.99

-44.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.06

$4.14 $4.14

-7.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.00

$1.52 $1.52

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.49

$27.90 $27.90

-74.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.65

$1.46 $1.46

13.01%

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

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

$37.5K $37.5K

-40.83%

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

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-16.06%

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

$73.0 PEN 250

$238 $238

-69.30%

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

$16.26 PEN 55.7

$53.3 $53.3

-69.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 94.6

$76.8 $76.8

-64.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 113

$38.32 $38.32

-13.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 66.8

$41.97 $41.97

-53.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.33

$17.44 $17.44

-57.63%

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

$182 PEN 624

$1,206 $1,206

-84.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

$12.9K $12.9K

3.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 180

$60.3 $60.3

-12.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 117

$43.19 $43.19

-20.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 287

$97.3 $97.3

-13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 271

$174 $174

-54.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,479

$1,712 $1,712

-57.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,166

$1,462 $1,462

-76.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,060

$3,183 $3,183

-62.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,176

$2,902 $2,902

-78.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,394

$2,700 $2,700

-9.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,702

$3,120 $3,120

-56.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,237

$3,687 $3,687

-82.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

6.4

39.69%

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for Fresno, CA: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$340 33.6%

Fresno, CA

$1.5K 50.6% 330% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.4%

Fresno, CA

$412 14.3% 82% $186

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

Fresno, CA

$338 11.7% 173% $214

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

Fresno, CA

$368 12.8% 215% $251

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

Fresno, CA

$169 5.8% 50.1% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.7%

Fresno, CA

$73 2.5% 53% $25

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

Fresno, CA

$65 2.2% 48.6% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $723 in Lima versus $1,712 in Fresno, CA. 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 465% higher in Fresno, CA, 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 $71.0 in Fresno, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $412 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇺🇸 Fresno, CA

🕒 Local time

00:31 12:31 AM

22:31 10:31 PM

2 h behind Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

520,052

💱 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

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Between locations

Lima Fresno, CA 7,030 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Fresno, CA

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 Fresno, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fresno, CA is pricier by about 191%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,494 per month in Lima and $4,341 in Fresno, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Lima and $71.0 in Fresno, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $996 in Lima and $2,894 in Fresno, CA. That's a gap of about 191%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Fresno, CA at $2,894. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fresno, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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