For one person, living is cheaper in Goiana: $858 a month against $996 in Lima, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities 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 Goiana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Lima versus $858 in Goiana.
Lima $996
Goiana $858
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,594 in Lima versus $1,393 in Goiana.
Lima $1,594
Goiana $1,393
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Lima versus $1,928 in Goiana.
Lima $2,191
Goiana $1,928
🌍
Living in Lima is roughly 16% more expensive than in Goiana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Lima26% lower, Goiana36% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Goiana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42PEN 15.16
$5.46R$27.25
-19.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.04PEN 120
$38.62R$193
-9.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.84PEN 23.44
$9.82R$49.04
-30.35%
Cappuccino
$3.27PEN 11.22
$2.60R$12.97
25.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10PEN 3.78
$1.11R$5.55
-0.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65PEN 2.22
$0.60R$3.00
8.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.58PEN 8.85
$1.63R$8.14
58.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47PEN 15.34
$3.29R$16.41
35.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Goiana
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59PEN 5.46
$1.46R$7.30
8.90%
White Bread(500g)
$2.58PEN 8.86
$1.63R$8.12
58.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.36PEN 4.65
$1.67R$8.35
-18.56%
Eggs
$2.95PEN 10.11
$1.95R$9.74
51.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.10PEN 31.19
$7.36R$36.73
23.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.81PEN 19.91
$4.43R$22.09
31.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.83PEN 33.68
$6.83R$34.10
43.92%
Apples(1kg)
$2.01PEN 6.89
$1.41R$7.05
42.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08PEN 3.69
$1.35R$6.72
-20.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37PEN 4.70
$0.76R$3.81
80.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.48PEN 5.06
$1.27R$6.35
16.54%
Potato(1kg)
$0.96PEN 3.30
$1.44R$7.18
-33.33%
Onion(1kg)
$0.85PEN 2.92
$1.12R$5.57
-24.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.88PEN 3.02
$0.48R$2.41
83.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87PEN 2.97
$0.84R$4.21
3.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90PEN 20.24
$1.84R$9.16
220.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.81PEN 30.21
$8.16R$40.71
7.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92PEN 6.57
$1.14R$5.71
68.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20PEN 10.98
$1.53R$7.62
109.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Goiana
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.68PEN 2.33
$0.96R$4.77
-29.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.74PEN 91.7
$37.73R$188
-29.13%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.81PEN 13.06
$1.20R$6.01
217.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.04PEN 7.00
$0.75R$3.74
172.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.14PEN 24.49
$3.57R$17.81
100.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.65PEN 5.65
$1.05R$5.24
57.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2KPEN 76.0K
$23.9KR$119.5K
-7.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7KPEN 88.0K
$32.6KR$162.8K
-21.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Goiana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$73.0PEN 250
$80.2R$401
-8.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.26PEN 55.7
$13.37R$66.7
21.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.60PEN 94.6
$18.06R$90.2
52.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Goiana
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.07PEN 113
$25.99R$130
27.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.49PEN 66.8
$29.91R$149
-34.84%
Cinema Ticket
$7.39PEN 25.33
$8.71R$43.48
-15.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Goiana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$182PEN 624
$236R$1,178
-22.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3KPEN 45.7K
$11.9KR$59.5K
11.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Goiana
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6PEN 180
$45.31R$226
16.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.23PEN 117
$50.9R$254
-32.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.8PEN 287
$63.2R$316
32.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.0PEN 271
$81.6R$407
-3.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Goiana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$723PEN 2,479
$367R$1,831
97.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$340PEN 1,166
$272R$1,358
25.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,184PEN 4,060
$609R$3,040
94.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$635PEN 2,176
$460R$2,296
37.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,449PEN 8,394
$1,843R$9,202
32.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,372PEN 4,702
$1,189R$5,937
15.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Goiana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$653PEN 2,237
$580R$2,897
12.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.94
11.75
-23.91%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026
Last update for Goiana: 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%
Goiana
$272 30.7% ↓ 20%$68
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$226 22.4%
Goiana
$178 20.1% ↓ 21.2%$48
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$124 12.3%
Goiana
$126 14.2% ↑ 1.5%$1.9
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$117 11.6%
Goiana
$112 12.6% ↓ 4.5%$5.2
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$112 11.1%
Goiana
$108 12.2% ↓ 3.4%$3.8
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$48 4.7%
Goiana
$43 4.9% ↓ 9.3%$4.4
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$43 4.3%
Goiana
$47 5.3% ↑ 7%$3
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lima
$635 29.5%
Goiana
$460 24.4% ↓ 27.5%$175
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$517 24%
Goiana
$407 21.6% ↓ 21.3%$110
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$417 19.3%
Goiana
$439 23.3% ↑ 5.4%$23
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$133 6.2%
Goiana
$125 6.6% ↓ 6.1%$8.1
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$250 11.6%
Goiana
$241 12.8% ↓ 3.4%$8.5
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$115 5.4%
Goiana
$117 6.2% ↑ 1.3%$1.5
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$88 4.1%
Goiana
$95 5% ↑ 7.5%$6.6
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $723 in Lima and $367 in Goiana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lima pays 12% 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 $39.00 in Goiana. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $178, with Goiana 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 Goiana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lima and in Goiana?
Lima and Goiana differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $858 including rent). Goiana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lima or Goiana?
Average pay runs 12% 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 do apartment prices compare in Lima and in Goiana?
Rent for a central apartment: $723 in Lima versus $367 in Goiana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Goiana – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $35.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lima or Goiana?
All in, you'll spend $996 per month in Lima versus $858 in Goiana – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $858 in Goiana versus $996 in Lima, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Goiana but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Goiana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lima and Goiana?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Lima or Goiana?
Expats usually find Goiana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.