Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Great Falls, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $2,207 in Great Falls, MT, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 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
107

Cost of Living Index in Great Falls, MT
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Great Falls, MT Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Great Falls, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Great Falls, MT

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 Great Falls, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $996 per month in Lima vs $2,207 in Great Falls, MT, rent included.

Lima $996
Great Falls, MT $2,207

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in Lima vs $3,040 in Great Falls, MT, rent included.

Lima $1,594
Great Falls, MT $3,040

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Lima vs $3,874 in Great Falls, MT, rent included.

Lima $2,191
Great Falls, MT $3,874

Lima is about 55% cheaper than Great Falls, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Lima sits 26% below the global median, while Great Falls, MT is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.16

$11.33 $11.33

-60.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 120

$37.38 $37.38

-6.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.44

$9.47 $9.47

-27.77%

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.22

$4.20 $4.20

-22.14%

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

$1.10 PEN 3.78

$2.28 $2.28

-51.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$2.06 $2.06

-68.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.85

$5.95 $5.95

-56.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.34

$6.07 $6.07

-26.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.46

$1.08 $1.08

47.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.86

$3.33 $3.33

-22.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.65

$4.87 $4.87

-72.07%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.11

$3.24 $3.24

-8.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.19

$16.85 $16.85

-45.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 19.91

$9.82 $9.82

-40.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.68

$11.92 $11.92

-17.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.89

$4.76 $4.76

-57.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.69

$1.40 $1.40

-22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.70

$4.25 $4.25

-67.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.06

$2.23 $2.23

-33.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.30

$2.42 $2.42

-60.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.92

$2.85 $2.85

-70.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.02

$2.40 $2.40

-63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$3.37 $3.37

-74.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.24

$8.30 $8.30

-28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.20

$18.20 $18.20

-51.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.57

$2.02 $2.02

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 10.98

$4.63 $4.63

-30.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 91.7

$29.86 $29.86

-10.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.06

$6.17 $6.17

-38.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.00

$1.34 $1.34

52.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.49

$40.76 $40.76

-82.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.65

$0.92 $0.92

79.35%

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

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

$33.0K $33.0K

-32.84%

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

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

$25.5K $25.5K

0.72%

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

$73.0 PEN 250

$133 $133

-45.04%

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

$16.26 PEN 55.7

$39.87 $39.87

-59.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 94.6

$70.6 $70.6

-60.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 113

$63.8 $63.8

-48.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 66.8

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.32

$11.41 $11.41

-35.23%

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

$182 PEN 624

$925 $925

-80.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

$13.8K $13.8K

-3.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 180

$25.45 $25.45

106.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 117

$30.02 $30.02

14.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 287

$81.2 $81.2

3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 271

$64.0 $64.0

23.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,479

$1,405 $1,405

-48.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,166

$1,123 $1,123

-69.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,060

$2,691 $2,691

-55.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,176

$1,669 $1,669

-61.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,393

$2,115 $2,115

15.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,701

$2,120 $2,120

-35.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,237

$3,503 $3,503

-81.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

6.2

44.19%

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for Great Falls, MT: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$340 33.6%

Great Falls, MT

$1.1K 50.9% 230% $783

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.4%

Great Falls, MT

$391 17.7% 72.8% $165

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

Great Falls, MT

$229 10.4% 84.3% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

Great Falls, MT

$243 11% 108% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

Great Falls, MT

$90 4.1% 19.6% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.7%

Great Falls, MT

$87 3.9% 81.1% $39

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

Great Falls, MT

$43 * 1.9% 1.7% $0.7

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $723 in Lima versus $1,405 in Great Falls, MT. 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 437% higher in Great Falls, MT, 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 $37.00 in Great Falls, MT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $391 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇺🇸 Great Falls, MT

🕒 Local time

00:48 12:48 AM

23:48 11:48 PM

1 h behind Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

60,442

💱 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 11, 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 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lima Great Falls, MT 7,440 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Great Falls, MT

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 Great Falls, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Great Falls, MT costs about 122% more than Lima, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,494 per month in Lima and $3,310 in Great Falls, MT. 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.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Great Falls, MT, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Lima and $37.00 in Great Falls, MT. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Great Falls, MT at $2,207. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Great Falls, MT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lima costs $996 versus $2,207 in Great Falls, MT. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

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