Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and La Merced Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and La Merced

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $967 per month in Lima vs $525 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,518 per month in Lima vs $867 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,069 per month in Lima vs $1,209 in La Merced, rent included.

Lima costs about 84% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lima and La Merced are more affordable than the global median – Lima 28% lower, La Merced 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 PEN 13.89

$4.14 PEN 14.06

-1.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.09 PEN 113

$33.61 PEN 114

-1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 PEN 23.87

$7.10 PEN 24.13

-1.13%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.00

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

$0.96 PEN 3.27

$0.99 PEN 3.36

-3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

$0.65 PEN 2.22

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.34

$2.25 PEN 7.66

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PEN 13.53

$3.91 PEN 13.31

1.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.02

$1.47 PEN 5.01

0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 PEN 9.09

$1.96 PEN 6.65

36.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.44

$1.27 PEN 4.33

3.15%

Eggs

$2.93 PEN 9.96

$2.28 PEN 7.74

28.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 PEN 26.46

$6.73 PEN 22.89

15.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.73 PEN 19.48

$5.53 PEN 18.79

3.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 PEN 36.71

$8.41 PEN 28.60

28.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 PEN 6.93

$0.94 PEN 3.19

117.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$0.41 PEN 1.39

165.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$0.29 PEN 0.99

293.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.09

$0.67 PEN 2.27

79.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.36

$0.29 PEN 0.99

241.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 PEN 3.34

$0.43 PEN 1.47

127.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.95

$0.58 PEN 1.96

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 2.98

$0.93 PEN 3.18

-5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 PEN 19.02

$5.53 PEN 18.79

1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 PEN 29.76

$7.03 PEN 23.91

24.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$1.78 PEN 6.04

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 PEN 10.49

$2.99 PEN 10.17

3.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.56 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 PEN 11.44

$3.30 PEN 11.22

1.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.21

$2.20 PEN 7.47

-3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 PEN 28.00

$8.45 PEN 28.73

-2.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.34 PEN 4.57

1.49%

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

$19.1K PEN 65.1K

$19.2K PEN 65.3K

-0.26%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

$24.7K PEN 84.1K

0.44%

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

$57.3 PEN 195

$56.7 PEN 193

1.04%

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

$12.39 PEN 42.13

$12.69 PEN 43.15

-2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 PEN 79.4

$24.14 PEN 82.1

-3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 PEN 105

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 PEN 64.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 PEN 24.12

$6.87 PEN 23.34

3.20%

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

$217 PEN 737

$215 PEN 731

0.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,885 PEN 26.8K

$7,905 PEN 26.9K

-0.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.27 PEN 168

$49.51 PEN 168

-0.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.56 PEN 124

$36.14 PEN 123

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 PEN 304

$89.3 PEN 304

0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 PEN 300

$91.1 PEN 310

-2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 PEN 2,123

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,175

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 PEN 3,589

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 PEN 2,164

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,329 PEN 7,917

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,403 PEN 4,771

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 PEN 2,093

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

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

Last update for Lima: June 9, 2026

Last update for La Merced: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Lima versus $34.00 in La Merced. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Lima vs $177 in La Merced – so La Merced wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 La Merced: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima costs about 84% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,450 per month in Lima and $787 in La Merced. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $967 in Lima and $525 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $217 per month in Lima and $215 in La Merced. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Lima at $967. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $525 versus $967 in Lima. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with La Merced. 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.