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 $1,014 per month in Lima vs $566 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,605 per month in Lima vs $926 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Lima vs $1,286 in La Merced, rent included.

Lima costs about 79% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lima and La Merced are more affordable than the global median – Lima 26% lower, La Merced 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 PEN 14.71

$4.49 PEN 15.15

-2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 PEN 121

$35.82 PEN 121

0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 PEN 24.09

$7.03 PEN 23.73

1.56%

Cappuccino

$3.39 PEN 11.45

$3.42 PEN 11.53

-0.88%

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

$1.09 PEN 3.68

$1.14 PEN 3.86

-4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$0.62 PEN 2.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 PEN 9.16

$2.71 PEN 9.15

0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.28

$4.59 PEN 15.48

-1.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.48

$1.68 PEN 5.67

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 PEN 9.11

$2.06 PEN 6.94

31.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 PEN 4.65

$1.30 PEN 4.40

6.15%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 9.95

$2.42 PEN 8.16

21.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 PEN 31.91

$7.50 PEN 25.31

26.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 PEN 20.41

$5.96 PEN 20.12

1.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.99 PEN 33.71

$9.09 PEN 30.66

9.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 PEN 6.83

$1.00 PEN 3.38

103.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.57

$0.47 PEN 1.57

125.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.79

$0.31 PEN 1.05

358.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.04

$0.70 PEN 2.38

112.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.14

$0.31 PEN 1.06

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$0.47 PEN 1.59

82.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 PEN 2.84

$0.62 PEN 2.09

35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.16

$0.95 PEN 3.20

-1.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 PEN 20.39

$5.94 PEN 20.05

1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 PEN 30.34

$7.64 PEN 25.76

17.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.49

$1.98 PEN 6.68

-3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 PEN 10.97

$3.31 PEN 11.18

-1.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.60 PEN 93.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 PEN 13.67

$4.12 PEN 13.91

-1.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.83

$2.05 PEN 6.93

-0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 PEN 24.40

$7.37 PEN 24.87

-1.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 PEN 5.83

$1.72 PEN 5.81

0.58%

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

$21.9K PEN 73.7K

$22.3K PEN 75.3K

-2.10%

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

$26.3K PEN 88.8K

$25.9K PEN 87.2K

1.76%

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

$71.6 PEN 242

$70.0 PEN 236

2.20%

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

$16.89 PEN 57.0

$17.07 PEN 57.6

-1.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 PEN 94.2

$28.18 PEN 95.1

-0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.23 PEN 112

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 PEN 67.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 PEN 25.37

$7.60 PEN 25.64

-1.05%

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

$183 PEN 618

0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K PEN 45.7K

$13.3K PEN 44.9K

1.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 PEN 186

$54.6 PEN 184

0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.32 PEN 123

$35.22 PEN 119

3.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 PEN 295

$84.8 PEN 286

3.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 PEN 269

$80.7 PEN 272

-1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 PEN 2,578

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 PEN 1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 PEN 4,308

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 PEN 2,215

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 PEN 8,423

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,403 PEN 4,733

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,214

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Lima: September 12, 2026

Last update for La Merced: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Lima versus $36.00 in La Merced. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Lima vs $192 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 79% 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 $1,521 per month in Lima and $849 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 $1,014 in Lima and $566 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in Lima and $183 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 $566, than in Lima at $1,014. 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 $566 versus $1,014 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.