For one person, living is cheaper in Lavras: $885 a month against $1,014 in Lima, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 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 Lavras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Lima versus $885 in Lavras.
Lima $1,014
Lavras $885
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,613 in Lima versus $1,256 in Lavras.
Lima $1,613
Lavras $1,256
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,211 in Lima versus $1,626 in Lavras.
Lima $2,211
Lavras $1,626
🌍
Living in Lima is roughly 15% more expensive than in Lavras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Lima25% lower, Lavras35% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Lavras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42PEN 15.19
$4.24R$21.52
4.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.56PEN 119
$18.15R$92.0
90.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.80PEN 23.37
$8.08R$40.94
-15.84%
Cappuccino
$3.30PEN 11.34
$1.89R$9.60
74.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06PEN 3.64
$1.27R$6.41
-16.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66PEN 2.26
$0.66R$3.34
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.54PEN 8.71
$2.16R$10.93
17.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.24PEN 14.55
$2.31R$11.71
83.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Lavras
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.58PEN 5.43
$0.77R$3.88
105.19%
White Bread(500g)
$2.61PEN 8.97
$1.80R$9.11
45.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.34PEN 4.60
$1.35R$6.86
-0.74%
Eggs
$2.93PEN 10.08
$2.27R$11.52
29.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.45PEN 32.45
$9.68R$49.06
-2.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.75PEN 19.75
$4.42R$22.41
30.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.69PEN 33.29
$7.84R$39.77
23.60%
Apples(1kg)
$2.02PEN 6.95
$1.21R$6.15
66.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07PEN 3.66
$1.27R$6.43
-15.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37PEN 4.70
$0.82R$4.14
67.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.47PEN 5.05
$1.22R$6.20
20.49%
Potato(1kg)
$0.95PEN 3.25
$0.77R$3.90
23.38%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91PEN 3.14
$1.01R$5.14
-9.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90PEN 3.10
$0.80R$4.03
12.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89PEN 3.04
$0.77R$3.92
15.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.74PEN 19.71
$2.53R$12.85
126.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.21PEN 31.64
$8.00R$40.54
15.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84PEN 6.31
$1.18R$5.97
55.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11PEN 10.67
$1.63R$8.28
90.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Lavras
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.72PEN 2.46
$1.03R$5.20
-30.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.03PEN 89.4
$60.6R$307
-57.05%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.54PEN 12.17
$1.03R$5.24
243.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.07PEN 7.12
$0.75R$3.83
176.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.75PEN 26.62
$6.45R$32.68
20.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.71PEN 5.86
$1.30R$6.59
31.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6KPEN 74.1K
$22.9KR$116.2K
-5.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.6KPEN 98.2K
$33.6KR$170.2K
-14.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Lavras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$68.2PEN 234
$76.4R$387
-10.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.73PEN 54.0
$10.43R$52.9
50.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.48PEN 90.9
$20.61R$104
28.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Lavras
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.94PEN 117
$30.07R$152
12.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.10PEN 69.0
$18.16R$92.1
10.68%
Cinema Ticket
$7.22PEN 24.80
$7.92R$40.16
-8.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Lavras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201PEN 689
$286R$1,452
-29.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.9KPEN 44.3K
$3,301R$16.7K
290.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Lavras
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7PEN 184
$60.6R$307
-11.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.88PEN 123
$49.25R$250
-27.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.8PEN 288
$99.2R$503
-15.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8PEN 271
$70.8R$359
11.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Lavras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$729PEN 2,505
$359R$1,819
103.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$349PEN 1,197
$252R$1,278
38.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,186PEN 4,073
$347R$1,759
241.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$696PEN 2,391
$276R$1,400
152.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,360PEN 8,105
$1,212R$6,142
94.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,356PEN 4,657
$997R$5,055
36.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Lavras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$663PEN 2,278
$482R$2,445
37.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.78
11.25
-21.96%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lima: October 17, 2026
Last update for Lavras: October 19, 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
$349 34.4%
Lavras
$252 28.5% ↓ 27.7%$97
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$227 22.4%
Lavras
$180 20.3% ↓ 20.9%$47
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$123 12.2%
Lavras
$104 11.8% ↓ 15.8%$19
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$113 11.2%
Lavras
$126 14.2% ↑ 11%$12
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$110 10.9%
Lavras
$107 12.1% ↓ 2.7%$3
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$48 4.8%
Lavras
$46 5.2% ↓ 5.1%$2.5
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$43 4.2%
Lavras
$70 7.9% ↑ 62.4%$27
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lima
$696 31.5%
Lavras
$276 17% ↓ 60.3%$420
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lima
$519 23.5%
Lavras
$411 25.2% ↓ 20.9%$108
🍽Eating Out
Lima
$413 18.7%
Lavras
$291 17.9% ↓ 29.6%$122
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$252 11.4%
Lavras
$280 17.2% ↑ 11%$28
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$126 5.7%
Lavras
$118 7.3% ↓ 6.5%$8.3
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$117 5.3%
Lavras
$110 6.8% ↓ 5.9%$6.9
🚌Getting Around
Lima
$87 3.9%
Lavras
$141 8.7% ↑ 62.1%$54
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Lima and $359 in Lavras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lima pays 38% 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 $18.00 in Lavras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $180 per month, with Lavras cheaper across the board.
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 Lavras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lima or Lavras?
Lavras wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Lima. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lavras the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lima or in Lavras?
Average pay runs 38% 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lima compared to Lavras?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Lima versus $359 in Lavras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Lima compared to Lavras?
A monthly transit pass in Lavras runs roughly 133% less than in Lima. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Lima and in Lavras?
Childcare runs $201 in Lima versus $286 in Lavras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lima or in Lavras?
At $885 in Lavras versus $1,014 in Lima, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lavras but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Lavras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lima or Lavras?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lavras delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $885 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lavras hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lavras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.