Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,012
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Lisbon

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 Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Lima versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Lima $1,012
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Lima versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Lima $1,589
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Lima versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Lima $2,167
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Lima costs roughly 54% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lima is 25% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 PEN 15.10
$16.50 €14.67
-73.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.17 PEN 121
$61.3 €54.5
-42.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.89 PEN 23.65
$11.27 €10.03
-38.86%
Cappuccino
$3.26 PEN 11.20
$3.06 €2.72
6.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 PEN 3.84
$2.26 €2.01
-50.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 PEN 2.11
$1.73 €1.54
-64.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 PEN 9.09
$3.39 €3.02
-21.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 PEN 15.15
$3.40 €3.02
29.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 PEN 5.61
$1.12 €1.00
45.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.56 PEN 8.78
$1.86 €1.65
37.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 PEN 4.65
$1.53 €1.36
-11.76%
Eggs
$2.90 PEN 9.96
$3.96 €3.53
-26.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.85 PEN 30.38
$12.76 €11.35
-30.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.98 PEN 20.52
$7.90 €7.02
-24.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.78 PEN 33.59
$16.97 €15.09
-42.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.05 PEN 7.02
$2.27 €2.02
-9.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 PEN 3.66
$1.75 €1.55
-39.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 PEN 4.64
$1.85 €1.64
-27.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 PEN 5.15
$2.57 €2.28
-41.63%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 PEN 3.03
$1.86 €1.65
-52.69%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 PEN 3.15
$2.02 €1.80
-54.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 PEN 3.07
$1.44 €1.28
-38.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 PEN 3.10
$0.82 €0.73
9.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90 PEN 20.27
$6.56 €5.83
-10.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.52 PEN 29.26
$5.62 €5.00
51.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 PEN 6.45
$1.28 €1.14
46.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 PEN 11.05
$2.07 €1.84
55.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 PEN 2.33
$2.35 €2.09
-71.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.86 PEN 92.2
$44.18 €39.30
-39.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 PEN 13.09
$3.99 €3.55
-4.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 PEN 6.93
$1.09 €0.97
85.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.11 PEN 24.41
$16.64 €14.81
-57.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 PEN 5.91
$2.28 €2.03
-24.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K PEN 76.6K
$33.7K €30.0K
-33.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K PEN 87.6K
$39.3K €35.0K
-35.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.1 PEN 251
$167 €149
-56.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.35 PEN 56.2
$18.80 €16.72
-13.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47 PEN 94.3
$33.09 €29.43
-16.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.90 PEN 110
$46.01 €40.93
-30.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 PEN 66.7
$19.19 €17.07
1.15%
Cinema Ticket
$7.05 PEN 24.23
$9.84 €8.75
-28.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$182 PEN 627
$677 €602
-73.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.0K PEN 44.8K
$16.9K €15.1K
-22.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 PEN 185
$101 €90.1
-46.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.32 PEN 118
$45.76 €40.70
-25.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.8 PEN 284
$100.0 €88.9
-17.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.2 PEN 269
$123 €109
-36.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 PEN 2,476
$1,614 €1,436
-55.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$343 PEN 1,179
$1,197 €1,065
-71.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,219 PEN 4,186
$2,862 €2,545
-57.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$651 PEN 2,235
$1,990 €1,770
-67.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,414 PEN 8,292
$7,577 €6,740
-68.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,357 PEN 4,660
$4,307 €3,831
-68.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$648 PEN 2,226
$1,588 €1,412
-59.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.94
3.85
132.21%

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

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lima
$343
Lisbon
$1.2K 249% $854
Groceries & Markets
Lima
$226
Lisbon
$269 19.2% $43
Eating Out
Lima
$124
Lisbon
$242 95.4% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$117
Lisbon
$219 87.7% $102
Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$112
Lisbon
$166 48.4% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$46
Lisbon
$66 42.8% $20
Getting Around
Lima
$43
Lisbon
$63 44.9% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Lima and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 145% 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 $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $269 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Lima
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
20:04 8:04 PM
02:04 2:04 AM
6 h ahead of Lima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,989,369 Capital
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lima Lisbon 9,010 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lima
  • Lisbon

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lima and in Lisbon?
Lima and Lisbon differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($1,012 vs $2,223 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 145% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lima and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Lima versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lima and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $182 in Lima versus $677 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,012 in Lima versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lima and Lisbon?
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.
Is Lima or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lima and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lima or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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