Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Los Mochis

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $1,111 in Los Mochis, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,012
/mo nomad
Los Mochis
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,111
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Los Mochis

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Lima versus $1,111 in Los Mochis.

  • Lima $1,012
  • Los Mochis $1,111

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Lima versus $1,768 in Los Mochis.

  • Lima $1,589
  • Los Mochis $1,768

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Lima versus $2,424 in Los Mochis.

  • Lima $2,167
  • Los Mochis $2,424

Living in Lima costs roughly 9% less than in Los Mochis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Los Mochis 18% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 PEN 15.10
$6.87 MX$127
-35.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.17 PEN 121
$32.35 MX$598
8.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.89 PEN 23.65
$11.01 MX$203
-37.42%
Cappuccino
$3.26 PEN 11.20
$3.17 MX$58.6
2.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 PEN 3.84
$1.10 MX$20.34
1.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 PEN 2.11
$1.01 MX$18.71
-38.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 PEN 9.09
$2.50 MX$46.20
6.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 PEN 15.15
$3.41 MX$63.0
29.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 PEN 5.61
$1.52 MX$28.02
7.24%
White Bread (500g)
$2.56 PEN 8.78
$2.75 MX$50.8
-6.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 PEN 4.65
$1.71 MX$31.61
-21.05%
Eggs
$2.90 PEN 9.96
$2.35 MX$43.44
23.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.85 PEN 30.38
$8.61 MX$159
2.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.98 PEN 20.52
$9.59 MX$177
-37.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.78 PEN 33.59
$12.84 MX$237
-23.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.05 PEN 7.02
$2.52 MX$46.55
-18.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 PEN 3.66
$1.56 MX$28.79
-32.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 PEN 4.64
$1.86 MX$34.31
-27.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 PEN 5.15
$1.73 MX$31.88
-13.29%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 PEN 3.03
$1.89 MX$34.99
-53.44%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 PEN 3.15
$1.81 MX$33.47
-49.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 PEN 3.07
$1.43 MX$26.36
-37.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 PEN 3.10
$0.96 MX$17.81
-6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90 PEN 20.27
$3.74 MX$69.2
57.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.52 PEN 29.26
$11.17 MX$207
-23.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 PEN 6.45
$1.82 MX$33.72
3.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 PEN 11.05
$3.09 MX$57.2
4.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 PEN 2.33
$0.69 MX$12.73
-1.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.86 PEN 92.2
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 PEN 13.09
$2.62 MX$48.45
45.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 PEN 6.93
$1.95 MX$36.02
3.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.11 PEN 24.41
$10.87 MX$201
-34.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 PEN 5.91
$1.43 MX$26.34
20.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K PEN 76.6K
$21.3K MX$393.0K
4.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K PEN 87.6K
$23.9K MX$441.4K
6.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.1 PEN 251
$57.0 MX$1,053
28.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.35 PEN 56.2
$22.38 MX$414
-26.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47 PEN 94.3
$29.97 MX$554
-8.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.90 PEN 110
$34.05 MX$629
-6.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 PEN 66.7
$19.97 MX$369
-2.80%
Cinema Ticket
$7.05 PEN 24.23
$5.22 MX$96.5
35.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$182 PEN 627
$222 MX$4,108
-17.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.0K PEN 44.8K
$5,159 MX$95.3K
152.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 PEN 185
$53.7 MX$992
0.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.32 PEN 118
$40.77 MX$753
-15.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.8 PEN 284
$102 MX$1,881
-18.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.2 PEN 269
$88.0 MX$1,625
-11.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 PEN 2,476
$617 MX$11.4K
16.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$343 PEN 1,179
$387 MX$7,153
-11.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,219 PEN 4,186
$1,026 MX$19.0K
18.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$651 PEN 2,235
$777 MX$14.4K
-16.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,414 PEN 8,292
$1,913 MX$35.4K
26.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,357 PEN 4,660
$1,292 MX$23.9K
5.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Los Mochis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$648 PEN 2,226
$652 MX$12.0K
-0.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.94
11.3
-20.88%

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

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Last update for Los Mochis: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lima
$343
Los Mochis
$387 12.7% $44
Groceries & Markets
Lima
$226
Los Mochis
$273 21% $47
Eating Out
Lima
$124
Los Mochis
$154 24% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$117
Los Mochis
$109 6.5% $7.6
Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$112
Los Mochis
$128 14.1% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$46
Los Mochis
$44 3.3% $1.5
Getting Around
Lima
$43
Los Mochis
$15 * 65.2% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Lima and $617 in Los Mochis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Mochis pays 1% 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 $32.00 in Los Mochis. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $273, with Lima cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Lima
🇲🇽 Los Mochis
🕒 Local time
08:59 8:59 AM
06:59 6:59 AM
2 h behind Lima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,989,369 Capital
298,009
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lima Los Mochis 5,450 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lima
  • Los Mochis

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 Los Mochis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lima and in Los Mochis?
Lima and Los Mochis differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,012 vs $1,111 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 1% lower in Los Mochis. 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 Los Mochis?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Lima versus $617 in Los Mochis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Los Mochis. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lima or Los Mochis?
All in, you'll spend $1,012 per month in Lima versus $1,111 in Los Mochis – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,012 in Lima versus $1,111 in Los Mochis, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Los Mochis. 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 Los Mochis?
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.
Where should expats move: Lima or Los Mochis?
Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Los Mochis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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