Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Miraflores Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Miraflores

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,016 in Lima versus $1,161 in Miraflores.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Lima versus $1,257 in Miraflores.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,229 in Lima versus $1,353 in Miraflores.

Living in Lima costs roughly 12% less than in Miraflores, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 26% lower, Miraflores 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 PEN 14.59

$4.38 PEN 14.67

-0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.17 PEN 108

$32.55 PEN 109

-1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.58

$5.49 PEN 18.40

28.05%

Cappuccino

$3.23 PEN 10.84

$3.25 PEN 10.90

-0.62%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.79

$1.12 PEN 3.76

0.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.66 PEN 2.23

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 PEN 8.99

$2.69 PEN 9.01

-0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.19

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PEN 5.50

$1.33 PEN 4.46

23.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.72

$1.17 PEN 3.92

122.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.50

$1.34 PEN 4.51

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.24

$2.91 PEN 9.76

4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 PEN 30.22

$9.09 PEN 30.48

-0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.87

$5.93 PEN 19.89

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 PEN 32.87

$9.84 PEN 32.99

-0.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 PEN 7.03

$2.07 PEN 6.93

1.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.53

$1.10 PEN 3.70

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.87

$1.45 PEN 4.85

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.03

$1.22 PEN 4.10

22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.10

$0.91 PEN 3.04

2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.16

$0.85 PEN 2.85

10.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.00

$0.85 PEN 2.85

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.19

$0.62 PEN 2.06

53.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 PEN 19.50

$6.08 PEN 20.38

-4.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 PEN 30.26

$8.71 PEN 29.21

3.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 PEN 6.50

$1.73 PEN 5.79

12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.82

$2.92 PEN 9.79

10.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 PEN 2.30

$0.29 PEN 0.97

137.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 PEN 13.07

$3.93 PEN 13.19

-0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$2.04 PEN 6.83

-0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 PEN 24.97

$7.55 PEN 25.32

-1.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.75

$1.37 PEN 4.59

24.82%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

$22.3K PEN 74.9K

-0.67%

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

$26.7K PEN 89.6K

$26.8K PEN 89.9K

-0.27%

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

$71.1 PEN 238

$58.8 PEN 197

20.95%

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

$16.93 PEN 56.8

$8.87 PEN 29.74

90.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 PEN 94.9

$27.83 PEN 93.3

1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 113

$35.76 PEN 120

-5.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 66.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 PEN 24.23

$7.31 PEN 24.50

-1.09%

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

$181 PEN 606

$182 PEN 609

-0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.1K

$13.2K PEN 44.2K

2.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 PEN 181

$54.2 PEN 182

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 PEN 119

$36.05 PEN 121

-1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 PEN 288

$87.1 PEN 292

-1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 PEN 272

$79.3 PEN 266

2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 PEN 2,543

$678 PEN 2,275

11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,162

$525 PEN 1,762

-34.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 PEN 4,205

$1,613 PEN 5,409

-22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,165

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,312

$2,534 PEN 8,498

-2.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 PEN 2,242

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Miraflores: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $759 in Lima and $678 in Miraflores. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Lima vs $33.00 in Miraflores. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $204, with Miraflores cheaper for home cooking.

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 Miraflores: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima and Miraflores differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,016 vs $1,161 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,524 in Lima and $1,742 in Miraflores to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $759 in Lima versus $678 in Miraflores. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Miraflores pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,016 per month in Lima versus $1,161 in Miraflores – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,016 in Lima versus $1,161 in Miraflores, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Miraflores. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lima and Miraflores are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Miraflores. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.