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: $999 in Lima versus $1,044 in Miraflores.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,561 in Lima versus $1,161 in Miraflores.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,124 in Lima versus $1,279 in Miraflores.

Living in Lima costs roughly 4% less than in Miraflores, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Miraflores 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 PEN 13.77

$4.19 PEN 14.23

-3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 PEN 115

$32.90 PEN 112

3.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 PEN 22.86

$5.02 PEN 17.03

34.26%

Cappuccino

$2.52 PEN 8.56

$2.53 PEN 8.57

-0.40%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$0.92 PEN 3.13

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.21

$0.65 PEN 2.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 PEN 7.35

$2.24 PEN 7.61

-3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.39

$3.77 PEN 12.80

4.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.78

$1.28 PEN 4.34

10.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 PEN 9.22

$1.13 PEN 3.84

140.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

$1.35 PEN 4.56

1.48%

Eggs

$2.94 PEN 9.98

$2.93 PEN 9.95

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 PEN 26.87

$8.18 PEN 27.74

-3.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 PEN 19.54

$5.73 PEN 19.45

0.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.71 PEN 36.32

$8.93 PEN 30.29

19.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.72

$2.06 PEN 7.00

-3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.72

$1.15 PEN 3.91

-4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.05

$1.09 PEN 3.71

9.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.51

$1.04 PEN 3.52

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$0.84 PEN 2.85

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.80 PEN 2.71

8.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.93

$0.59 PEN 1.99

45.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 PEN 18.96

$5.54 PEN 18.79

0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 PEN 30.51

$8.59 PEN 29.13

4.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 5.99

$1.68 PEN 5.70

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.42

$2.81 PEN 9.52

9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$0.29 PEN 0.99

134.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.43

$3.41 PEN 11.58

-1.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 PEN 7.54

$2.22 PEN 7.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 PEN 28.00

$8.13 PEN 27.56

1.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.58

$1.23 PEN 4.18

9.76%

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

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

0.09%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.3K

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

-2.13%

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

$56.4 PEN 191

$54.9 PEN 186

2.75%

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

$12.57 PEN 42.63

$8.10 PEN 27.48

55.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 PEN 80.3

$23.46 PEN 79.6

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 PEN 105

$32.98 PEN 112

-5.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 23.17

$7.14 PEN 24.22

-4.34%

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

$219 PEN 743

$220 PEN 746

-0.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,096 PEN 27.5K

$7,866 PEN 26.7K

2.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 PEN 168

$50.2 PEN 170

-1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 PEN 121

$36.04 PEN 122

-1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 303

$90.9 PEN 308

-1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 PEN 302

$82.4 PEN 279

7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 PEN 2,115

$666 PEN 2,259

-6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 PEN 1,167

$503 PEN 1,706

-31.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 PEN 3,484

$1,600 PEN 5,427

-35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 PEN 2,098

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,315 PEN 7,852

$2,513 PEN 8,524

-7.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 PEN 4,734

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 PEN 2,120

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

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

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Miraflores: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $623 in Lima and $666 in Miraflores. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Lima vs $33.00 in Miraflores for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $194 per month, with Miraflores cheaper across the board.

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 5% in total monthly costs ($999 vs $1,044 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,498 in Lima and $1,565 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: $623 in Lima versus $666 in Miraflores. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Miraflores pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $999 per month in Lima versus $1,044 in Miraflores – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $999 in Lima versus $1,044 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 5% less than in Miraflores. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.