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: $985 in Lima versus $1,058 in Miraflores.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Lima versus $1,185 in Miraflores.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,089 in Lima versus $1,312 in Miraflores.

Living in Lima costs roughly 7% less than in Miraflores, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 27% lower, Miraflores 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.98

$4.08 PEN 13.90

0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$33.86 PEN 115

-2.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 23.81

$4.99 PEN 16.96

40.28%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.64

$2.53 PEN 8.59

0.40%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$0.91 PEN 3.09

1.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$0.60 PEN 2.05

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$2.19 PEN 7.47

2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PEN 13.07

$3.80 PEN 12.92

1.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$1.21 PEN 4.13

16.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 PEN 9.30

$1.14 PEN 3.88

139.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.44

$1.31 PEN 4.47

-0.76%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.06

$2.82 PEN 9.59

4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.11

$8.09 PEN 27.53

-1.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 PEN 19.30

$5.77 PEN 19.64

-1.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PEN 36.00

$8.54 PEN 29.04

23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.87

$2.05 PEN 6.99

-1.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.65

$1.13 PEN 3.83

-5.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$1.10 PEN 3.73

2.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$1.12 PEN 3.83

11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.51

$1.03 PEN 3.50

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$0.81 PEN 2.76

18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.96

$0.82 PEN 2.79

6.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$0.58 PEN 1.97

51.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 18.58

$5.40 PEN 18.36

1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 PEN 30.55

$8.86 PEN 30.13

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.96

$1.72 PEN 5.85

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 PEN 10.47

$2.70 PEN 9.18

14.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.27 PEN 0.91

148.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.51

$3.29 PEN 11.19

2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.53

$2.21 PEN 7.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.96

$8.32 PEN 28.29

-1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.24 PEN 4.21

8.87%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

$19.1K PEN 64.9K

1.28%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

$24.1K PEN 82.1K

0.72%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$55.0 PEN 187

3.11%

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

$12.64 PEN 43.00

$8.32 PEN 28.30

51.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 PEN 81.7

$23.61 PEN 80.3

1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

$32.86 PEN 112

-8.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

$6.78 PEN 23.08

-0.59%

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

$218 PEN 740

$215 PEN 732

1.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

$8,047 PEN 27.4K

-1.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

$50.9 PEN 173

-1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 PEN 125

$35.51 PEN 121

3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$91.7 PEN 312

-2.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 PEN 300

$83.5 PEN 284

5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,062

$677 PEN 2,303

-10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,189

$499 PEN 1,699

-29.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,524

$1,598 PEN 5,436

-35.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,135

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,054

$2,543 PEN 8,653

-6.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,880

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 PEN 2,131

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Miraflores: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $606 in Lima and $677 in Miraflores. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Lima vs $34.00 in Miraflores. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $193, 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 7% in total monthly costs ($985 vs $1,058 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,477 in Lima and $1,587 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: $606 in Lima versus $677 in Miraflores. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Miraflores pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $985 per month in Lima versus $1,058 in Miraflores – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $985 in Lima versus $1,058 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 7% less than in Miraflores. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.