Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Moquegua Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Moquegua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Lima versus $453 in Moquegua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,594 in Lima versus $751 in Moquegua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Lima versus $1,050 in Moquegua.

Living in Lima is roughly 120% more expensive than in Moquegua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 26% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.23

$3.46 PEN 11.93

27.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 121

$27.61 PEN 95.1

26.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.55

$5.82 PEN 20.03

17.53%

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.27

$2.56 PEN 8.82

27.73%

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

$1.10 PEN 3.80

$0.82 PEN 2.82

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.24

$0.37 PEN 1.27

75.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.89

$2.16 PEN 7.44

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.41

$4.37 PEN 15.05

2.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.49

$1.33 PEN 4.59

19.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.90

$1.37 PEN 4.73

88.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.68

$1.54 PEN 5.31

-11.69%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.16

$2.33 PEN 8.01

26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.34

$6.24 PEN 21.50

45.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 20.01

$4.63 PEN 15.95

25.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.84

$7.37 PEN 25.38

33.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.92

$1.81 PEN 6.22

11.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.71

$1.21 PEN 4.17

-10.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.72

$1.20 PEN 4.13

14.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.08

$1.05 PEN 3.63

40.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.32

$0.69 PEN 2.38

39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.94

$0.69 PEN 2.39

23.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.04

$0.55 PEN 1.89

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.99

$0.74 PEN 2.56

17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.33

$5.28 PEN 18.19

11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.35

$5.11 PEN 17.58

72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.60

$2.72 PEN 9.38

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 11.03

$2.25 PEN 7.75

42.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 92.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.12

$2.05 PEN 7.06

85.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.03

$2.02 PEN 6.97

0.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.60

$13.02 PEN 44.83

-45.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.67

$1.52 PEN 5.25

8.55%

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

$22.2K PEN 76.4K

$18.5K PEN 63.8K

19.67%

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

$25.7K PEN 88.4K

$25.2K PEN 86.9K

1.67%

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

$73.0 PEN 252

$23.82 PEN 82.0

206.63%

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

$16.26 PEN 56.0

$10.37 PEN 35.73

56.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 95.1

$23.27 PEN 80.2

18.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 114

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 67.1

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.44

$7.33 PEN 25.26

0.82%

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

$182 PEN 627

$74.5 PEN 257

144.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.9K

$6,749 PEN 23.2K

97.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 181

$48.42 PEN 167

8.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 118

$26.56 PEN 91.5

28.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 288

$68.0 PEN 234

23.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 272

$58.4 PEN 201

35.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,491

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,171

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,079

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,186

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,433

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,724

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,248

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

-40.40%

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Lima vs $28.00 in Moquegua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $176 per month, with Moquegua 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 Moquegua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima and Moquegua differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $453 including rent). Moquegua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,494 in Lima and $680 in Moquegua 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $996 per month in Lima versus $453 in Moquegua – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $453 in Moquegua versus $996 in Lima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Moquegua but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Moquegua 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 Moquegua 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 Moquegua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.