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: $1,032 in Lima versus $468 in Moquegua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,582 in Lima versus $784 in Moquegua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,132 in Lima versus $1,099 in Moquegua.

Living in Lima is roughly 121% more expensive than in Moquegua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 PEN 14.88

$3.69 PEN 12.37

20.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.44 PEN 109

$29.34 PEN 98.4

10.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PEN 24.37

$6.05 PEN 20.28

20.17%

Cappuccino

$3.15 PEN 10.58

$2.47 PEN 8.26

27.53%

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

$1.11 PEN 3.73

$0.80 PEN 2.68

38.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 PEN 2.11

$0.42 PEN 1.40

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 PEN 9.07

$2.33 PEN 7.80

16.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 PEN 14.78

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-26.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.46

$1.37 PEN 4.60

18.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 PEN 8.95

$1.42 PEN 4.77

88.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 PEN 4.69

$1.51 PEN 5.06

-7.28%

Eggs

$2.92 PEN 9.79

$2.32 PEN 7.78

25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.55 PEN 28.68

$6.51 PEN 21.81

31.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 PEN 20.21

$4.67 PEN 15.66

29.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 PEN 34.08

$7.45 PEN 24.98

36.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 PEN 6.83

$1.81 PEN 6.07

12.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.58

$1.27 PEN 4.26

-15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.49

$1.17 PEN 3.93

14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.88

$1.02 PEN 3.43

43.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.20

$0.68 PEN 2.29

41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.96

$0.69 PEN 2.31

27.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 PEN 2.88

$0.56 PEN 1.88

53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.16

$0.76 PEN 2.55

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 PEN 19.35

$5.06 PEN 16.98

14.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 PEN 29.34

$5.31 PEN 17.79

64.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.36

$3.07 PEN 10.28

-38.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PEN 11.47

$2.39 PEN 8.00

43.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 PEN 2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 PEN 92.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 PEN 13.76

$2.11 PEN 7.08

94.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 PEN 7.15

$2.04 PEN 6.84

4.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.31 PEN 24.50

$13.04 PEN 43.72

-43.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.76

$1.55 PEN 5.18

10.97%

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

$21.8K PEN 72.9K

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

13.08%

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

$25.8K PEN 86.5K

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

-1.28%

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

$70.2 PEN 235

$24.11 PEN 80.8

190.96%

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

$15.90 PEN 53.3

$10.20 PEN 34.20

55.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.63 PEN 85.9

$23.71 PEN 79.5

8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.94 PEN 110

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 PEN 66.8

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 PEN 24.48

$7.26 PEN 24.35

0.55%

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

$180 PEN 604

$77.3 PEN 259

133.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K PEN 45.7K

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

99.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 PEN 178

$49.52 PEN 166

7.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.18 PEN 118

$27.22 PEN 91.3

29.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 286

$69.6 PEN 233

22.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 PEN 272

$60.4 PEN 202

34.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 PEN 2,533

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 PEN 1,146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 PEN 4,238

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,167

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 PEN 7,958

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,398 PEN 4,687

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 PEN 2,077

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: August 16, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Lima vs $29.00 in Moquegua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $181 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 121% in total monthly costs ($1,032 vs $468 including rent). Moquegua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,548 in Lima and $701 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 27% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,032 per month in Lima versus $468 in Moquegua – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $468 in Moquegua versus $1,032 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 121% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.