Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Pisco Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Pisco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $985 in Lima versus $530 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Lima versus $822 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,089 in Lima versus $1,114 in Pisco.

Living in Lima is roughly 86% more expensive than Pisco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 27% lower, Pisco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.98

$2.16 PEN 7.33

90.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$11.16 PEN 37.98

195.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 23.81

$3.31 PEN 11.27

111.48%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.64

$1.40 PEN 4.76

81.43%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$0.66 PEN 2.24

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$0.27 PEN 0.91

125.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$1.93 PEN 6.57

16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PEN 13.07

$3.94 PEN 13.42

-2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$1.48 PEN 5.04

-4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 PEN 9.30

$2.63 PEN 8.94

3.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.44

$1.34 PEN 4.56

-2.99%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.06

$2.97 PEN 10.11

-0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.11

$7.76 PEN 26.39

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 PEN 19.30

$5.77 PEN 19.64

-1.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PEN 36.00

$10.66 PEN 36.27

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.87

$2.05 PEN 6.98

-1.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.65

$1.11 PEN 3.78

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$1.09 PEN 3.70

3.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$1.25 PEN 4.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.51

$1.04 PEN 3.53

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$0.95 PEN 3.24

1.05%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.92

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 18.58

$5.44 PEN 18.50

0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 PEN 30.55

$8.94 PEN 30.43

0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.96

$1.70 PEN 5.79

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 PEN 10.47

$3.04 PEN 10.35

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.51

$3.38 PEN 11.50

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.53

$2.21 PEN 7.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.96

$8.38 PEN 28.50

-1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.35 PEN 4.59

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

-2.31%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

-1.97%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$57.2 PEN 194

-0.80%

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

$12.64 PEN 43.00

$12.41 PEN 42.22

1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 PEN 81.7

$23.50 PEN 80.0

2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

$6.91 PEN 23.50

-2.46%

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

$218 PEN 740

$215 PEN 731

1.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

-2.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

$49.79 PEN 169

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 PEN 125

$35.46 PEN 121

3.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$88.9 PEN 303

0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 PEN 300

$91.0 PEN 310

-3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,062

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,524

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,135

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,054

$1,809 PEN 6,154

30.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,880

$1,335 PEN 4,542

7.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 PEN 2,131

$583 PEN 1,985

7.36%

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 Pisco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lima pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Lima vs $11.00 in Pisco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $221 per month, with Pisco 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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima and Pisco differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($985 vs $530 including rent). Pisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lima pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $985 per month in Lima versus $530 in Pisco – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $530 in Pisco versus $985 in Lima, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pisco but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Pisco 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.

Expats usually find Pisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.