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: $999 in Lima versus $528 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,561 in Lima versus $830 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,124 in Lima versus $1,132 in Pisco.

Living in Lima is roughly 89% more expensive than in Pisco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Pisco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 PEN 13.77

$2.20 PEN 7.46

84.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 PEN 115

$11.05 PEN 37.47

207.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 PEN 22.86

$3.38 PEN 11.47

99.41%

Cappuccino

$2.52 PEN 8.56

$1.43 PEN 4.83

76.22%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$0.68 PEN 2.30

38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.21

$0.29 PEN 0.98

124.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 PEN 7.35

$1.91 PEN 6.47

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.39

$3.83 PEN 13.00

3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.78

$1.47 PEN 4.98

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 PEN 9.22

$2.69 PEN 9.14

1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

$1.30 PEN 4.43

5.38%

Eggs

$2.94 PEN 9.98

$2.83 PEN 9.61

3.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 PEN 26.87

$8.08 PEN 27.41

-1.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 PEN 19.54

$5.53 PEN 18.75

4.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.71 PEN 36.32

$10.64 PEN 36.11

0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.72

$2.03 PEN 6.88

-2.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.72

$1.15 PEN 3.90

-4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.05

$1.26 PEN 4.26

-5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.51

$1.00 PEN 3.38

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.00 PEN 3.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.88 PEN 2.98

-1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.93

$0.92 PEN 3.12

-6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 PEN 18.96

$5.53 PEN 18.76

1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 PEN 30.51

$8.87 PEN 30.10

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 5.99

$1.77 PEN 6.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.42

$2.99 PEN 10.14

2.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.43

$3.41 PEN 11.56

-1.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 PEN 7.54

$2.13 PEN 7.23

4.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 PEN 28.00

$8.17 PEN 27.70

1.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.58

$1.30 PEN 4.39

3.85%

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

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

$19.6K PEN 66.6K

-1.14%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.3K

$24.9K PEN 84.4K

-2.54%

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

$56.4 PEN 191

$55.9 PEN 190

0.97%

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

$12.57 PEN 42.63

$12.50 PEN 42.42

0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 PEN 80.3

$23.30 PEN 79.0

1.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 PEN 105

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 23.17

$7.03 PEN 23.86

-2.84%

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

$219 PEN 743

$220 PEN 748

-0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,096 PEN 27.5K

$7,928 PEN 26.9K

2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 PEN 168

$49.98 PEN 170

-0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 PEN 121

$36.79 PEN 125

-3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 303

$89.8 PEN 305

-0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 PEN 302

$88.4 PEN 300

0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 PEN 2,115

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 PEN 1,167

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 PEN 3,484

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 PEN 2,098

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,315 PEN 7,852

$1,787 PEN 6,061

29.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 PEN 4,734

$1,327 PEN 4,502

5.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 PEN 2,120

$577 PEN 1,957

8.34%

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 Pisco: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lima pays 8% 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: $34.00 in Lima vs $11.00 in Pisco. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $222, with Lima 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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima and Pisco differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($999 vs $528 including rent). Pisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Lima, 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 $999 per month in Lima versus $528 in Pisco – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $528 in Pisco versus $999 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 89% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.