Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Piura Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Piura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $967 in Lima versus $630 in Piura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,518 in Lima versus $1,056 in Piura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,069 in Lima versus $1,482 in Piura.

Living in Lima is roughly 54% more expensive than Piura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 28% lower, Piura 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Piura
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.09 PEN 13.89
$2.70 PEN 9.18
51.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.09 PEN 113
$11.22 PEN 38.13
194.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.02 PEN 23.87
$5.53 PEN 18.82
26.94%
Cappuccino
$2.65 PEN 9.00
$3.40 PEN 11.56
-22.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 PEN 3.27
$1.71 PEN 5.81
-43.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 PEN 2.25
$0.53 PEN 1.79
24.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.16 PEN 7.34
$2.19 PEN 7.45
-1.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 PEN 13.53
$2.86 PEN 9.73
39.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Piura
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 PEN 5.02
$1.14 PEN 3.89
29.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 PEN 9.09
$3.12 PEN 10.61
-14.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 PEN 4.44
$1.42 PEN 4.84
-7.75%
Eggs
$2.93 PEN 9.96
$2.11 PEN 7.16
38.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.78 PEN 26.46
$8.29 PEN 28.18
-6.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.73 PEN 19.48
$7.27 PEN 24.71
-21.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.80 PEN 36.71
$9.70 PEN 32.96
11.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.04 PEN 6.93
$1.30 PEN 4.43
56.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 PEN 3.70
$0.82 PEN 2.77
32.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 PEN 3.88
$0.86 PEN 2.94
32.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.20 PEN 4.09
$1.12 PEN 3.81
7.14%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 PEN 3.36
$1.27 PEN 4.31
-22.05%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 PEN 3.34
$0.57 PEN 1.94
71.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 PEN 2.95
$0.58 PEN 1.98
50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 PEN 2.98
$0.79 PEN 2.68
11.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 PEN 19.02
$8.41 PEN 28.60
-33.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.75 PEN 29.76
$10.88 PEN 37.00
-19.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 PEN 5.79
$1.76 PEN 5.97
-3.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 PEN 10.49
$2.72 PEN 9.25
13.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Piura
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.66 PEN 2.25
$0.40 PEN 1.37
65.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.56 PEN 107
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.36 PEN 11.44
$1.71 PEN 5.81
96.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 PEN 7.21
$1.66 PEN 5.65
27.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.24 PEN 28.00
$5.54 PEN 18.82
48.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 PEN 4.62
$1.44 PEN 4.89
-5.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K PEN 65.1K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K PEN 84.5K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Piura
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.3 PEN 195
$39.79 PEN 135
43.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.39 PEN 42.13
$8.43 PEN 28.64
46.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.34 PEN 79.4
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Piura
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.84 PEN 105
$27.53 PEN 93.6
12.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.08 PEN 64.9
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.09 PEN 24.12
$2.19 PEN 7.44
223.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Piura
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$217 PEN 737
$187 PEN 635
16.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,885 PEN 26.8K
$2,195 PEN 7,462
259.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Piura
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.27 PEN 168
$40.97 PEN 139
20.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.56 PEN 124
$12.56 PEN 42.70
191.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.4 PEN 304
$55.1 PEN 187
62.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 PEN 300
$68.3 PEN 232
29.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Piura
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$624 PEN 2,123
$138 PEN 469
352.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 PEN 1,175
$124 PEN 420
179.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,056 PEN 3,589
$331 PEN 1,124
219.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$637 PEN 2,164
$390 PEN 1,327
63.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,329 PEN 7,917
$3,667 PEN 12.5K
-36.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,403 PEN 4,771
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Piura
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$616 PEN 2,093
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.11
0
-

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

Last update for Lima: June 9, 2026

Last update for Piura: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $624 in Lima and $138 in Piura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Lima vs $11.00 in Piura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $220 per month, with Piura 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 Piura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lima and Piura?
Lima and Piura differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($967 vs $630 including rent). Piura is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lima compared to Piura?
You'd need roughly $1,450 in Lima and $944 in Piura 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Lima and Piura?
Rent for a central apartment: $624 in Lima versus $138 in Piura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lima or Piura?
All in, you'll spend $967 per month in Lima versus $630 in Piura – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $630 in Piura versus $967 in Lima, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Piura but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Piura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lima and Piura?
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.
Where should expats move: Lima or Piura?
Expats usually find Piura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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