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: $975 in Lima versus $619 in Piura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,515 in Lima versus $1,023 in Piura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,055 in Lima versus $1,427 in Piura.

Living in Lima is roughly 58% more expensive than in Piura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 27% lower, Piura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.24 PEN 14.40

$2.81 PEN 9.54

50.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.85 PEN 115

$10.89 PEN 36.98

210.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 PEN 24.11

$5.61 PEN 19.03

26.56%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.77

$3.28 PEN 11.14

-21.34%

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

$0.90 PEN 3.07

$1.71 PEN 5.82

-47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 PEN 2.19

$0.53 PEN 1.80

20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.60

$2.29 PEN 7.76

-2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 PEN 13.30

$2.73 PEN 9.28

43.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 4.99

$1.13 PEN 3.83

30.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PEN 8.91

$3.01 PEN 10.22

-12.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.46

$1.36 PEN 4.63

-3.68%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.06

$2.04 PEN 6.93

45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 PEN 27.26

$8.18 PEN 27.77

-1.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 PEN 18.97

$7.19 PEN 24.42

-22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 PEN 35.86

$9.26 PEN 31.44

14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 PEN 6.77

$1.30 PEN 4.40

53.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.78

$0.85 PEN 2.88

30.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.86

$0.79 PEN 2.70

44.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.28

$1.09 PEN 3.71

15.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 PEN 3.33

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-20.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.42

$0.55 PEN 1.86

83.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.80

$0.53 PEN 1.81

54.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$0.80 PEN 2.70

8.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 PEN 18.62

$8.28 PEN 28.13

-33.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 PEN 30.06

$11.24 PEN 38.17

-21.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$1.83 PEN 6.20

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 PEN 9.93

$2.76 PEN 9.38

6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$0.43 PEN 1.47

65.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.86 PEN 105

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 PEN 11.49

$1.72 PEN 5.83

97.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.20

$1.60 PEN 5.42

32.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.48 PEN 28.80

$5.62 PEN 19.08

50.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PEN 4.48

$1.39 PEN 4.72

-5.04%

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

$19.7K PEN 66.8K

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

$24.9K PEN 84.7K

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

$57.0 PEN 194

$38.69 PEN 131

47.35%

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

$12.83 PEN 43.54

$8.21 PEN 27.88

56.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.68 PEN 80.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.09 PEN 106

$28.18 PEN 95.7

10.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 PEN 64.1

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 PEN 23.22

$2.26 PEN 7.66

202.65%

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

$223 PEN 757

$189 PEN 642

17.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,847 PEN 26.6K

$2,217 PEN 7,525

254.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 PEN 171

$40.92 PEN 139

22.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.93 PEN 122

$12.39 PEN 42.06

189.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PEN 307

$56.4 PEN 191

60.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 PEN 307

$70.5 PEN 239

28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 PEN 2,109

$140 PEN 476

343.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 PEN 1,197

$127 PEN 432

177.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 PEN 3,519

$331 PEN 1,125

212.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 PEN 2,113

$385 PEN 1,306

61.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 PEN 8,023

$3,745 PEN 12.7K

-36.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,424 PEN 4,836

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 PEN 2,160

$540 PEN 1,834

17.80%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Piura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Lima and $140 in Piura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 18% 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 Piura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $217 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

Lima and Piura differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($975 vs $619 including rent). Piura is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Lima, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Lima versus $140 in Piura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $975 per month in Lima versus $619 in Piura – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $619 in Piura versus $975 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.

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 Piura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.