Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Pucallpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Pucallpa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $985 in Lima versus $447 in Pucallpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Lima versus $752 in Pucallpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,089 in Lima versus $1,058 in Pucallpa.

Living in Lima is roughly 120% more expensive than Pucallpa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 27% lower, Pucallpa 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.98

$2.18 PEN 7.41

88.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$10.90 PEN 37.07

202.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 23.81

$4.89 PEN 16.64

43.15%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.64

$1.92 PEN 6.53

32.29%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$0.98 PEN 3.34

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$0.29 PEN 1.00

110.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$1.65 PEN 5.61

35.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PEN 13.07

$2.19 PEN 7.46

75.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$1.02 PEN 3.46

38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 PEN 9.30

$3.39 PEN 11.55

-19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.44

$1.14 PEN 3.87

14.04%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.06

$1.70 PEN 5.77

74.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.11

$2.00 PEN 6.79

298.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 PEN 19.30

$4.00 PEN 13.61

41.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PEN 36.00

$3.23 PEN 11.00

227.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.87

$2.17 PEN 7.39

-6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.65

$1.42 PEN 4.83

-24.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$1.36 PEN 4.63

-16.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$2.53 PEN 8.60

-50.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.51

$0.95 PEN 3.23

8.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$1.98 PEN 6.75

-51.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.96

$0.72 PEN 2.46

20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$0.93 PEN 3.18

-5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 18.58

$4.52 PEN 15.38

20.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 PEN 30.55

$7.72 PEN 26.26

16.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.96

$2.28 PEN 7.75

-23.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 PEN 10.47

$3.26 PEN 11.08

-5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$1.14 PEN 3.87

-41.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.51

$1.42 PEN 4.83

138.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.53

$0.53 PEN 1.80

316.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.20 PEN 4.09

12.50%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$50.6 PEN 172

12.12%

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

$12.64 PEN 43.00

$14.65 PEN 49.86

-13.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 PEN 81.7

$41.08 PEN 140

-41.58%

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

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

$218 PEN 740

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 PEN 125

$33.06 PEN 112

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$33.23 PEN 113

169.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 PEN 300

$64.8 PEN 221

35.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,062

$112 PEN 382

440.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,524

$225 PEN 764

361.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,135

$119 PEN 406

426.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,054

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,880

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 PEN 2,131

$415 PEN 1,411

51.05%

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 Pucallpa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $606 in Lima and $112 in Pucallpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 51% 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 Pucallpa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $183 per month, with Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima and Pucallpa differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($985 vs $447 including rent). Pucallpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lima pays 51% more on average, 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: $606 in Lima versus $112 in Pucallpa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pucallpa – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $33.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $985 per month in Lima versus $447 in Pucallpa – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $447 in Pucallpa versus $985 in Lima, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pucallpa but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.