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: $1,016 in Lima versus $518 in Pucallpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Lima versus $854 in Pucallpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,229 in Lima versus $1,190 in Pucallpa.

Living in Lima is roughly 96% more expensive than in Pucallpa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 26% lower, Pucallpa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 PEN 14.59

$2.42 PEN 8.11

79.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.17 PEN 108

$11.82 PEN 39.64

172.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.58

$5.36 PEN 17.98

31.16%

Cappuccino

$3.23 PEN 10.84

$2.05 PEN 6.87

57.56%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.79

$1.01 PEN 3.40

11.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.31 PEN 1.05

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 PEN 8.99

$1.82 PEN 6.11

47.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.19

$2.43 PEN 8.14

86.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PEN 5.50

$1.05 PEN 3.51

56.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.72

$3.80 PEN 12.76

-31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.50

$1.20 PEN 4.04

11.67%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.24

$1.80 PEN 6.05

69.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 PEN 30.22

$2.11 PEN 7.06

327.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.87

$4.26 PEN 14.28

39.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 PEN 32.87

$3.49 PEN 11.71

180.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 PEN 7.03

$2.33 PEN 7.81

-9.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.53

$1.45 PEN 4.88

-27.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.87

$1.47 PEN 4.93

-1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.03

$2.74 PEN 9.19

-45.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.10

$2.95 PEN 9.90

-68.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.16

$2.10 PEN 7.04

-55.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.00

$2.33 PEN 7.82

-61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.19

$1.02 PEN 3.42

-6.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 PEN 19.50

$4.74 PEN 15.89

22.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 PEN 30.26

$8.10 PEN 27.16

11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 PEN 6.50

$2.43 PEN 8.16

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.82

$3.67 PEN 12.31

-11.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 PEN 2.30

$1.20 PEN 4.03

-42.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 PEN 13.07

$1.51 PEN 5.06

158.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$0.57 PEN 1.92

256.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 PEN 24.97

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.75

$1.25 PEN 4.18

36.80%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

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

$26.7K PEN 89.6K

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

$71.1 PEN 238

$54.1 PEN 181

31.44%

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

$16.93 PEN 56.8

$36.00 PEN 121

-52.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 PEN 94.9

$43.74 PEN 147

-35.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 113

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 66.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 PEN 24.23

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

$181 PEN 606

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 PEN 181

$54.5 PEN 183

-0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 PEN 119

$36.01 PEN 121

-1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 PEN 288

$35.19 PEN 118

144.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 PEN 272

$69.4 PEN 233

16.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 PEN 2,543

$118 PEN 397

540.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,162

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 PEN 4,205

$239 PEN 801

424.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,165

$127 PEN 425

409.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,312

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 PEN 2,242

$418 PEN 1,403

59.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $759 in Lima and $118 in Pucallpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 60% 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: $32.00 in Lima vs $12.00 in Pucallpa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $209 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 96% in total monthly costs ($1,016 vs $518 including rent). Pucallpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $759 in Lima versus $118 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 $12.00 versus $32.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,016 per month in Lima versus $518 in Pucallpa – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $518 in Pucallpa versus $1,016 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 96% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.