Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Río Tercero

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,014 a month against $1,334 in Río Tercero, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Río Tercero
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Río Tercero Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$1,014

/mo nomad

Río Tercero

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,334

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Río Tercero

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lima and in Río Tercero actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Lima versus $1,334 in Río Tercero.

Lima $1,014
Río Tercero $1,334

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,613 in Lima versus $2,203 in Río Tercero.

Lima $1,613
Río Tercero $2,203

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,211 in Lima versus $3,071 in Río Tercero.

Lima $2,211
Río Tercero $3,071

Living in Lima costs roughly 24% less than in Río Tercero, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Río Tercero 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.19

$13.48 ARS 20.5K

-67.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.56 PEN 119

$54.8 ARS 83.1K

-36.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 PEN 23.37

$13.05 ARS 19.8K

-47.89%

Cappuccino

$3.30 PEN 11.34

$3.75 ARS 5,688

-12.00%

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

$1.06 PEN 3.64

$2.51 ARS 3,804

-57.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.26

$2.02 ARS 3,060

-67.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 PEN 8.71

$3.22 ARS 4,887

-21.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 PEN 14.55

$3.75 ARS 5,688

13.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 PEN 5.43

$1.70 ARS 2,581

-7.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 PEN 8.97

$2.82 ARS 4,286

-7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.60

$2.11 ARS 3,203

-36.49%

Eggs

$2.93 PEN 10.08

$2.41 ARS 3,652

21.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 PEN 32.45

$10.32 ARS 15.7K

-8.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 PEN 19.75

$7.98 ARS 12.1K

-27.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 PEN 33.29

$11.49 ARS 17.4K

-15.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.95

$2.46 ARS 3,739

-17.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.66

$2.19 ARS 3,326

-51.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.70

$1.59 ARS 2,406

-13.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 5.05

$2.91 ARS 4,422

-49.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.25

$1.24 ARS 1,876

-23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.14

$1.29 ARS 1,952

-29.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 PEN 3.10

$1.26 ARS 1,915

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 PEN 3.04

$1.66 ARS 2,525

-46.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 PEN 19.71

$4.92 ARS 7,468

16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 PEN 31.64

$5.10 ARS 7,742

80.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 PEN 6.31

$2.37 ARS 3,600

-22.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 PEN 10.67

$3.66 ARS 5,555

-15.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 PEN 2.46

$1.00 ARS 1,520

-28.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.03 PEN 89.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 PEN 12.17

$1.24 ARS 1,880

185.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 PEN 7.12

$2.04 ARS 3,094

1.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 PEN 26.62

$7.03 ARS 10.7K

10.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.86

$1.17 ARS 1,773

46.15%

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

$21.6K PEN 74.1K

$35.0K ARS 53.2M

-38.40%

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

$28.6K PEN 98.2K

$35.1K ARS 53.3M

-18.67%

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

$68.2 PEN 234

$158 ARS 239.0K

-56.73%

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

$15.73 PEN 54.0

$17.11 ARS 26.0K

-8.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.48 PEN 90.9

$31.89 ARS 48.4K

-16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.94 PEN 117

$31.44 ARS 47.7K

7.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 PEN 69.0

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 PEN 24.80

$10.08 ARS 15.3K

-28.37%

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

$201 PEN 689

$216 ARS 328.0K

-7.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K PEN 44.3K

$4,079 ARS 6.2M

216.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 PEN 184

$125 ARS 189.8K

-57.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 PEN 123

$105 ARS 159.7K

-65.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 288

$143 ARS 216.9K

-41.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 PEN 271

$133 ARS 201.2K

-40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 PEN 2,505

$516 ARS 783.3K

41.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 PEN 1,197

$324 ARS 491.6K

7.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 PEN 4,073

$986 ARS 1.5M

20.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 PEN 2,391

$833 ARS 1.3M

-16.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,360 PEN 8,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,356 PEN 4,657

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 PEN 2,278

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

48.5

-81.90%

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

Last update for Lima: October 17, 2026

Last update for Río Tercero: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$349 34.4%

Río Tercero

$324 24.3% 7.1% $25

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$227 22.4%

Río Tercero

$276 20.7% 21.3% $48

Eating Out

Lima

$123 12.2%

Río Tercero

$234 17.5% 89.2% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$113 11.2%

Río Tercero

$228 17.1% 101% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$110 10.9%

Río Tercero

$207 15.5% 87.1% $96

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.8%

Río Tercero

$52 3.9% 6.7% $3.2

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.2%

Río Tercero

$15 * 1.2% 63.9% $27

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Lima and $516 in Río Tercero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Lima vs $55.0 in Río Tercero for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $276 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇦🇷 Río Tercero

🕒 Local time

11:15 11:15 AM

13:15 1:15 PM

2 h ahead of Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

53,389

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Lima Río Tercero 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Río Tercero

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Río Tercero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima and Río Tercero differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,014 vs $1,334 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,522 in Lima and $2,002 in Río Tercero 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Lima versus $516 in Río Tercero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Río Tercero. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,014 per month in Lima versus $1,334 in Río Tercero – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,014 in Lima versus $1,334 in Río Tercero, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Río Tercero. The gap between the two cities makes Lima 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.

Safety-wise, Lima and Río Tercero are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Río Tercero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.