Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and San Francisco, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $4,319 in San Francisco, CA, rent and utilities included – about $39,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index
211

Cost of Living Index in San Francisco, CA
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San Francisco, CA Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

San Francisco, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in San Francisco, CA

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 San Francisco, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Lima versus $4,319 in San Francisco, CA.

Lima $996
San Francisco, CA $4,319

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,594 in Lima versus $6,503 in San Francisco, CA.

Lima $1,594
San Francisco, CA $6,503

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Lima versus $8,686 in San Francisco, CA.

Lima $2,191
San Francisco, CA $8,686

Living in Lima costs roughly 77% less than in San Francisco, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lima is 26% below, San Francisco, CA is 222% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.16

$26.68 $26.68

-83.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 120

$120 $120

-70.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.44

$14.77 $14.77

-53.69%

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.22

$6.03 $6.03

-45.77%

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

$1.10 PEN 3.78

$3.24 $3.24

-66.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$2.65 $2.65

-75.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.85

$8.14 $8.14

-68.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.34

$9.26 $9.26

-51.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.46

$1.73 $1.73

-8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.86

$5.29 $5.29

-51.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.65

$4.75 $4.75

-71.37%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.11

$5.03 $5.03

-41.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.19

$16.16 $16.16

-43.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 19.91

$15.66 $15.66

-62.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.68

$22.18 $22.18

-55.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.89

$6.10 $6.10

-67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.69

$2.85 $2.85

-62.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.70

$4.31 $4.31

-68.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.06

$6.97 $6.97

-78.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.30

$2.92 $2.92

-67.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.92

$3.59 $3.59

-76.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.02

$2.91 $2.91

-69.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$2.74 $2.74

-68.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.24

$12.17 $12.17

-51.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.21

$14.73 $14.73

-40.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.57

$3.25 $3.25

-40.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 10.98

$3.65 $3.65

-12.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$2.96 $2.96

-77.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 91.7

$93.4 $93.4

-71.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.06

$4.13 $4.13

-7.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.00

$1.98 $1.98

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.49

$38.24 $38.24

-81.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.65

$1.56 $1.56

5.77%

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

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

$37.0K $37.0K

-40.14%

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

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

$25.9K $25.9K

-1.01%

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

$73.0 PEN 250

$213 $213

-65.67%

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

$16.26 PEN 55.7

$60.9 $60.9

-73.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 94.6

$75.0 $75.0

-63.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 113

$120 $120

-72.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 66.8

$20.14 $20.14

-3.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.33

$18.28 $18.28

-59.57%

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

$182 PEN 624

$2,918 $2,918

-93.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

$42.2K $42.2K

-68.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 180

$77.5 $77.5

-32.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 117

$47.59 $47.59

-28.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 287

$100 $100

-16.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 271

$140 $140

-43.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,479

$3,807 $3,807

-81.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,166

$2,579 $2,579

-86.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,060

$5,674 $5,674

-79.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,176

$4,552 $4,552

-86.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,394

$9,816 $9,816

-75.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,702

$7,617 $7,617

-81.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,237

$6,881 $6,881

-90.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

6.76

32.25%

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for San Francisco, CA: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$340 33.6%

San Francisco, CA

$2.6K 60% 658% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.4%

San Francisco, CA

$516 12% 128% $290

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

San Francisco, CA

$413 9.6% 233% $289

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

San Francisco, CA

$349 8.1% 198% $232

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

San Francisco, CA

$164 3.8% 46.3% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.7%

San Francisco, CA

$156 3.6% 226% $108

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

San Francisco, CA

$119 2.8% 174% $76

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $723 in Lima and $3,807 in San Francisco, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Francisco, CA pays 954% 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: $35.00 in Lima vs $120 in San Francisco, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $516 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇺🇸 San Francisco, CA

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

04:50 4:50 AM

2 h behind Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

873,965

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lima San Francisco, CA 7,280 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Lima
San Francisco, CA

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 San Francisco, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima and San Francisco, CA differ by about 334% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $4,319 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 954% lower in San Francisco, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $723 in Lima versus $3,807 in San Francisco, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $182 in Lima versus $2,918 in San Francisco, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 128% higher in San Francisco, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $996 in Lima versus $4,319 in San Francisco, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in San Francisco, CA. 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.

Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 334% less than in San Francisco, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.