Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and San Ignacio

For one person, living costs are similar in Lima and in San Ignacio: $996 and $983 a month, rent and utilities included.

Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$996
/mo nomad
San Ignacio
🇧🇿 Belize
$983
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in San Ignacio

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 Ignacio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Lima versus $983 in San Ignacio.

  • Lima $996
  • San Ignacio $983

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,594 in Lima versus $1,265 in San Ignacio.

  • Lima $1,594
  • San Ignacio $1,265

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Lima versus $1,547 in San Ignacio.

  • Lima $2,191
  • San Ignacio $1,547

Living in Lima is roughly 1% more expensive than in San Ignacio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 26% lower, San Ignacio 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42 PEN 15.16
$15.10 BZD 30.20
-70.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.04 PEN 120
$45.81 BZD 91.6
-23.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.84 PEN 23.44
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.27 PEN 11.22
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 PEN 3.78
$1.02 BZD 2.05
7.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 PEN 2.22
$1.03 BZD 2.06
-36.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.58 PEN 8.85
$2.93 BZD 5.87
-11.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 PEN 15.34
$3.97 BZD 7.94
12.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 PEN 5.46
$8.17 BZD 16.35
-80.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 PEN 8.86
$2.49 BZD 4.98
3.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 PEN 4.65
-
-
Eggs
$2.95 PEN 10.11
$4.88 BZD 9.76
-39.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.10 PEN 31.19
$15.18 BZD 30.36
-40.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.81 PEN 19.91
$3.79 BZD 7.59
53.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.83 PEN 33.68
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 PEN 6.89
$4.99 BZD 9.98
-59.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 PEN 3.69
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 PEN 4.70
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.48 PEN 5.06
$2.97 BZD 5.94
-50.17%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 PEN 3.30
$1.54 BZD 3.09
-37.66%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 PEN 2.92
$1.53 BZD 3.06
-44.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.88 PEN 3.02
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 PEN 2.97
$0.98 BZD 1.96
-11.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90 PEN 20.24
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$8.81 PEN 30.21
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 PEN 6.57
$1.51 BZD 3.03
27.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 PEN 10.98
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 PEN 2.33
$2.02 BZD 4.04
-66.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.74 PEN 91.7
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 PEN 13.06
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 PEN 7.00
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.14 PEN 24.49
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.65 PEN 5.65
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2K PEN 76.0K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K PEN 88.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.0 PEN 250
$69.3 BZD 139
5.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.26 PEN 55.7
$151 BZD 302
-89.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.60 PEN 94.6
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.07 PEN 113
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.49 PEN 66.8
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.39 PEN 25.33
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$182 PEN 624
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K PEN 45.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6 PEN 180
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.23 PEN 117
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.8 PEN 287
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.0 PEN 271
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$723 PEN 2,479
$592 BZD 1,185
22.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$340 PEN 1,166
$346 BZD 693
-1.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,184 PEN 4,060
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$635 PEN 2,176
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,449 PEN 8,394
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,372 PEN 4,702
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
San Ignacio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$653 PEN 2,237
$992 BZD 1,984
-34.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.94
0
-

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for San Ignacio: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lima
$340
San Ignacio
–
Groceries & Markets
Lima
$226
San Ignacio
–
Eating Out
Lima
$124
San Ignacio
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$117
San Ignacio
–
Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$112
San Ignacio
–
Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$48
San Ignacio
–
Getting Around
Lima
$43
San Ignacio
–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $723 in Lima and $592 in San Ignacio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Ignacio pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Lima vs $46.00 in San Ignacio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $257 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Lima
🇧🇿 San Ignacio
🕒 Local time
03:24 3:24 AM
02:24 2:24 AM
1 h behind Lima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,989,369 Capital
17,878
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BZD, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

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).

Belize Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2 BZD (1 BZD = 0.5 USD). 1 EUR = 2.24 BZD (1 BZD = 0.446 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lima San Ignacio 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lima
  • San Ignacio

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 Ignacio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lima and in San Ignacio?
Lima and San Ignacio differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $983 including rent). San Ignacio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 52% lower in San Ignacio. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lima and in San Ignacio?
Rent for a central apartment: $723 in Lima versus $592 in San Ignacio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in San Ignacio – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $35.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lima or San Ignacio?
All in, you'll spend $996 per month in Lima versus $983 in San Ignacio – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $983 in San Ignacio versus $996 in Lima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Ignacio but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes San Ignacio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lima and San Ignacio?
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.
Is Lima or San Ignacio safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lima and San Ignacio are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lima or San Ignacio?
Expats usually find San Ignacio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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