Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Santa Fe

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $1,071 in Santa Fe, rent and utilities included – about $710 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
52

Cost of Living Index in Santa Fe
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Santa Fe Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$1,012

/mo nomad

Santa Fe

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,071

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Santa Fe

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Lima versus $1,071 in Santa Fe.

Lima $1,012
Santa Fe $1,071

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Lima versus $1,655 in Santa Fe.

Lima $1,589
Santa Fe $1,655

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Lima versus $2,239 in Santa Fe.

Lima $2,167
Santa Fe $2,239

Living in Lima costs roughly 6% less than in Santa Fe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 25% lower, Santa Fe 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 PEN 15.15

$9.93 ARS 15.1K

-55.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 PEN 121

$37.60 ARS 57.0K

-6.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 PEN 23.73

$12.68 ARS 19.2K

-45.66%

Cappuccino

$3.26 PEN 11.24

$1.69 ARS 2,556

92.90%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.85

$1.55 ARS 2,348

-27.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.12

$1.33 ARS 2,020

-53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 PEN 9.12

$3.43 ARS 5,208

-22.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 PEN 15.20

$4.99 ARS 7,572

-11.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.63

$1.01 ARS 1,526

61.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PEN 8.81

$1.64 ARS 2,481

56.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.67

$1.04 ARS 1,572

29.81%

Eggs

$2.90 PEN 9.99

$1.54 ARS 2,341

88.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 PEN 30.48

$8.60 ARS 13.0K

2.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 PEN 20.59

$6.07 ARS 9,200

-1.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 PEN 33.71

$10.68 ARS 16.2K

-8.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 PEN 7.05

$1.99 ARS 3,016

3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.67

$1.52 ARS 2,298

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.65

$0.87 ARS 1,316

55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.17

$2.38 ARS 3,602

-36.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.04

$0.57 ARS 867

54.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.16

$0.63 ARS 955

46.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.08

$1.02 ARS 1,553

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PEN 3.12

$1.02 ARS 1,546

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.34

$3.11 ARS 4,715

89.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.52 PEN 29.36

$4.87 ARS 7,389

74.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 PEN 6.47

$1.23 ARS 1,861

52.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 PEN 11.09

$2.05 ARS 3,109

57.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.34

$1.04 ARS 1,570

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.86 PEN 92.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.14

$1.01 ARS 1,538

277.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 PEN 6.96

$0.98 ARS 1,479

106.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.11 PEN 24.50

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.93

$1.14 ARS 1,736

50.88%

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

$22.3K PEN 76.9K

$20.0K ARS 30.3M

11.71%

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

$25.5K PEN 87.9K

$29.8K ARS 45.2M

-14.46%

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

$73.1 PEN 252

$60.1 ARS 91.2K

21.56%

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

$16.35 PEN 56.3

$19.86 ARS 30.1K

-17.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.47 PEN 94.7

$20.95 ARS 31.8K

31.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.90 PEN 110

$33.96 ARS 51.5K

-6.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 PEN 66.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 PEN 24.31

$4.83 ARS 7,327

45.96%

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

$182 PEN 629

$238 ARS 361.5K

-23.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K PEN 44.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 PEN 185

$88.2 ARS 133.7K

-38.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 PEN 118

$60.4 ARS 91.6K

-43.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 PEN 285

$115 ARS 173.7K

-27.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 PEN 270

$140 ARS 212.8K

-44.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 PEN 2,485

$513 ARS 777.2K

40.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 PEN 1,183

$360 ARS 545.9K

-4.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 PEN 4,200

$931 ARS 1.4M

30.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 PEN 2,243

$609 ARS 923.1K

6.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,414 PEN 8,321

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,357 PEN 4,676

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 PEN 2,233

$847 ARS 1.3M

-23.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

100

-91.06%

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

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$343 33.9%

Santa Fe

$360 33.6% 4.8% $17

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.3%

Santa Fe

$199 18.5% 12.1% $27

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

Santa Fe

$176 16.5% 42.3% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

Santa Fe

$101 9.4% 13.7% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

Santa Fe

$182 17% 61.9% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$46 4.6%

Santa Fe

$44 4.1% 5.2% $2.4

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

Santa Fe

$10 * 0.9% 76.9% $33

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 $721 in Lima and $513 in Santa Fe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Fe pays 31% 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 $38.00 in Santa Fe. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $199, with Santa Fe cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇦🇷 Santa Fe

🕒 Local time

12:48 12:48 PM

14:48 2:48 PM

2 h ahead of Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

391,164

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.91 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 13, 2026: 1 USD = 3.45 PEN (1 PEN = 0.29 USD). 1 EUR = 3.85 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,693 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.91 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Lima Santa Fe 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Santa Fe

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 Santa Fe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima and Santa Fe differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,012 vs $1,071 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Santa Fe. 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: $721 in Lima versus $513 in Santa Fe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Fe pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,012 per month in Lima versus $1,071 in Santa Fe – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,012 in Lima versus $1,071 in Santa Fe, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Santa Fe. 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 Santa Fe 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 6% less than in Santa Fe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.