Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Tacna

For one person, living is cheaper in Tacna: $439 a month against $1,045 in Lima, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$1,045

/mo nomad

Tacna

🇵🇪 Peru

$439

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Tacna

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,045 in Lima versus $439 in Tacna.

Lima $1,045
Tacna $439

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,668 in Lima versus $629 in Tacna.

Lima $1,668
Tacna $629

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,292 in Lima versus $819 in Tacna.

Lima $2,292
Tacna $819

Living in Lima is roughly 138% more expensive than in Tacna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lima 23% lower, Tacna 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 PEN 14.65

$2.85 PEN 9.83

49.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 PEN 121

$14.63 PEN 50.4

139.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 PEN 24.26

$5.03 PEN 17.33

39.96%

Cappuccino

$3.30 PEN 11.39

$3.41 PEN 11.76

-3.23%

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

$1.11 PEN 3.83

$1.18 PEN 4.07

-5.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.13

$0.43 PEN 1.47

44.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 PEN 9.11

$2.97 PEN 10.24

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 PEN 15.22

$3.49 PEN 12.03

26.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.59

$1.19 PEN 4.10

36.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 PEN 8.93

$1.42 PEN 4.90

82.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.55

$0.88 PEN 3.03

50.00%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.16

$1.77 PEN 6.10

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 PEN 33.07

$4.46 PEN 15.36

115.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 PEN 19.66

$4.71 PEN 16.24

21.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 PEN 34.31

$8.48 PEN 29.23

17.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 PEN 6.70

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.55

$1.47 PEN 5.07

-29.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 PEN 4.95

$0.86 PEN 2.96

67.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.27

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.10

$0.71 PEN 2.46

26.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 3.08

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 3.01

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.03

$0.71 PEN 2.45

23.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 PEN 19.46

$4.24 PEN 14.61

33.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.56 PEN 32.97

$6.51 PEN 22.44

46.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.63

$2.58 PEN 8.89

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.88

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 PEN 2.48

$0.28 PEN 0.96

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.28 PEN 111

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 PEN 12.28

$1.93 PEN 6.66

84.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 PEN 6.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 PEN 26.99

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.68

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

$21.7K PEN 74.9K

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

$28.3K PEN 97.4K

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

$67.7 PEN 233

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

$15.71 PEN 54.2

$19.21 PEN 66.2

-18.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.76 PEN 92.3

$25.77 PEN 88.8

3.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.50 PEN 112

$29.78 PEN 103

9.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 PEN 67.8

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.47

$2.63 PEN 9.08

180.99%

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

$309 PEN 1,065

$57.1 PEN 197

441.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K PEN 44.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 PEN 186

$20.68 PEN 71.3

160.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.93 PEN 124

$20.44 PEN 70.5

75.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 PEN 281

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 PEN 274

$26.31 PEN 90.7

202.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 PEN 2,530

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 PEN 1,287

$71.0 PEN 245

426.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 PEN 4,436

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 PEN 2,632

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,434 PEN 8,391

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,359 PEN 4,683

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$666 PEN 2,295

$457 PEN 1,574

45.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

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

Last update for Lima: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tacna: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$373 35.7%

Tacna

–

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$229 21.9%

Tacna

–

Eating Out

Lima

$124 11.8%

Tacna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$113 10.8%

Tacna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$110 10.5%

Tacna

–

Getting Around

Lima

$49 4.7%

Tacna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$47 4.5%

Tacna

–

Cost Breakdown

Lima pays 46% 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 in Lima vs $15 in Tacna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $148 per month, with Tacna cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇵🇪 Tacna

🕒 Local time

19:12 7:12 PM

Same time as Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

92,972

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.261 EUR

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.261 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lima Tacna 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Tacna

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 Tacna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,045 in Lima and $439 in Tacna, so Tacna is about 58% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Lima, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $1,045 per month in Lima versus $439 in Tacna – Tacna is about 58% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $439 in Tacna versus $1,045 in Lima, a $800 budget is realistic in Tacna but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Tacna 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.

It comes down to priorities – Tacna wins on affordability, Lima on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.