Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Terrace

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $1,887 in Terrace, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,012
/mo nomad
Terrace
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,887
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Terrace

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Lima versus $1,887 in Terrace.

  • Lima $1,012
  • Terrace $1,887

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Lima versus $2,853 in Terrace.

  • Lima $1,589
  • Terrace $2,853

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Lima versus $3,819 in Terrace.

  • Lima $2,167
  • Terrace $3,819

Living in Lima costs roughly 46% less than in Terrace, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lima is 25% below, Terrace is 40% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lima
Terrace
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 PEN 15.10
$17.53 CA$24.78
-74.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.17 PEN 121
$79.9 CA$113
-55.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.89 PEN 23.65
$9.87 CA$13.95
-30.19%
Cappuccino
$3.26 PEN 11.20
$3.93 CA$5.55
-17.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 PEN 3.84
$2.09 CA$2.95
-46.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 PEN 2.11
$1.62 CA$2.29
-61.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 PEN 9.09
$5.19 CA$7.34
-48.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 PEN 15.15
$6.15 CA$8.69
-28.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lima
Terrace
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 PEN 5.61
$2.25 CA$3.19
-27.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.56 PEN 8.78
$2.63 CA$3.72
-2.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 PEN 4.65
$5.10 CA$7.21
-73.53%
Eggs
$2.90 PEN 9.96
$3.60 CA$5.10
-19.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.85 PEN 30.38
$8.81 CA$12.45
0.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.98 PEN 20.52
$15.36 CA$21.71
-61.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.78 PEN 33.59
$13.51 CA$19.10
-27.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.05 PEN 7.02
$4.06 CA$5.73
-49.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 PEN 3.66
$1.21 CA$1.72
-12.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 PEN 4.64
$2.99 CA$4.23
-54.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 PEN 5.15
$3.67 CA$5.20
-59.13%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 PEN 3.03
$3.14 CA$4.44
-71.97%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 PEN 3.15
$3.13 CA$4.43
-70.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 PEN 3.07
$2.37 CA$3.36
-62.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 PEN 3.10
$1.01 CA$1.43
-10.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90 PEN 20.27
$11.27 CA$15.94
-47.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.52 PEN 29.26
$13.44 CA$18.99
-36.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 PEN 6.45
$2.09 CA$2.96
-10.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 PEN 11.05
$1.78 CA$2.52
80.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Lima
Terrace
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 PEN 2.33
$1.38 CA$1.95
-50.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.86 PEN 92.2
$31.40 CA$44.40
-14.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 PEN 13.09
$3.30 CA$4.66
15.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 PEN 6.93
$1.50 CA$2.12
34.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.11 PEN 24.41
$20.03 CA$28.31
-64.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 PEN 5.91
$1.22 CA$1.72
40.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K PEN 76.6K
$27.8K CA$39.3K
-19.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K PEN 87.6K
$18.7K CA$26.5K
36.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
Terrace
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.1 PEN 251
$93.2 CA$132
-21.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.35 PEN 56.2
$38.92 CA$55.0
-57.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47 PEN 94.3
$58.3 CA$82.5
-52.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lima
Terrace
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.90 PEN 110
$40.14 CA$56.7
-20.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 PEN 66.7
$16.45 CA$23.26
17.99%
Cinema Ticket
$7.05 PEN 24.23
$8.91 CA$12.60
-20.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lima
Terrace
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$182 PEN 627
$733 CA$1,037
-75.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.0K PEN 44.8K
$13.4K CA$18.9K
-2.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lima
Terrace
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 PEN 185
$36.65 CA$51.8
46.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.32 PEN 118
$30.29 CA$42.82
13.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.8 PEN 284
$79.8 CA$113
3.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.2 PEN 269
$104 CA$147
-24.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lima
Terrace
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 PEN 2,476
$992 CA$1,402
-27.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$343 PEN 1,179
$845 CA$1,194
-59.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,219 PEN 4,186
$1,556 CA$2,200
-21.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$651 PEN 2,235
$1,325 CA$1,874
-50.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,414 PEN 8,292
$4,127 CA$5,835
-41.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,357 PEN 4,660
$3,426 CA$4,843
-60.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lima
Terrace
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$648 PEN 2,226
$3,096 CA$4,376
-79.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.94
5.05
77.03%

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

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Last update for Terrace: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lima
$343
Terrace
$845 146% $501
Groceries & Markets
Lima
$226
Terrace
$364 60.9% $138
Eating Out
Lima
$124
Terrace
$270 118% $146
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima
$117
Terrace
$191 63% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Lima
$112
Terrace
$113 0.5% $0.6
Sport & Entertainment
Lima
$46
Terrace
$58 26% $12
Getting Around
Lima
$43
Terrace
$48 9.7% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Lima and $992 in Terrace. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Terrace pays 378% 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 $80.0 in Terrace for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $364 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Lima
🇨🇦 Terrace
🕒 Local time
08:58 8:58 AM
06:58 6:58 AM
2 h behind Lima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,989,369 Capital
19,443
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lima Terrace 8,840 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lima
  • Terrace

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 Terrace: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lima and in Terrace?
Lima and Terrace differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($1,012 vs $1,887 including rent). Lima 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 378% lower in Terrace. 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 Terrace?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Lima versus $992 in Terrace. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lima and Terrace?
Childcare runs $182 in Lima versus $733 in Terrace. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Terrace. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,012 in Lima versus $1,887 in Terrace, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Terrace. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lima and Terrace?
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.
Where should expats move: Lima or Terrace?
Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Terrace. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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