Cost of Living Comparison Between Moquegua and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Moquegua and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $468 in Moquegua versus $1,032 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $784 in Moquegua versus $1,582 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,099 in Moquegua versus $2,132 in Lima.

Living in Moquegua costs roughly 55% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Moquegua 66% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 PEN 12.37

$4.44 PEN 14.88

-16.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.34 PEN 98.4

$32.44 PEN 109

-9.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 PEN 20.28

$7.27 PEN 24.37

-16.78%

Cappuccino

$2.47 PEN 8.26

$3.15 PEN 10.58

-21.59%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.68

$1.11 PEN 3.73

-27.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 PEN 1.40

$0.63 PEN 2.11

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 PEN 7.80

$2.71 PEN 9.07

-14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.21

$4.41 PEN 14.78

36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.60

$1.63 PEN 5.46

-15.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 PEN 4.77

$2.67 PEN 8.95

-46.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.06

$1.40 PEN 4.69

7.86%

Eggs

$2.32 PEN 7.78

$2.92 PEN 9.79

-20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 PEN 21.81

$8.55 PEN 28.68

-23.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 PEN 15.66

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-22.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 PEN 24.98

$10.17 PEN 34.08

-26.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 PEN 6.07

$2.04 PEN 6.83

-11.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.26

$1.07 PEN 3.58

18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.93

$1.34 PEN 4.49

-12.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$1.46 PEN 4.88

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$0.96 PEN 3.20

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

$0.88 PEN 2.96

-21.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.88

$0.86 PEN 2.88

-34.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.55

$0.94 PEN 3.16

-19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 PEN 16.98

$5.77 PEN 19.35

-12.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 PEN 17.79

$8.75 PEN 29.34

-39.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.28

$1.90 PEN 6.36

61.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.00

$3.42 PEN 11.47

-30.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 PEN 2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 PEN 92.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$4.10 PEN 13.76

-48.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.84

$2.13 PEN 7.15

-4.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.04 PEN 43.72

$7.31 PEN 24.50

78.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.18

$1.72 PEN 5.76

-9.88%

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

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

$21.8K PEN 72.9K

-11.57%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

$25.8K PEN 86.5K

1.30%

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

$24.11 PEN 80.8

$70.2 PEN 235

-65.63%

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

$10.20 PEN 34.20

$15.90 PEN 53.3

-35.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.71 PEN 79.5

$25.63 PEN 85.9

-7.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.94 PEN 110

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 PEN 66.8

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 PEN 24.35

$7.30 PEN 24.48

-0.55%

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

$77.3 PEN 259

$180 PEN 604

-57.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

$13.6K PEN 45.7K

-49.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 PEN 166

$53.1 PEN 178

-6.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.22 PEN 91.3

$35.18 PEN 118

-22.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 PEN 233

$85.5 PEN 286

-18.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 PEN 202

$81.0 PEN 272

-25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 PEN 2,533

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 PEN 1,146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 PEN 4,238

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,167

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 PEN 7,958

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,398 PEN 4,687

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 PEN 2,077

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

67.79%

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

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Last update for Lima: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $29.00 in Moquegua vs $32.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $229 per month, with Moquegua cheaper across the board.

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

Moquegua vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moquegua and Lima differ by about 121% in total monthly costs ($468 vs $1,032 including rent). Moquegua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $701 in Moquegua and $1,548 in Lima to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $468 per month in Moquegua versus $1,032 in Lima – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $468 in Moquegua versus $1,032 in Lima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Moquegua but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Moquegua 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, Moquegua and Lima 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 Moquegua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.