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: $453 in Moquegua versus $996 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $751 in Moquegua versus $1,594 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,050 in Moquegua versus $2,191 in Lima.

Living in Moquegua costs roughly 54% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Moquegua 66% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 PEN 11.93

$4.42 PEN 15.23

-21.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.61 PEN 95.1

$35.04 PEN 121

-21.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 PEN 20.03

$6.84 PEN 23.55

-14.91%

Cappuccino

$2.56 PEN 8.82

$3.27 PEN 11.27

-21.71%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.82

$1.10 PEN 3.80

-25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.27

$0.65 PEN 2.24

-43.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.44

$2.58 PEN 8.89

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 PEN 15.05

$4.47 PEN 15.41

-2.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.59

$1.59 PEN 5.49

-16.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 PEN 4.73

$2.58 PEN 8.90

-46.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 PEN 5.31

$1.36 PEN 4.68

13.24%

Eggs

$2.33 PEN 8.01

$2.95 PEN 10.16

-21.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 PEN 21.50

$9.10 PEN 31.34

-31.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 PEN 15.95

$5.81 PEN 20.01

-20.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 PEN 25.38

$9.83 PEN 33.84

-25.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 PEN 6.22

$2.01 PEN 6.92

-9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.17

$1.08 PEN 3.71

12.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.13

$1.37 PEN 4.72

-12.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.63

$1.48 PEN 5.08

-29.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.38

$0.96 PEN 3.32

-28.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.39

$0.85 PEN 2.94

-18.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 PEN 1.89

$0.88 PEN 3.04

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.56

$0.87 PEN 2.99

-14.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 PEN 18.19

$5.90 PEN 20.33

-10.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 PEN 17.58

$8.81 PEN 30.35

-42.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.38

$1.92 PEN 6.60

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 PEN 7.75

$3.20 PEN 11.03

-29.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 92.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 PEN 7.06

$3.81 PEN 13.12

-46.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 PEN 6.97

$2.04 PEN 7.03

-0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.02 PEN 44.83

$7.14 PEN 24.60

82.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.25

$1.65 PEN 5.67

-7.88%

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

$18.5K PEN 63.8K

$22.2K PEN 76.4K

-16.43%

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

$25.2K PEN 86.9K

$25.7K PEN 88.4K

-1.64%

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

$23.82 PEN 82.0

$73.0 PEN 252

-67.39%

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

$10.37 PEN 35.73

$16.26 PEN 56.0

-36.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.27 PEN 80.2

$27.60 PEN 95.1

-15.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 114

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 67.1

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 PEN 25.26

$7.39 PEN 25.44

-0.81%

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

$74.5 PEN 257

$182 PEN 627

-59.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,749 PEN 23.2K

$13.3K PEN 45.9K

-49.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.42 PEN 167

$52.6 PEN 181

-7.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.56 PEN 91.5

$34.23 PEN 118

-22.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 PEN 234

$83.8 PEN 288

-18.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 PEN 201

$79.0 PEN 272

-26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,491

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,171

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,079

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,186

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,433

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,724

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,248

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: October 5, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $28.00 in Moquegua vs $35.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $226 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 120% in total monthly costs ($453 vs $996 including rent). Moquegua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $680 in Moquegua and $1,494 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 29% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $453 per month in Moquegua versus $996 in Lima – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $453 in Moquegua versus $996 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 120% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.