Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanaimo, BC and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $2,349 in Nanaimo, BC, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

112

Cost of Living Index in Nanaimo, BC
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Nanaimo, BC Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index

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Nanaimo, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,349

/mo nomad

Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nanaimo, BC and in Lima

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nanaimo, BC and in Lima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,349 in Nanaimo, BC versus $996 in Lima.

Nanaimo, BC $2,349
Lima $996

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Nanaimo, BC versus $1,594 in Lima.

Nanaimo, BC $3,389
Lima $1,594

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Nanaimo, BC versus $2,191 in Lima.

Nanaimo, BC $4,429
Lima $2,191

Living in Nanaimo, BC is roughly 136% more expensive than in Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nanaimo, BC is 75% above, Lima is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.51 CA$24.96

$4.42 PEN 15.16

296.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.6 CA$109

$35.04 PEN 120

118.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 CA$16.21

$6.84 PEN 23.44

66.23%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.43

$3.27 PEN 11.22

16.51%

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

$2.21 CA$3.14

$1.10 PEN 3.78

100.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.30

$0.65 PEN 2.22

147.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 CA$7.78

$2.58 PEN 8.85

111.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 CA$7.88

$4.47 PEN 15.34

23.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 CA$2.31

$1.59 PEN 5.46

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 CA$4.79

$2.58 PEN 8.86

30.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.36

$1.36 PEN 4.65

125.00%

Eggs

$4.15 CA$5.92

$2.95 PEN 10.11

40.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 CA$16.00

$9.10 PEN 31.19

23.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 CA$18.68

$5.81 PEN 19.91

125.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.74 CA$23.86

$9.83 PEN 33.68

70.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$2.01 PEN 6.89

130.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.82

$1.08 PEN 3.69

18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.92

$1.37 PEN 4.70

203.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 CA$8.30

$1.48 PEN 5.06

293.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.87

$0.96 PEN 3.30

183.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$4.05

$0.85 PEN 2.92

234.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$4.05

$0.88 PEN 3.02

222.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 CA$3.26

$0.87 PEN 2.97

162.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 CA$17.32

$5.90 PEN 20.24

105.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 CA$20.17

$8.81 PEN 30.21

60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 CA$3.87

$1.92 PEN 6.57

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 CA$3.80

$3.20 PEN 10.98

-16.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 CA$2.62

$0.68 PEN 2.33

170.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.74 CA$63.8

$26.74 PEN 91.7

67.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.93

$3.81 PEN 13.06

-27.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 CA$3.02

$2.04 PEN 7.00

3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.48 CA$40.59

$7.14 PEN 24.49

298.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.87

$1.65 PEN 5.65

-20.61%

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

$27.8K CA$39.6K

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

25.30%

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

$19.3K CA$27.6K

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

-24.68%

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

$151 CA$216

$73.0 PEN 250

107.26%

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

$40.28 CA$57.4

$16.26 PEN 55.7

147.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 CA$91.1

$27.60 PEN 94.6

131.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.48 CA$39.17

$33.07 PEN 113

-16.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 CA$26.53

$19.49 PEN 66.8

-4.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 CA$15.60

$7.39 PEN 25.33

48.04%

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

$515 CA$734

$182 PEN 624

183.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K CA$18.4K

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

-3.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.90 CA$69.7

$52.6 PEN 180

-6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.57 CA$47.86

$34.23 PEN 117

-1.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 CA$141

$83.8 PEN 287

18.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$153

$79.0 PEN 271

35.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 CA$1,954

$723 PEN 2,479

89.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 CA$1,601

$340 PEN 1,166

230.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 CA$3,023

$1,184 PEN 4,060

79.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 CA$2,421

$635 PEN 2,176

167.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,831 CA$5,461

$2,449 PEN 8,394

56.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,462 CA$4,935

$1,372 PEN 4,702

152.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 CA$4,487

$653 PEN 2,237

382.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

8.94

-47.20%

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

Last update for Nanaimo, BC: October 5, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nanaimo, BC

$1.1K 48.8%

Lima

$340 33.6% 69.7% $783

Groceries & Markets

Nanaimo, BC

$405 17.6%

Lima

$226 22.4% 44.1% $178

Eating Out

Nanaimo, BC

$274 11.9%

Lima

$124 12.3% 54.6% $149

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nanaimo, BC

$256 11.1%

Lima

$117 11.6% 54.3% $139

Clothing & Footwear

Nanaimo, BC

$130 5.6%

Lima

$112 11.1% 13.5% $18

Getting Around

Nanaimo, BC

$65 2.8%

Lima

$43 4.3% 33.6% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Nanaimo, BC

$49 2.1%

Lima

$48 4.7% 3.1% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,371 in Nanaimo, BC and $723 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanaimo, BC pays 382% 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: $77.0 in Nanaimo, BC vs $35.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $226 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Nanaimo, BC

🇵🇪 Lima

🕒 Local time

03:11 3:11 AM

05:11 5:11 AM

2 h ahead of Nanaimo, BC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

90,504

9,989,369 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Nanaimo, BC Lima 8,210 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Nanaimo, BC
Lima

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

Nanaimo, BC vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanaimo, BC and Lima differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($2,349 vs $996 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 382% higher in Nanaimo, BC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,371 in Nanaimo, BC versus $723 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $515 in Nanaimo, BC versus $182 in Lima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Nanaimo, BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $996 in Lima versus $2,349 in Nanaimo, BC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Nanaimo, BC. 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, Nanaimo, BC 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 Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Nanaimo, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.