Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Peru and Australia

For one person, living is cheaper in Peru: $878 a month against $2,626 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Peru
Australia
🇵🇪 Peru
$878
/mo nomad
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,626
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Peru and in Australia

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

A single person spends $878 per month in Peru vs $2,626 in Australia, rent included.

  • Peru $878
  • Australia $2,626

A couple spends around $1,380 per month in Peru vs $3,810 in Australia, rent included.

  • Peru $1,380
  • Australia $3,810

A family of three spends $1,883 per month in Peru vs $4,994 in Australia, rent included.

  • Peru $1,883
  • Australia $4,994

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,068–$3,303) than in Peru ($20–$1,108), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Peru is roughly 67% lower than in Australia on average.

Peru sits 36% below the global median, while Australia is 93% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Peru
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.51 PEN 12.16
$17.65 A$25.08
-80.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.65 PEN 95.8
$85.2 A$121
-67.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.21 PEN 21.51
$11.09 A$15.76
-44.00%
Cappuccino
$3.15 PEN 10.92
$3.90 A$5.54
-19.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 PEN 3.31
$2.85 A$4.05
-66.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 PEN 1.78
$2.31 A$3.29
-77.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.28 PEN 7.90
$7.53 A$10.70
-69.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 PEN 12.33
$8.59 A$12.20
-58.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Peru
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 PEN 5.09
$1.76 A$2.50
-16.48%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 PEN 7.97
$2.81 A$3.99
-18.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 PEN 4.77
$2.24 A$3.19
-38.39%
Eggs
$2.63 PEN 9.12
$5.02 A$7.14
-47.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 PEN 28.71
$9.87 A$14.02
-16.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.71 PEN 19.79
$9.32 A$13.24
-38.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.04 PEN 31.34
$14.86 A$21.13
-39.17%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 PEN 6.15
$3.82 A$5.42
-53.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 PEN 3.78
$2.92 A$4.16
-62.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.31 PEN 4.53
$3.13 A$4.46
-58.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.21 PEN 4.21
$4.81 A$6.83
-74.84%
Potato (1kg)
$0.89 PEN 3.08
$2.80 A$3.98
-68.21%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 PEN 2.97
$2.38 A$3.38
-63.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 PEN 2.67
$2.37 A$3.37
-67.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 PEN 2.92
$1.65 A$2.35
-49.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.63 PEN 19.50
$39.13 A$55.6
-85.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.65 PEN 26.53
$13.93 A$19.80
-45.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 PEN 6.91
$4.96 A$7.05
-59.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 PEN 10.48
$5.17 A$7.35
-41.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Peru
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 PEN 2.10
$2.42 A$3.44
-74.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 PEN 94.9
$94.6 A$134
-71.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.34 PEN 8.10
$3.49 A$4.97
-32.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 PEN 7.11
$1.60 A$2.27
28.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.01 PEN 24.30
$39.84 A$56.6
-82.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.64 PEN 5.69
$1.39 A$1.97
17.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K PEN 76.7K
$30.0K A$42.7K
-26.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.6K PEN 95.8K
$25.8K A$36.6K
7.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peru
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$54.9 PEN 190
$205 A$291
-73.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 PEN 46.33
$28.33 A$40.27
-52.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.55 PEN 88.6
$58.8 A$83.5
-56.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Peru
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.24 PEN 108
$55.7 A$79.1
-43.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.62 PEN 57.6
$19.57 A$27.82
-15.07%
Cinema Ticket
$5.93 PEN 20.56
$15.38 A$21.86
-61.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Peru
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 PEN 719
$2,145 A$3,049
-90.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K PEN 38.7K
$18.3K A$26.1K
-39.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Peru
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.87 PEN 173
$78.3 A$111
-36.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.02 PEN 104
$56.3 A$80.0
-46.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.2 PEN 250
$115 A$164
-37.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 PEN 246
$123 A$175
-42.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Peru
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 PEN 1,782
$1,591 A$2,261
-67.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$279 PEN 967
$1,293 A$1,837
-78.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$899 PEN 3,118
$2,524 A$3,588
-64.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$536 PEN 1,856
$2,005 A$2,850
-73.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,247 PEN 7,787
$8,751 A$12.4K
-74.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,310 PEN 4,542
$6,260 A$8,898
-79.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Peru
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$575 PEN 1,993
$3,984 A$5,663
-85.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.66
5.93
62.90%

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

Last update for Peru: October 27, 2026

Last update for Australia: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Peru
$279
Australia
$1.3K 363% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Peru
$210
Australia
$374 78.3% $164
Eating Out
Peru
$109
Australia
$297 172% $188
Clothing & Footwear
Peru
$100
Australia
$168 67.1% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peru
$94
Australia
$292 211% $198
Sport & Entertainment
Peru
$43
Australia
$86 101% $43
Getting Around
Peru
$42
Australia
$116 173% $73

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $339 in Peru vs $1,383 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $734 in Lima and $1,749 in Canberra.

Average salary: $522 in Peru vs $3,874 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 308% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 211% more in Australia.

Public transport is 236% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are about 7.4 times higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Peru
🇦🇺 Australia
🕒 Local time
21:45 9:45 PM
13:45 1:45 PM
16 h ahead of Peru
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
33,726,000
26,473,055
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3.47 PEN (1 PEN = 0.289 USD). 1 EUR = 3.87 PEN (1 PEN = 0.258 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Peru Australia 12,860 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Peru
  • Australia

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
Peru vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Peru?
Peru is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 67% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,383 versus $339 in Peru.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Peru – part of why living there is about 67% cheaper overall.
Should I move to Australia or to Peru?
Peru is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Peru vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?