Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Peru and Colombia

For one person, living is cheaper in Peru: $878 a month against $1,368 in Colombia, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Peru
Colombia
🇵🇪 Peru
$878
/mo nomad
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Peru and in Colombia

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

A single person spends $878 per month in Peru vs $1,368 in Colombia, rent included.

  • Peru $878
  • Colombia $1,368

A couple spends around $1,380 per month in Peru vs $2,063 in Colombia, rent included.

  • Peru $1,380
  • Colombia $2,063

A family of three spends $1,883 per month in Peru vs $2,759 in Colombia, rent included.

  • Peru $1,883
  • Colombia $2,759

Cost ranges are similar: Peru spans $20–$1,108, Colombia $797–$1,639. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

The cost of living in Peru is roughly 36% lower than in Colombia on average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Peru
Colombia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.51 PEN 12.16
$7.21 COP 23.3K
-51.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.65 PEN 95.8
$47.60 COP 153.5K
-41.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.21 PEN 21.51
$9.26 COP 29.9K
-32.94%
Cappuccino
$3.15 PEN 10.92
$2.66 COP 8,570
18.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 PEN 3.31
$1.46 COP 4,722
-34.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 PEN 1.78
$1.03 COP 3,306
-50.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.28 PEN 7.90
$2.57 COP 8,276
-11.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 PEN 12.33
$3.83 COP 12.4K
-7.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Peru
Colombia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 PEN 5.09
$1.59 COP 5,111
-7.55%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 PEN 7.97
$2.13 COP 6,867
7.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 PEN 4.77
$1.66 COP 5,355
-16.87%
Eggs
$2.63 PEN 9.12
$2.97 COP 9,569
-11.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 PEN 28.71
$7.92 COP 25.5K
4.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.71 PEN 19.79
$8.96 COP 28.9K
-36.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.04 PEN 31.34
$11.41 COP 36.8K
-20.77%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 PEN 6.15
$3.86 COP 12.4K
-54.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 PEN 3.78
$1.40 COP 4,519
-22.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.31 PEN 4.53
$1.69 COP 5,463
-22.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.21 PEN 4.21
$1.96 COP 6,329
-38.27%
Potato (1kg)
$0.89 PEN 3.08
$1.49 COP 4,817
-40.27%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 PEN 2.97
$1.52 COP 4,908
-43.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 PEN 2.67
$1.13 COP 3,657
-31.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 PEN 2.92
$1.09 COP 3,507
-22.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.63 PEN 19.50
$4.41 COP 14.2K
27.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.65 PEN 26.53
$13.17 COP 42.5K
-41.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 PEN 6.91
$1.46 COP 4,694
36.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 PEN 10.48
$2.51 COP 8,102
20.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Peru
Colombia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 PEN 2.10
$1.14 COP 3,666
-46.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 PEN 94.9
$66.0 COP 212.9K
-58.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.34 PEN 8.10
$2.07 COP 6,668
13.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 PEN 7.11
$2.04 COP 6,594
0.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.01 PEN 24.30
$8.53 COP 27.5K
-17.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.64 PEN 5.69
$1.36 COP 4,372
20.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K PEN 76.7K
$34.4K COP 110.9M
-35.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.6K PEN 95.8K
$35.1K COP 113.2M
-21.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peru
Colombia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$54.9 PEN 190
$123 COP 397.1K
-55.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 PEN 46.33
$13.79 COP 44.5K
-3.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.55 PEN 88.6
$29.31 COP 94.5K
-12.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Peru
Colombia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.24 PEN 108
$34.38 COP 110.9K
-9.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.62 PEN 57.6
$15.28 COP 49.3K
8.77%
Cinema Ticket
$5.93 PEN 20.56
$6.44 COP 20.8K
-7.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Peru
Colombia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 PEN 719
$580 COP 1.9M
-64.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K PEN 38.7K
$9,439 COP 30.4M
18.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Peru
Colombia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.87 PEN 173
$80.1 COP 258.4K
-37.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.02 PEN 104
$49.20 COP 158.7K
-38.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.2 PEN 250
$134 COP 431.2K
-46.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 PEN 246
$104 COP 334.4K
-31.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Peru
Colombia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 PEN 1,782
$731 COP 2.4M
-29.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$279 PEN 967
$492 COP 1.6M
-43.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$899 PEN 3,118
$1,451 COP 4.7M
-38.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$536 PEN 1,856
$793 COP 2.6M
-32.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,247 PEN 7,787
$2,498 COP 8.1M
-10.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,310 PEN 4,542
$1,682 COP 5.4M
-22.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Peru
Colombia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$575 PEN 1,993
$613 COP 2.0M
-6.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.66
12.81
-24.59%

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

Last update for Peru: October 27, 2026

Last update for Colombia: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Peru
$279
Colombia
$492 76.2% $213
Groceries & Markets
Peru
$210
Colombia
$267 27% $57
Eating Out
Peru
$109
Colombia
$148 35.8% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Peru
$100
Colombia
$165 64.4% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peru
$94
Colombia
$166 77.2% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Peru
$43
Colombia
$47 9.7% $4.2
Getting Around
Peru
$42
Colombia
$83 95.4% $40

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $339 in Peru vs $702 in Colombia. For reference, capital cities sit at $734 in Lima and $749 in Bogota.

Average salary: $522 in Peru vs $637 in Colombia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 107% higher in Colombia.

Dining out costs 74% more in Colombia.

Public transport is 148% more expensive in Colombia.

Salaries are 22% higher in Colombia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Peru.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Peru
🇨🇴 Colombia
🕒 Local time
16:35 4:35 PM
16:35 4:35 PM
Same time as Peru
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
33,726,000
52,321,152
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 3.47 PEN (1 PEN = 0.289 USD). 1 EUR = 3.87 PEN (1 PEN = 0.258 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Peru Colombia 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Peru
  • Colombia

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 Colombia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Colombia or Peru?
Peru is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 36% lower on average.
Is rent more expensive in Colombia or in Peru?
Housing costs more in Colombia: a central one-bedroom averages $702 versus $339 in Peru.
How do daily expenses compare in Colombia vs Peru?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Peru – part of why living there is about 36% cheaper overall.
Can you live in both Colombia and Peru on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Peru, but in Colombia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Colombia or 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

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