Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $528 in Pisco versus $999 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $830 in Pisco versus $1,561 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,132 in Pisco versus $2,124 in Lima.

Living in Pisco costs roughly 47% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pisco 60% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.45

$4.06 PEN 13.76

-45.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.05 PEN 37.44

$33.99 PEN 115

-67.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.38 PEN 11.46

$6.74 PEN 22.85

-49.85%

Cappuccino

$1.43 PEN 4.83

$2.52 PEN 8.55

-43.25%

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

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.94 PEN 3.18

-27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 PEN 0.98

$0.65 PEN 2.21

-55.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 PEN 6.47

$2.17 PEN 7.34

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PEN 12.99

$3.95 PEN 13.38

-3.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 4.98

$1.41 PEN 4.78

4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 PEN 9.13

$2.72 PEN 9.21

-1.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.42

$1.37 PEN 4.64

-5.11%

Eggs

$2.83 PEN 9.61

$2.94 PEN 9.98

-3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 PEN 27.39

$7.92 PEN 26.85

2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 PEN 18.74

$5.76 PEN 19.53

-3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 PEN 36.08

$10.71 PEN 36.29

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 PEN 6.87

$1.98 PEN 6.71

2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.65

$1.08 PEN 3.66

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 PEN 3.90

$1.10 PEN 3.72

4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.26

$1.19 PEN 4.05

5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.04 PEN 3.51

-3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.00 PEN 3.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 2.97

$0.87 PEN 2.93

1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.12

$0.86 PEN 2.93

6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 PEN 18.75

$5.59 PEN 18.95

-1.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 PEN 30.08

$8.99 PEN 30.49

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 6.02

$1.77 PEN 5.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 PEN 10.13

$3.07 PEN 10.41

-2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 PEN 11.55

$3.37 PEN 11.42

1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 PEN 7.22

$2.22 PEN 7.53

-4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.17 PEN 27.68

$8.26 PEN 27.98

-1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.39

$1.35 PEN 4.58

-3.70%

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

$19.6K PEN 66.5K

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

1.15%

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

$24.9K PEN 84.4K

$24.3K PEN 82.2K

2.61%

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

$55.9 PEN 190

$56.4 PEN 191

-0.96%

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

$12.50 PEN 42.39

$12.57 PEN 42.60

-0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.30 PEN 79.0

$23.66 PEN 80.2

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 PEN 105

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 PEN 23.84

$6.83 PEN 23.16

2.93%

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

$220 PEN 747

$219 PEN 742

0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,928 PEN 26.9K

$8,096 PEN 27.4K

-2.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 PEN 169

$49.58 PEN 168

0.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.79 PEN 125

$35.59 PEN 121

3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PEN 304

$89.3 PEN 303

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 PEN 300

$88.9 PEN 301

-0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 PEN 2,113

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 PEN 1,167

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 PEN 3,482

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 PEN 2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 PEN 6,056

$2,315 PEN 7,846

-22.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 PEN 4,499

$1,395 PEN 4,730

-4.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 PEN 1,956

$625 PEN 2,119

-7.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

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

Last update for Pisco: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lima pays 8% 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: $11.00 in Pisco vs $34.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $222 per month, with Pisco 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

Pisco vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pisco and Lima differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($528 vs $999 including rent). Pisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Lima. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $528 per month in Pisco versus $999 in Lima – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $528 in Pisco versus $999 in Lima, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pisco but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Pisco 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.

Expats usually find Pisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.