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: $530 in Pisco versus $985 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $822 in Pisco versus $1,537 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,114 in Pisco versus $2,089 in Lima.

Living in Pisco costs roughly 46% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pisco 60% lower, Lima 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$4.11 PEN 13.98

-47.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.16 PEN 37.98

$32.93 PEN 112

-66.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 PEN 11.27

$7.00 PEN 23.81

-52.71%

Cappuccino

$1.40 PEN 4.76

$2.54 PEN 8.64

-44.88%

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

$0.66 PEN 2.24

$0.92 PEN 3.13

-28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.61 PEN 2.06

-55.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PEN 6.57

$2.24 PEN 7.62

-13.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PEN 13.42

$3.84 PEN 13.07

2.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.04

$1.41 PEN 4.79

4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PEN 8.94

$2.73 PEN 9.30

-3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.56

$1.30 PEN 4.44

3.08%

Eggs

$2.97 PEN 10.11

$2.96 PEN 10.06

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.39

$7.97 PEN 27.11

-2.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 PEN 19.64

$5.67 PEN 19.30

1.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 PEN 36.27

$10.58 PEN 36.00

0.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 PEN 6.98

$2.02 PEN 6.87

1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.78

$1.07 PEN 3.65

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$1.13 PEN 3.85

-3.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.27

$1.25 PEN 4.26

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.53

$1.03 PEN 3.51

0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.24

$0.96 PEN 3.25

-1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.79

$0.87 PEN 2.96

-5.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$0.88 PEN 3.00

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 PEN 18.50

$5.46 PEN 18.58

-0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 PEN 30.43

$8.98 PEN 30.55

-0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$1.75 PEN 5.96

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 PEN 10.35

$3.08 PEN 10.47

-1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.50

$3.38 PEN 11.51

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.52

$2.21 PEN 7.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 PEN 28.50

$8.22 PEN 27.96

1.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$1.35 PEN 4.60

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

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

2.37%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

2.01%

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

$57.2 PEN 194

$56.7 PEN 193

0.81%

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

$12.41 PEN 42.22

$12.64 PEN 43.00

-1.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.50 PEN 80.0

$24.00 PEN 81.7

-2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 PEN 23.50

$6.74 PEN 22.92

2.52%

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

$215 PEN 731

$218 PEN 740

-1.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

2.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 PEN 169

$49.95 PEN 170

-0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 PEN 121

$36.59 PEN 125

-3.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PEN 303

$89.7 PEN 305

-0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 PEN 310

$88.1 PEN 300

3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,062

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,524

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,135

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 PEN 6,154

$2,367 PEN 8,054

-23.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 PEN 4,542

$1,434 PEN 4,880

-6.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 PEN 1,985

$626 PEN 2,131

-6.86%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lima pays 7% 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 $33.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 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 86% in total monthly costs ($530 vs $985 including rent). Pisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lima earns 7% less. 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 $530 per month in Pisco versus $985 in Lima – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $530 in Pisco versus $985 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 86% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.