Cost of Living Comparison Between Pucallpa and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Pucallpa and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Pucallpa versus $1,016 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Pucallpa versus $1,623 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,190 in Pucallpa versus $2,229 in Lima.

Living in Pucallpa costs roughly 49% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pucallpa 62% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.42 PEN 8.11

$4.35 PEN 14.59

-44.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.82 PEN 39.64

$32.17 PEN 108

-63.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 PEN 17.98

$7.03 PEN 23.58

-23.76%

Cappuccino

$2.05 PEN 6.87

$3.23 PEN 10.84

-36.53%

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

$1.01 PEN 3.40

$1.13 PEN 3.79

-10.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.62 PEN 2.08

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 PEN 6.11

$2.68 PEN 8.99

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 PEN 8.14

$4.53 PEN 15.19

-46.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 PEN 3.51

$1.64 PEN 5.50

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 PEN 12.76

$2.60 PEN 8.72

46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.04

$1.34 PEN 4.50

-10.45%

Eggs

$1.80 PEN 6.05

$3.05 PEN 10.24

-40.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.11 PEN 7.06

$9.01 PEN 30.22

-76.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 PEN 14.28

$5.93 PEN 19.87

-28.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.49 PEN 11.71

$9.80 PEN 32.87

-64.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 PEN 7.81

$2.10 PEN 7.03

10.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.88

$1.05 PEN 3.53

38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.93

$1.45 PEN 4.87

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 PEN 9.19

$1.50 PEN 5.03

82.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 PEN 9.90

$0.93 PEN 3.10

217.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 PEN 7.04

$0.94 PEN 3.16

123.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 PEN 7.82

$0.89 PEN 3.00

161.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PEN 3.42

$0.95 PEN 3.19

7.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 PEN 15.89

$5.82 PEN 19.50

-18.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 PEN 27.16

$9.02 PEN 30.26

-10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 PEN 8.16

$1.94 PEN 6.50

25.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 PEN 12.31

$3.23 PEN 10.82

13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 PEN 4.03

$0.69 PEN 2.30

73.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 PEN 5.06

$3.90 PEN 13.07

-61.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 PEN 1.92

$2.03 PEN 6.81

-71.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 PEN 24.97

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PEN 4.18

$1.71 PEN 5.75

-26.90%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

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

$26.7K PEN 89.6K

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

$54.1 PEN 181

$71.1 PEN 238

-23.92%

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

$36.00 PEN 121

$16.93 PEN 56.8

112.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.74 PEN 147

$28.29 PEN 94.9

54.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 113

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 66.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 PEN 24.23

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

$181 PEN 606

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 PEN 183

$54.0 PEN 181

0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.01 PEN 121

$35.57 PEN 119

1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.19 PEN 118

$85.9 PEN 288

-59.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 PEN 233

$81.0 PEN 272

-14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PEN 397

$759 PEN 2,543

-84.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,162

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 PEN 801

$1,254 PEN 4,205

-80.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 PEN 425

$646 PEN 2,165

-80.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,312

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$418 PEN 1,403

$669 PEN 2,242

-37.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Pucallpa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Pucallpa and $759 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 60% 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: $12.00 in Pucallpa vs $32.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $230 per month, with Pucallpa 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

Pucallpa vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pucallpa and Lima differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($518 vs $1,016 including rent). Pucallpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 60% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Pucallpa versus $759 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pucallpa – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $32.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $518 per month in Pucallpa versus $1,016 in Lima – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $518 in Pucallpa versus $1,016 in Lima, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pucallpa but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.