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: $447 in Pucallpa versus $985 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $752 in Pucallpa versus $1,537 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,058 in Pucallpa versus $2,089 in Lima.

Living in Pucallpa costs roughly 55% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pucallpa 67% lower, Lima 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PEN 7.41

$4.11 PEN 13.98

-46.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.90 PEN 37.07

$32.93 PEN 112

-66.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 PEN 16.64

$7.00 PEN 23.81

-30.14%

Cappuccino

$1.92 PEN 6.53

$2.54 PEN 8.64

-24.41%

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

$0.98 PEN 3.34

$0.92 PEN 3.13

6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

$0.61 PEN 2.06

-52.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 PEN 5.61

$2.24 PEN 7.62

-26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 PEN 7.46

$3.84 PEN 13.07

-42.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 PEN 3.46

$1.41 PEN 4.79

-27.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 PEN 11.55

$2.73 PEN 9.30

24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.87

$1.30 PEN 4.44

-12.31%

Eggs

$1.70 PEN 5.77

$2.96 PEN 10.06

-42.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.00 PEN 6.79

$7.97 PEN 27.11

-74.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 PEN 13.61

$5.67 PEN 19.30

-29.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.23 PEN 11.00

$10.58 PEN 36.00

-69.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 PEN 7.39

$2.02 PEN 6.87

7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$1.07 PEN 3.65

32.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.63

$1.13 PEN 3.85

20.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 PEN 8.60

$1.25 PEN 4.26

102.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.23

$1.03 PEN 3.51

-7.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.75

$0.96 PEN 3.25

106.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 PEN 2.46

$0.87 PEN 2.96

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$0.88 PEN 3.00

5.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 PEN 15.38

$5.46 PEN 18.58

-17.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 PEN 26.26

$8.98 PEN 30.55

-14.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 PEN 7.75

$1.75 PEN 5.96

30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 PEN 11.08

$3.08 PEN 10.47

5.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 PEN 3.87

$0.67 PEN 2.26

70.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$3.38 PEN 11.51

-57.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 PEN 1.80

$2.21 PEN 7.53

-76.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 PEN 4.09

$1.35 PEN 4.60

-11.11%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

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

$50.6 PEN 172

$56.7 PEN 193

-10.81%

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

$14.65 PEN 49.86

$12.64 PEN 43.00

15.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.08 PEN 140

$24.00 PEN 81.7

71.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

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

$218 PEN 740

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.06 PEN 112

$36.59 PEN 125

-9.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.23 PEN 113

$89.7 PEN 305

-62.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 PEN 221

$88.1 PEN 300

-26.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$112 PEN 382

$606 PEN 2,062

-81.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 PEN 764

$1,036 PEN 3,524

-78.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 PEN 406

$628 PEN 2,135

-81.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,054

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,880

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$415 PEN 1,411

$626 PEN 2,131

-33.80%

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 Pucallpa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $112 in Pucallpa and $606 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 51% 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 Pucallpa vs $33.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $222 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 120% in total monthly costs ($447 vs $985 including rent). Pucallpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lima earns 51% less. 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: $112 in Pucallpa versus $606 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 $11.00 versus $33.00 in Lima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $447 per month in Pucallpa versus $985 in Lima – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $447 in Pucallpa versus $985 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 120% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.