Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $2,548 in Saanich, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Saanich
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,548
/mo nomad
Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,012
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saanich and in Lima

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saanich and in Lima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,548 in Saanich versus $1,012 in Lima.

  • Saanich $2,548
  • Lima $1,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,593 in Saanich versus $1,589 in Lima.

  • Saanich $3,593
  • Lima $1,589

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Saanich versus $2,167 in Lima.

  • Saanich $4,638
  • Lima $2,167

Living in Saanich is roughly 152% more expensive than in Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saanich is 89% above, Lima is 25% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saanich
Lima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.52 CA$24.77
$4.40 PEN 15.10
298.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.4 CA$99.6
$35.17 PEN 121
100.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 CA$15.58
$6.89 PEN 23.65
59.94%
Cappuccino
$4.38 CA$6.19
$3.26 PEN 11.20
34.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 CA$3.11
$1.12 PEN 3.84
96.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 CA$2.51
$0.62 PEN 2.11
185.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.52 CA$7.80
$2.65 PEN 9.09
108.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.82 CA$9.65
$4.41 PEN 15.15
54.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saanich
Lima
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 CA$2.79
$1.63 PEN 5.61
20.86%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 CA$4.30
$2.56 PEN 8.78
18.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.97 CA$4.19
$1.35 PEN 4.65
120.00%
Eggs
$4.18 CA$5.90
$2.90 PEN 9.96
44.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.35 CA$16.05
$8.85 PEN 30.38
28.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.78 CA$18.07
$5.98 PEN 20.52
113.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.94 CA$23.94
$9.78 PEN 33.59
73.21%
Apples (1kg)
$4.53 CA$6.41
$2.05 PEN 7.02
120.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 CA$2.00
$1.06 PEN 3.66
33.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.18 CA$5.91
$1.35 PEN 4.64
209.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.67 CA$8.02
$1.50 PEN 5.15
278.00%
Potato (1kg)
$3.50 CA$4.95
$0.88 PEN 3.03
297.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.89 CA$4.08
$0.92 PEN 3.15
214.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.17 CA$4.48
$0.89 PEN 3.07
256.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 CA$3.06
$0.90 PEN 3.10
141.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.81 CA$19.52
$5.90 PEN 20.27
134.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.12 CA$21.37
$8.52 PEN 29.26
77.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.69 CA$3.80
$1.88 PEN 6.45
43.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 CA$4.92
$3.22 PEN 11.05
8.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Saanich
Lima
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$0.68 PEN 2.33
239.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.5 CA$111
$26.86 PEN 92.2
192.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.78 CA$3.93
$3.81 PEN 13.09
-27.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 CA$2.17
$2.02 PEN 6.93
-23.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.67 CA$39.12
$7.11 PEN 24.41
289.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 CA$1.95
$1.72 PEN 5.91
-19.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K CA$38.7K
$22.3K PEN 76.6K
22.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.2K CA$27.1K
$25.5K PEN 87.6K
-24.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saanich
Lima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$170
$73.1 PEN 251
64.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.21 CA$56.9
$16.35 PEN 56.2
145.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.8 CA$93.0
$27.47 PEN 94.3
139.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saanich
Lima
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.6 CA$96.9
$31.90 PEN 110
114.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.41 PEN 66.7
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.39 CA$16.10
$7.05 PEN 24.23
61.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saanich
Lima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$905 CA$1,280
$182 PEN 627
396.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K CA$18.2K
$13.0K PEN 44.8K
-1.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saanich
Lima
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.2 CA$73.8
$53.8 PEN 185
-2.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.03 CA$49.53
$34.32 PEN 118
2.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.0 CA$127
$82.8 PEN 284
8.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 CA$151
$78.2 PEN 269
36.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saanich
Lima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,413 CA$1,998
$721 PEN 2,476
95.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,311 CA$1,854
$343 PEN 1,179
281.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,005 CA$2,834
$1,219 PEN 4,186
64.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,844 CA$2,606
$651 PEN 2,235
183.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,414 PEN 8,292
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,748 CA$5,298
$1,357 PEN 4,660
176.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saanich
Lima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,951 CA$4,173
$648 PEN 2,226
355.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.72
8.94
-47.20%

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

Last update for Saanich: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saanich
$1.3K
Lima
$343 73.8% $968
Groceries & Markets
Saanich
$409
Lima
$226 44.8% $183
Eating Out
Saanich
$283
Lima
$124 56.2% $159
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saanich
$226
Lima
$117 48.3% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Saanich
$128
Lima
$112 12.4% $16
Getting Around
Saanich
$98
Lima
$43 55.7% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Saanich
$91
Lima
$46 49.6% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,413 in Saanich and $721 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saanich pays 355% 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: $70.0 in Saanich vs $35.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $226 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Saanich
🇵🇪 Lima
🕒 Local time
11:24 11:24 AM
13:24 1:24 PM
2 h ahead of Saanich
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
117,735
9,989,369 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saanich Lima 8,120 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saanich
  • Lima

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
Saanich vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Saanich and in Lima?
Saanich and Lima differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($2,548 vs $1,012 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Saanich or Lima?
Average pay runs 355% higher in Saanich, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Saanich and in Lima?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,413 in Saanich versus $721 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Saanich and Lima?
Childcare runs $905 in Saanich versus $182 in Lima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Saanich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,012 in Lima versus $2,548 in Saanich, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Saanich. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Saanich and Lima?
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.
Where should expats move: Saanich or Lima?
Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Saanich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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