Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacna and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacna and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $350 in Tacna versus $998 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $458 in Tacna versus $1,550 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $567 in Tacna versus $2,101 in Lima.

Living in Tacna costs roughly 65% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tacna 74% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 PEN 6.63

$4.19 PEN 14.74

-55.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.47 PEN 118

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 PEN 24.89

Cappuccino

$2.57 PEN 9.06

$2.59 PEN 9.11

-0.77%

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

$0.91 PEN 3.19

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

$0.60 PEN 2.12

-55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 PEN 7.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PEN 13.49

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PEN 3.07

$1.43 PEN 5.05

-39.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 PEN 4.80

$2.72 PEN 9.56

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.20

$1.31 PEN 4.61

-30.53%

Eggs

$1.36 PEN 4.80

$2.92 PEN 10.27

-53.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.07 PEN 14.33

$8.07 PEN 28.41

-49.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 PEN 12.65

$5.64 PEN 19.84

-36.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 PEN 30.10

$10.49 PEN 36.92

-18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 PEN 7.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 4.03

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.38

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 PEN 1.88

$1.00 PEN 3.51

-47.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 PEN 1.54

$0.93 PEN 3.28

-52.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

$0.83 PEN 2.93

-67.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.48

$0.87 PEN 3.05

-18.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 PEN 14.58

$5.46 PEN 19.22

-24.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 PEN 21.59

$8.61 PEN 30.32

-28.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 PEN 8.55

$1.71 PEN 6.02

42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 PEN 10.87

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.95

$0.72 PEN 2.53

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 PEN 110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 PEN 5.03

$3.29 PEN 11.59

-56.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 PEN 7.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 PEN 29.24

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.62

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

$19.4K PEN 68.3K

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

$24.5K PEN 86.4K

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

$56.8 PEN 200

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

$19.53 PEN 68.7

$12.44 PEN 43.80

56.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.59 PEN 86.6

$24.14 PEN 85.0

1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.76 PEN 101

$30.15 PEN 106

-4.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.93 PEN 66.6

Cinema Ticket

$2.53 PEN 8.89

$7.09 PEN 24.96

-64.32%

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

$54.5 PEN 192

$219 PEN 770

-75.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,119 PEN 28.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.58 PEN 68.9

$49.52 PEN 174

-60.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.48 PEN 68.6

$36.79 PEN 130

-47.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 PEN 324

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.75 PEN 87.1

$88.5 PEN 311

-72.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 PEN 2,148

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.2 PEN 237

$349 PEN 1,229

-80.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 PEN 3,577

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 PEN 2,199

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,185 PEN 7,693

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 PEN 4,676

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$455 PEN 1,601

$625 PEN 2,199

-27.17%

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 Tacna: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lima: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lima pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Tacna vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacna and Lima differ by about 185% in total monthly costs ($350 vs $998 including rent). Tacna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lima earns 37% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $54.5 in Tacna versus $219 in Lima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $350 per month in Tacna versus $998 in Lima – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $350 in Tacna versus $998 in Lima, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tacna but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Tacna 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.

Safety-wise, Tacna and Lima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tacna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.