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: $453 in Tacna versus $1,014 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $653 in Tacna versus $1,605 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $853 in Tacna versus $2,196 in Lima.

Living in Tacna costs roughly 55% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tacna 67% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 PEN 10.24

$4.36 PEN 14.63

-30.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.86 PEN 49.88

$35.98 PEN 121

-58.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 PEN 16.59

$7.14 PEN 23.96

-30.81%

Cappuccino

$3.49 PEN 11.70

$3.39 PEN 11.39

2.95%

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

$1.22 PEN 4.11

$1.09 PEN 3.66

11.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 PEN 1.56

$0.62 PEN 2.08

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PEN 9.74

$2.72 PEN 9.11

6.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PEN 11.93

$4.53 PEN 15.20

-21.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 PEN 3.88

$1.62 PEN 5.45

-28.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 PEN 5.06

$2.70 PEN 9.06

-44.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 PEN 2.90

$1.38 PEN 4.63

-36.96%

Eggs

$1.75 PEN 5.88

$2.95 PEN 9.90

-40.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 PEN 15.07

$9.46 PEN 31.74

-52.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 PEN 15.73

$6.05 PEN 20.30

-22.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.14 PEN 30.67

$9.99 PEN 33.53

-8.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 PEN 6.80

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.12

$1.06 PEN 3.55

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.85

$1.42 PEN 4.76

-40.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.02

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.60

$0.93 PEN 3.12

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 PEN 2.83

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.58

$0.94 PEN 3.15

-18.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 PEN 15.29

$6.04 PEN 20.28

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 PEN 21.79

$8.99 PEN 30.18

-27.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 PEN 9.03

$1.92 PEN 6.45

40.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 PEN 10.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.96

$0.68 PEN 2.29

-57.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.60 PEN 92.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.54

$4.05 PEN 13.60

-51.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 PEN 24.27

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 PEN 5.80

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

$21.9K PEN 73.4K

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

$26.3K PEN 88.3K

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

$71.6 PEN 240

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

$18.95 PEN 63.6

$16.89 PEN 56.7

12.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.84 PEN 90.1

$27.92 PEN 93.7

-3.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.96 PEN 101

$33.23 PEN 112

-9.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 PEN 67.5

Cinema Ticket

$2.74 PEN 9.20

$7.52 PEN 25.24

-63.56%

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

$59.2 PEN 199

$183 PEN 615

-67.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K PEN 45.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.06 PEN 70.7

$55.0 PEN 185

-61.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.66 PEN 69.3

$36.32 PEN 122

-43.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 PEN 293

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.68 PEN 89.5

$79.8 PEN 268

-66.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 PEN 2,564

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.5 PEN 240

$352 PEN 1,180

-79.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 PEN 4,285

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 PEN 2,204

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 PEN 8,378

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,403 PEN 4,708

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 PEN 1,620

$656 PEN 2,203

-26.47%

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 Tacna: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lima: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lima pays 36% 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: $15.00 in Tacna vs $36.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $232 per month, with Tacna 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

Tacna vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacna and Lima differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($453 vs $1,014 including rent). Tacna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 36% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $453 per month in Tacna versus $1,014 in Lima – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $453 in Tacna versus $1,014 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 124% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.