Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Trujillo versus $999 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,173 in Trujillo versus $1,561 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Trujillo versus $2,124 in Lima.

Living in Trujillo costs roughly 22% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Trujillo 42% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 PEN 11.00

$4.06 PEN 13.77

-20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.70 PEN 46.48

$33.99 PEN 115

-59.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 PEN 22.82

$6.74 PEN 22.86

-0.15%

Cappuccino

$2.98 PEN 10.10

$2.52 PEN 8.56

18.25%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.02

$0.94 PEN 3.18

-5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.65 PEN 2.21

-9.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 PEN 6.52

$2.17 PEN 7.35

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.19

$3.95 PEN 13.39

-16.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$1.41 PEN 4.78

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 PEN 6.02

$2.72 PEN 9.22

-34.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.82

$1.37 PEN 4.64

-17.52%

Eggs

$3.88 PEN 13.15

$2.94 PEN 9.98

31.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 PEN 26.87

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 PEN 21.96

$5.76 PEN 19.54

12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 PEN 25.50

$10.71 PEN 36.32

-29.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.98

$1.98 PEN 6.72

-40.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.08 PEN 3.66

-46.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.95

$1.10 PEN 3.72

-47.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.40

$1.19 PEN 4.05

-40.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$1.04 PEN 3.51

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.09

$0.87 PEN 2.94

4.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.11

$0.86 PEN 2.93

6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 PEN 14.49

$5.59 PEN 18.96

-23.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 PEN 19.63

$8.99 PEN 30.51

-35.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 PEN 4.77

$1.77 PEN 5.99

-20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 PEN 5.59

$3.07 PEN 10.42

-46.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 PEN 2.16

$0.68 PEN 2.29

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

$31.68 PEN 107

-48.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 PEN 9.49

$3.37 PEN 11.43

-16.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 PEN 6.75

$2.22 PEN 7.54

-10.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 PEN 19.22

$8.26 PEN 28.00

-31.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.35 PEN 4.58

0.74%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.3K

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

-12.94%

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

$26.2K PEN 88.9K

$24.3K PEN 82.3K

7.99%

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

$76.6 PEN 260

$56.4 PEN 191

35.65%

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

$8.48 PEN 28.78

$12.57 PEN 42.63

-32.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 PEN 72.0

$23.66 PEN 80.3

-10.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.00 PEN 122

$31.04 PEN 105

15.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 PEN 18.30

$18.69 PEN 63.4

-71.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 PEN 14.11

$6.83 PEN 23.17

-39.09%

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

$102 PEN 346

$219 PEN 743

-53.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,963 PEN 6,660

$8,096 PEN 27.5K

-75.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 PEN 240

$49.58 PEN 168

42.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.00 PEN 47.48

$35.59 PEN 121

-60.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.71 PEN 111

$89.3 PEN 303

-63.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.74 PEN 111

$88.9 PEN 302

-63.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 PEN 1,238

$623 PEN 2,115

-41.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 PEN 871

$344 PEN 1,167

-25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,043

$1,027 PEN 3,484

-41.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 PEN 1,659

$618 PEN 2,098

-20.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,860

$2,315 PEN 7,852

-50.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$821 PEN 2,786

$1,395 PEN 4,734

-41.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 PEN 1,779

$625 PEN 2,120

-16.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.7

10.11

25.62%

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

Last update for Trujillo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Trujillo and $623 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 19% 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: $14.00 in Trujillo vs $34.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $222 per month, with Trujillo 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

Trujillo vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trujillo and Lima differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $999 including rent). Trujillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $365 in Trujillo versus $623 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $102 in Trujillo versus $219 in Lima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Lima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $779 in Trujillo versus $999 in Lima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Trujillo but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Trujillo 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 Trujillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.