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: $784 in Trujillo versus $985 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,170 in Trujillo versus $1,537 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,557 in Trujillo versus $2,089 in Lima.

Living in Trujillo costs roughly 20% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Trujillo 41% lower, Lima 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 PEN 10.91

$4.11 PEN 13.98

-21.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.85 PEN 47.14

$32.93 PEN 112

-57.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 PEN 22.96

$7.00 PEN 23.81

-3.57%

Cappuccino

$2.88 PEN 9.81

$2.54 PEN 8.64

13.39%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.04

$0.92 PEN 3.13

-3.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 PEN 1.95

$0.61 PEN 2.06

-6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PEN 6.77

$2.24 PEN 7.62

-11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 PEN 11.37

$3.84 PEN 13.07

-13.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PEN 3.42

$1.41 PEN 4.79

-28.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 PEN 6.24

$2.73 PEN 9.30

-32.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$1.30 PEN 4.44

-12.31%

Eggs

$3.85 PEN 13.11

$2.96 PEN 10.06

30.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.11

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 PEN 22.22

$5.67 PEN 19.30

15.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 PEN 25.94

$10.58 PEN 36.00

-27.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$2.02 PEN 6.87

-44.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.07 PEN 3.65

-45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.13 PEN 3.85

-48.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 PEN 2.58

$1.25 PEN 4.26

-39.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$1.03 PEN 3.51

-9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$0.96 PEN 3.25

-15.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.03

$0.87 PEN 2.96

2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$0.88 PEN 3.00

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 PEN 13.77

$5.46 PEN 18.58

-25.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 PEN 19.63

$8.98 PEN 30.55

-35.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$1.75 PEN 5.96

-18.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.80

$3.08 PEN 10.47

-44.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.67 PEN 2.26

-11.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.72 PEN 56.9

$30.61 PEN 104

-45.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 PEN 9.35

$3.38 PEN 11.51

-18.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.97

$2.21 PEN 7.53

-7.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 PEN 18.79

$8.22 PEN 27.96

-32.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.35 PEN 4.60

0.74%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.7K

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

-12.25%

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

$26.6K PEN 90.4K

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

9.24%

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

$74.4 PEN 253

$56.7 PEN 193

31.12%

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

$8.19 PEN 27.85

$12.64 PEN 43.00

-35.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 PEN 71.4

$24.00 PEN 81.7

-12.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 PEN 120

$30.10 PEN 102

17.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 PEN 19.21

$18.95 PEN 64.5

-70.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 PEN 13.84

$6.74 PEN 22.92

-39.61%

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

$106 PEN 360

$218 PEN 740

-51.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,029 PEN 6,902

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

-74.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 PEN 237

$49.95 PEN 170

39.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.96 PEN 47.48

$36.59 PEN 125

-61.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.78 PEN 115

$89.7 PEN 305

-62.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.69 PEN 111

$88.1 PEN 300

-62.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 PEN 1,246

$606 PEN 2,062

-39.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 865

$350 PEN 1,189

-27.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,047

$1,036 PEN 3,524

-41.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 PEN 1,624

$628 PEN 2,135

-23.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,872

$2,367 PEN 8,054

-51.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$834 PEN 2,837

$1,434 PEN 4,880

-41.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$539 PEN 1,834

$626 PEN 2,131

-13.91%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Trujillo and $606 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima pays 16% 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 $33.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 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 26% in total monthly costs ($784 vs $985 including rent). Trujillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lima earns 16% 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: $366 in Trujillo versus $606 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $106 in Trujillo versus $218 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 $784 in Trujillo versus $985 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 26% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.