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Cost of Living in Lima

Summary about cost of living in Lima:

Restaurants [ Edit ] Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 12.00 S/. 10.00-16.18
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 84.15 S/. 55.00-120.00
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 15.00 S/. 15.00-20.00
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 6.00 S/. 4.50-8.00
Imported Beer (11.2 oz small bottle) 9.00 S/. 7.00-12.00
Cappuccino (regular) 8.22 S/. 6.00-10.00
Coke/Pepsi (11.2 oz small bottle) 2.38 S/. 1.80-3.50
Water (11.2 oz small bottle) 1.51 S/. 1.00-3.00
Markets [ Edit ]
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 15.52 S/. 12.49-18.93
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 4.26 S/. 2.72-7.26
Rice (white), (1 lb) 1.55 S/. 1.13-1.81
Eggs (regular) (12) 5.74 S/. 4.00-8.00
Local Cheese (1 lb) 11.31 S/. 5.44-15.88
Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1 lb) 7.03 S/. 4.54-9.98
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 12.40 S/. 6.80-22.68
Apples (1 lb) 2.06 S/. 1.59-2.95
Banana (1 lb) 1.58 S/. 0.91-2.27
Oranges (1 lb) 1.56 S/. 0.91-2.27
Tomato (1 lb) 1.60 S/. 1.13-2.27
Potato (1 lb) 1.14 S/. 0.91-1.36
Onion (1 lb) 1.26 S/. 0.91-1.81
Lettuce (1 head) 2.25 S/. 2.00-3.00
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.77 S/. 2.00-3.50
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 27.50 S/. 20.00-40.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 4.46 S/. 3.00-6.00
Imported Beer (11.2 oz small bottle) 6.99 S/. 4.00-12.00
Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) 8.50 S/. 7.50-11.50
Transportation [ Edit ]
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 2.00 S/. 1.50-2.50
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 92.22 S/. 73.91-121.74
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 7.00 S/. 5.00-10.00
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 8.05 S/. 6.44-11.27
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 25.00 S/. 20.00-35.00
Gasoline (1 gallon) 13.09 S/. 11.00-15.00
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 50,000.00 S/. 41,615.00-65,000.00
Toyota Corolla 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 64,313.09 S/. 54,000.00-70,000.00
Utilities (Monthly) [ Edit ]
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 173.96 S/. 100.00-297.50
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) 0.44 S/. 0.20-0.50
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 139.95 S/. 80.00-200.00
Sports And Leisure [ Edit ]
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 187.27 S/. 100.00-300.00
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 38.11 S/. 20.00-60.00
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 19.00 S/. 15.00-24.00
Childcare [ Edit ]
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Private, Monthly for 1 Child 557.10 S/. 350.00-1,050.00
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 25,280.00 S/. 14,400.00-58,000.00
Clothing And Shoes [ Edit ]
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 147.64 S/. 100.00-200.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 137.49 S/. 90.00-200.00
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 241.35 S/. 180.00-300.00
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 242.12 S/. 180.00-329.00
Rent Per Month [ Edit ]
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 1,694.22 S/. 1,000.00-2,265.55
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,139.55 S/. 700.00-1,800.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 3,093.87 S/. 2,000.00-4,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,138.83 S/. 1,500.00-3,236.50
Buy Apartment Price [ Edit ]
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 642.62 S/. 391.49-836.12
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 388.89 S/. 278.71-481.88
Salaries And Financing [ Edit ]
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 1,665.33 S/.
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly 10.59 9.00-12.00

Prices in Lima

These data are based on 1343 entries in the past 18 months from 155 different contributors.
Last update: October 2017
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20 Comments so far

#Jc Blan on Jul 30, 2017 :
First of all, thanks for the info. They are pretty accurate. I have lived in many cities such as: Houston, Madrid, Dubai, to mention a few. I am a Peruvian by birth so my opinion could be bias. In the past, I've avoided to visit Lima. However, I'm back in Lima for work reasons and pleasantly surprised with what Lima (San Isidro, Miraflores) has to offer. Lima is overall cleaner and with a sense of organization (not super clean like Dubai) I love winter weather in Lima, not cold at all. Love the food. Language was not a problem for me 'cause I speak Spanish. I understand the frustration when locals don't make an effort to speak visitors/tourist language (looking at you French fellas) but I don't think that is the case here. Enjoy Peru!

Cheers
#Marcus on Dec 10, 2016 :
Hi everybody!
I´m from Spain and have been living in Lima (San Isidro) for the past 20 years.
It is true, Lima is a dirty city
- "smells"... yes (especially if you take public transportation, but in summer Warsow, Bogota and Berlin are worse.
Water is expensive in Lima, and it is because it doesn´t rain at all and people (foreigners/tourists) just don´t realize that... (few drops now and then) and the city just do what it can to fight it (dust everywhere)... (I spend more in water than in electricity and I am a huge fan of electricity, US$ 485 in water and US$390 in electricity

Lima today have more than ELEVEN MILLION people...!!!!
Traffic...horrific (As well in Rome, Madrid, Tokyo, New York, Bogota, Milan, Caracas, etc. in rush hours)

-"vagabond dogs"?... have not seen any in San Isidro, Monterrico, Miraflores and San Borja districts in the last 10 years! (of course there must be vagabond dogs I just haven´t seen them).

-"dog shit everywhere" no, maybe elsewhere (Magdalena, Lince, Jesus María, Pueblo Libre, San Juan de Miraflores, etc.)...

-vagabond cats?... a lot in Miraflores in "Parque Kennedy" (a good place to visit... thursday, friday, saturday, sunday) and the cats are are fantastic, clean without any disease.
(I have 2 dogs and 2 cats, the good thing is that they are friends and get along, I love animals).

The thing is:
Is Lima a beautifull city?
No it is not.
Does Lima have beautifull districts?
Yes!!!
In general, how are the peruvian peolple with tourists?
They are warmful caring people (some will take advantage and do some profits like everybody else in other countries, ("if it is too good to be true, maybe it is because it is not true"!)

Is Lima expensive for a tourist?
Maybe not, but it is expensive for a native.

1 US dollar is 3.39 soles (dicember 2016)

Minimun cost for a cab: 7 soles (3 to 5 blocks) average cost 15/18 soles ( from one district to another), add 5/7 soles if you phone for one (taxi satelital, uber, etc.)

Food, Exquisite
-meals: from US 2.50 to 90 (no alcohol) it depends on where you eat (1 person).

Hostel/Hotel per day: from 25 to 600 per day 2 people (average tourist, it can be more). Do your homework look in booking.com, trivago.com, etc.

What youy must realize is that Peru is not only Lima...
These are some cities i´ve been to; all of them are beautifull

In US dollars: Arequipa - average, Trujillo - cheap, Mancora, beach in Piura - expensive, Cuzco - very expensive, Tarapoto - cheap (jungle), Iquitos - cheap (jungle), Madre de Dios - cheap (jungle), Puno - average.
The most expensive city in Peru is Cuzco.

About the tap water, I've never drunk it (to my knowledge) always boiled, filtered or bottled water. I do that in every country I go to (I travel a lot!)

Do I like Lima?
Yes!
Hope it helped
#Visitor on Sep 08, 2016 :
My honest take on Lima, the city is dirty there is a smell that hangs in the air and takes a while to get used to(this can be said about a lot of major cities though) the water had a smell that lets you know not to drink it.
Cab drivers are to be avoided if at all possible.
The food was amazing especially if you like sea food. The women were about average as far as beauty is concerned and for some reason all of the Peruvian men want Colombian girlfriends.
Night life was surprisingly hard to find and most of the people I met did not want to speak English even if they knew the language(I don't hold that against them its my fault for not knowing enough spanish).
Things were cheap there, I stayed in Miraflores and compared to California everything was at least half the price unless you got really fancy at which it became expensive 300 soles dinners. I was only there a week but my suggestion is unless you are competent in Spanish do not visit Lima, you can get by with English but all in all the experience kinda sucked.
#Javier on Aug 03, 2016 :
I am looking for someone wants to come to know lima. I am peruvian. I have lived here since i was a child. she or he can teach to me English in their free time, that is why the rent is low: $ 100 monthly, which includes Internet line.
#Isabel E on Jul 02, 2016 :
Taxi fares in Lima are quite the topic. There are no taxi start fares since peruvian taxis do not operate on taximeters, you bargain for the fare according to previous experience and willingness to pay an extra sol. Of course, if you're riding an uber(or other service alike) they have starting fares of around 3.25. I would say that the lowest fare you'll ever get is 3 soles for a few blocks (less than 1 km), foreigners: do not be afraid to do some bartering.

Also, monthly minimum salary has increased from 750 to 850 soles (about USD 270), way below the current cost of living (as Gianpiere mentioned) and before AFP (retirement funds withdrawal) and taxes.
#Gianpiere Salcedo on Apr 25, 2016 :
This page is very acurate. The living cost by person sugested by the INEI (Instituno nacional de Estadistica e Informatica) is S/.1500. And S/.1,656.23 sugested by this page.

But we have one problema, the minimal wage or salary by mont is S/.750. Yes is the Half of the necesary to live. Thats wy to many peruvians live in house of ur parents and cant be easily become independent. Or they end up working all their lives to pay off your house. If they can afford it.

Then, if you want to come to Peru to live and work, i sugest you doit only if you have a work with a superior wage of S/.1500. Otherwise you will have a life of slave
##joeie on Feb 12, 2016 :
So, #Laura doesn't want us to visit her dump of a city, OK, we don't want you here as well. :-)
#Anonymous on Feb 06, 2016 :
The prices for housing in "City Center" is relative, since here in Lima, downtown is the Old city center, now more of a commercial center for cheap stuff, but not the real financial district of the city, hence not where anyone wants to live due to high crime and old rundown buildings. The financial district here is in San Isidro, which is like what the "city center" would be in other major cities, and even some areas of Miraflores district. These districts are where the highest costs for rent and property are, just like any other major city's "city center" would be. The prices in these areas for a 1br apt (60sq m) is about $600 to rent, and for a small 3br (100sq m) would be about $1,200+, if you want a nice size apt 150sq m you can expect to pay over $1,500.
#Laura on Jan 26, 2016 :
I am peruvian. Yes, please, don´t come to my Lima, we have too much people living here. We have vagabond dogs? Yes, at least they dont finish there days in a dog pound dead. If you dont like the dogs crap, get away out of my country please, thanks.
If you are going to compare Lima with NYC or Milano, maybe Lima is cheap. But for peruvians, the cost of living is high. For a good education, in a prívate school, cost around $1400. Net salary: $300
Flats and houses in a residential zone(save and clean zone), around $900+. Net salary: $300
Food is also expensive. Prices always go higher and higher, chicken, potatoe, rice, fruits, etc.
In resume: Im from Lima and Lima is expensive. Is not expensive if you win more than $1500 or you are millionaire.
#Helmut on Jan 19, 2016 :
I spent four days in Lima, mainly in Miraflores, San Isidore and Barrancas. I walked ~ 45 miles through the city (did not use any transportation except to and fro the airport). It is a safe city, not expensive and not cheap cheap either. I will come back in 8 weeks and will have more insight from people who live here foe a while. So far,the food is great and Pisco sour is too; my biggest expense was for sunscreen so far...
#hoss on Dec 15, 2015 :
I am an American,my wife is pruvian we decided to retire in lima peru.what a big mistake.the city is so dirty,full of dogs almost nobody pick up the dog shit,peruvian love dogs and dog shit they don't mind walking over dog shit its very normal for them.its so sad that you can not trust anybody,the drivers don't stop at the stop sign,they pass the red light,they inter the do not inter,and so on.one advice for all DO NOT VISIT PERU.
#Juver on Nov 16, 2015 :
I am Peruvian and I have lived in Lima for almost 20 years.

Some of the prices mentioned in the charts above are not 100% accurate.

For example, a meal at an inexpensive restaurant at lunchtime generally costs S/9.00 PEN ($ 3.00 USD), even in overrated districts such as Miraflores or San Isidro.

Then, a taxi ride (even a short ride) can cost S/. 7.00, not S/ 5.00 as stated in the chart.

Finally, if for any reason you go to Lima, Peru, it is advisable to be accompanied by a Peruvian so as to avoid being robbed or tricked by unscrupulous people.

And don't forget that there are a hell of a lot better cities than Lima to visit in Peru.
#george on Nov 08, 2015 :
Yes, there are stray dogs. But there's drunks and vandalism everywhere in the world. Personally, I see more drunks here in Melbourne, Australia than I did in my whole time in Lima (I only saw 2 drunks, singing on buses, in 3 months)
#Luis on Oct 24, 2015 :
I was there two months ago and Lima is becoming a dump of shit. I saw street dogs, drunks, vandalism, and bad police. As soon you get closed to San Isidro or Miraflores start filling more secure about yourself.
#Craig Ivory on Oct 12, 2015 :
Thanks Sandy, great names & places for visitors/future residents to check out. I suppose all prices on this site are at the mercy of conversion rates. As Peru goes up someone else goes down. Have noticed this all over, except in Euros, which is where I live. Having Euros as basis of comparison makes life a lot easier to understand.
#David Schneider on Aug 21, 2015 :
With all the much nicer and much cheaper places to live in Peru, why live in Lima, anyway? :)
#David Schneider on Aug 21, 2015 :
Good site. However, there is such a range of prices depending on where you live in Lima, that these are only very ballpark figures. I would never pay more than $12.00 USD for a mid-range meal for 2, for example. A cheap meal costs less than $3.00 USD.
#Sandy on Mar 14, 2015 :
If you live like a gringo....that's the price you will pay! you need to get out of Miraflores, San Isidro, Barranco, San Borja and Surco....at least to buy your food and clothing, most owners who owns big Lima properties shopping malls are foreigners and they will charge you the highest because gringo wants comfort and they know we'll pay without making a complaint! A Peruvian will never pay the amount of money we pay, the will haggle for anything and will go to different stores to compare prices. I learn to buy my food, mercado mayorista ( Santa Anita) you can buy anything and is cheaper than most supermarkets, in Callao they have plenty fish markets, I'll buy different see foods and put it on the freezer, Fruits I usually go to mercado mayorista de frutas (buy lots and put it in small bags and in the freezer, you can make plenty milkshakes and cakes! clothing get to Gamarra, better quality 100% Peruvian algodon, the one you buy in Sagafalabella, Ripley and so on , are made in China, sometimes is cheap to buy but won't last long, Gamarra has everything for clothing and household, you can always bargain at the end of the day! Buying toys go to Mesa redonda ( centro de Lima) go early because in the afternoon is get crowded, want to buy books and cheap, go to Feria de libros Amazonas ( Centro de Lima) Going to the cinema, If you go weekends is always expensive, not just Peru, but every other country, try going to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, is between 7-10 soles 2D been a few times in la Molina and Plaza mall Santa Anita, property prices, I found Magdalena, Pueblo Libre, San Miguel, Brena and Jesus Maria reasonable in prices depending what you looking for you can find a good bargain. But if you want to live like a gringo then stick to Miraflores, San Borja, San Isidro and Barranco, what you pay is because you want to live like home or better than home, but living in another country meeting the local people and challenging yourself to new things you need to move on!
#Friend on May 30, 2014 :
Its fun when this goddamned fucking city is more expensive to live in than Prague...
#Emily on Oct 06, 2013 :
This website is very helpful. I will be staying in Lima for a week so I'm impressed with the website.
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