How Much Does It Cost to Live In Peru?
Peru, officially known as the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America.
Peruvian territory was home to several ancient cultures which is what makes it an attractive destination to so many people and visitors around the world.
How much you spend will be greatly affected by what your living standards are, but rest assured that this country can’t be considered cheap.
More or less, roughly, the cost of life in Lima is half that of life in NY.
That being said, you can find some really cheap spots and save a lot of money on necessities.
Peru : Cost of Living by City
RESTAURANTS
Lima is known as the “Capital of Gastronomy” in Latin America.
So if you visit Peru and Lima, you shouldn’t the best restaurants which are ranked among the 50 best restaurants in Latin America.
If you go to any of these, count on them being expensive, but you can also have a decent meal in a mid-range restaurant in Peru, and pay only about 20$ – for two people!
MARKETS
If you shop at a local market, and they are often cheaper, you might get grossly overcharged just for being a foreigner, and if you shop at a supermarket, you should know that they do charge more than local grocery shops, but at least they charge everybody more, right?
If you stay away from imported food, you’ll get by relatively inexpensively.
TRANSPORTATION
If you plan to own a car in Peru or use public transportation, be sure you take the right means of transportation, since the difference between a bus and a taxi is 50 cents or more for the taxi, for a similar distance.
A monthly pass for public transport in Peru is somewhere around 16$, while a one-way ticket is less than a dollar.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities aren’t too expensive in Peru, though it depends on the size of your apartment.
For an apartment of about 85m2, basic utilities including electricity, heating, cooling, water, gas and garbage services will amount to 63$.
Internet is relatively expensive compared to that – almost 40$ per month.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Practicing sports is definitely a costly pleasure in Peru, like in most other countries.
If you want membership in a gym or a fitness center, it will cost you around 32$.
As for leisure and activities like going to the cinema to watch a movie, it’s relatively cheap – one cinema ticket will cost you 5$.
CLOTHING & SHOES
You’ll have numerous shopping opportunities in Peru because it boasts some big shopping centers.
As for the prices, they are below average, but still not cheap.
For example, you can buy Levi’s jeans for around 40$, while a pair of running shoes from brands like Nike cost around 70$.
Lighter pieces of clothing like shirts and summer dresses are around 25$.
RENT PER MONTH
What is most likely when you move to Peru is that accommodation rental will probably eat a large piece of your income.
The numbers for rent can go down if you get a roommate and you can cut the extra expenses to half depending on your lifestyle.
An apartment in the city center will cost you around 400$, while a bigger apartment for the whole family, also in the center, costs around 700$.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Peru
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $3.13 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $2.08 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.47 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.18 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.63 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $0.39 |
| Monthly Pass | $15.63 |
| Gasoline | $1.35 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $62.54 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.17 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $29.36 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $31.58 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $12.16 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $5.21 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $39.47 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $25.0 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $68.99 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $384.80 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $259.98 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $703.33 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Peru?
Like in most countries and cities, an average person living in Peru spends the biggest part of their salary on food.
Food takes up a lot more of people’s salaries than rent, which means that rent isn’t the most expensive aspect of living in Peru, but it’s definitely expensive taking into consideration an average monthly salary of an average citizen of Peru.
Apart from rent and food, restaurants take up a huge part of overall expenses, along with transportation costs.
Like anywhere, clothing takes up an insignificant amount of money from an average person’s paycheck in Peru.
Average Costs Breakdown
Peru: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Peru is a so-called “Middle Income Developing Country”, which means that some people live very well, while the majority live more or less well but not as well as they would in the US, and there are also some very people living in bad conditions.
An average monthly salary in Peru is around 400$, which is just enough to cover all expenses – if you’re not renting an apartment.
If you are, then paying all your bills and buying necessities is a bit more difficult.
The minimum wage in Peru is around 250$.
Peru Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Peru Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
- SCAMS RISK: HIGH
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Cost of Living by City in Peru
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Lima | 41.47 |
Peru it’s not the the capital gastronomic of Latin American Mexico and Peru are on the same place.
LIES YOU CAN'T LIVE WITH $400 IN PERÚ
Lies… And lies.. You can NOT live with $400 never ever.. You would be struggling to survive.. To live in Peru you need at Least $800..to cover up all expenses… If you write $400 to live in Perú you are poor…