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Lima vs Puno cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ช Lima
๐ต๐ช Puno
At a glance
- Where Puno is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (73%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (62%โ), Studio rent (month) (60%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Lima is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: getting around โ Lima 3 vs Puno 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Lima | Puno | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | S/ 20$5.41 | S/ 15$4.05 | Puno โ25% |
| Street food1 item | S/ 9$2.43 | S/ 6$1.62 | Puno โ33% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | S/ 59$15.9 | S/ 40$10.8 | Puno โ32% |
| Coffeeone cup | S/ 12$3.24 | S/ 10$2.7 | Puno โ17% |
| Beerone bottle | S/ 10$2.7 | S/ 10$2.7 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | S/ 26$7.03 | S/ 25$6.76 | similar |
| Bottled water | S/ 2.2$0.59 | S/ 2$0.54 | Puno โ9% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | S/ 3.5$0.95 | S/ 3$0.81 | Puno โ14% |
| Taxi5 km in town | S/ 12$3.24 | S/ 8$2.16 | Puno โ33% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | S/ 8$2.16 | S/ 3$0.81 | Puno โ62% |
| Transitone ride | S/ 3.2$0.86 | S/ 1.5$0.41 | Puno โ53% |
| Scooter rentalper day | S/ 50$13.5 | S/ 40$10.8 | Puno โ20% |
| Hotel night3-star | S/ 200$54.1 | S/ 180$48.6 | Puno โ10% |
| Studio rent (month) | S/ 1,750$473 | S/ 700$189 | Puno โ60% |
| Laundry | S/ 8$2.16 | S/ 7$1.89 | Puno โ12% |
| SIM card1 week data | S/ 30$8.11 | S/ 30$8.11 | similar |
| Haircutcut | S/ 30$8.11 | S/ 12$3.24 | Puno โ60% |
| Massage1 hour | S/ 90$24.3 | S/ 60$16.2 | Puno โ33% |
| Half-day tourper person | S/ 100$27 | S/ 50$13.5 | Puno โ50% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | S/ 37$10 | S/ 10$2.7 | Puno โ73% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Lima or Puno?
Puno is 30% cheaper than Lima. Daily budget $103 vs $83.5; a month $1,835 vs $1,090.
Which is easier to travel, Lima or Puno?
Lima is easier: Lima 3.0/5 vs Puno 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Lima and Puno?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Lima is about $1,835 and Puno about $1,090 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.