Cost of Living: New York vs Peru (Lima)
How expensive is Peru compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and PEN — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Lima
- Price level vs US average
- 54.0 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 3.567 PEN
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 1.927 PEN
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Peru’s national average. Major cities — especially Lima — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Peru cheaper than New York?
Yes. Peru is 52% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 48, New York = 100).
What salary in Peru equals $100,000 in New York?
About $47,993 a year (about PEN 171,196 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Peru as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Lima more expensive than Peru’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Peru’s national average price level; large cities such as Lima typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.