Cost of living in Peru

[mahou123]

Just to give you an idea, an expat working in a mine here in Peru, not a miner, but doing mine stuff, can get 100 to 150K usd a year, plus benefits. A Peruvian would be making 800usd a month.

If you mean that someone gets paid 10 times salary for the same job at Peruvian mine just for being from another country, this is not true. There is no point in doing that. Somebody who knows where to drill to find something valuable underground, gets paid a lot, because drilling is an expensive thing. Same about mine construction and design. But it doesn´t matter where are they from. They just tend to be from Canada, Australia, Chile or South Africa, as industry is more developed there, but if Peruvian is skilled enough, will make the same, in Peru or overseas.

[naturegirl]

Just to give you an idea, an expat working in a mine here in Peru, not a miner, but doing mine stuff, can get 100 to 150K usd a year, plus benefits. A Peruvian would be making 800usd a month.

If you mean that someone gets paid 10 times salary for the same job at Peruvian mine just for being from another country, this is not true. There is no point in doing that. Somebody who knows where to drill to find something valuable underground, gets paid a lot, because drilling is an expensive thing. Same about mine construction and design. But it doesn´t matter where they are from. They just tend to be from Canada, Australia, Chile or South Africa, as industry is more developed there, but if Peruvian is skilled enough, will make the same, in Peru or overseas.

Yes, I agree. Sorry I wasn't specific. I honestly have NO idea what they do in mines, however I DO know people who do make that much, in mines. What they do? I don' tknow. but they're sure making money.

ANd hopefully Peruvians will make the same. I can't speak for mining, but in teaching, no they don't get the same.

[mahou123]

ANd hopefully Peruvians will make the same. I can't speak for mining, but in teaching, no they don't get the same.

And that´s logical. If you run, say, a British school as a private business that competes with other schools to attract students, you might prefer your teachers to be from London rather than from Huancayo. Which comes at a premium. For mining it is generally different, although there might be some similar situations, like where enviromental compliance has to be assessed by some international body which would have no Peruvians there. Or they might hire some fancy overseas PR specialist to improve their image.

I heard here people saying that some hospital was good because they have Cuban surgeon. I would doubt that Peruvian surgeon is supposed to be worse, but this idea seems to sell. Although I´d think you don´t have to pay any premium to somebody coming from Cuba, unless there is a strong competition between hospitals to hire such people.

[calledtoperu2009]

NO no no, I think you misunderstood. An expat is , ex. an American living and working in the US. Their company offers them the chance to go live in another country for two years. that's an expat. They get more money by living overseas. AS for keepíng the money coming in, they'll probably make MUCH more living overseas and can either 1. stay overseas in one country 2. move to another country with the same or different company. 3. go back home.

Ah ha! So that's it. I thought the expats were just Americans and Europeans transplanting to Peru. I had no idea that they took their incomes with them. So that explains everything!

Now I can finally understand how you guys are living like kings over there and can afford those $1,000/mo. rents.

Now I will be reading everything on here in a TOTALLY DIFFERENT LIGHT!!

So I guess that means I will NOT be an expat at all.

Why would a company continue to pay someone and have them live in another country?

If you were working for a company here, how are you going to continue to help that company make money if you're no longer with them?

I need to find a job where I can be an expat then. This would sound totally awesome.

Lol. You sound very jaded about this process. I don't know how much time you have spent in Peru, and to be honest I did not read every single one of your responses. However, I just wanted to point out a couple GENERAL things because I work with people at almost every single economic level.

In Peru there are A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF MONEY. Although the majority of the country is impoverished, that doesn't mean that the entire country is. Remember, Peru is rich in natural resources. Natural resources ALWAYS translate to money. The key is this: people that make money here make sure that they keep their money. They set themselves up to make money in a tight circle. The Good Ol' Boys network is alive and well in Peru; (only it isn't full of white Americans).

The second thing to point out: if you take a drive in some of the more upscale areas you will notice a lot of "For Rent" signs. Just because the rent is that price doesn't mean that they are renting at those prices. That is why there are so many signs up.

The third point: You also have to remember that there are rich people in Columbia, Chile, Bolivia, Europe, Canada... It is not just Americans that are "ruining" it for you.

You can easily find a HOME to rent for under $1,000. You can find an apartment for your requirements in the $500-$600 range, and if you actually work at it you can find apartments in the $400 range. We did, but we had some help from God on that one. Point is, if someone is desperate to rent their space you WILL find a deal. Everything is negotiable... but it sounds like in some ways you recognize that but may hate the process.

Don't lump us all together, because one day you may be posting on here because you need some major help. Lol. We are your friends; and we are a minority.

[carguy]

Or you could "stick up the bank" and live off every bodies principal!

DOH!!!

[carguy]

Don't lump us all together, because one day you may be posting on here because you need some major help. Lol. We are your friends; and we are a minority.

Thanks, that's great to know.

I had no idea that there was a ton of people down there banking in the cash.

This forum has been an eye opener. Now that I have finally learned what an Expat is, I probably won't be relocating there. I had no idea that you guys all had jobs from other countries. I thought most people here were retired or something.

In a few weeks I plan on going down there. I already got the plane tickets. I'll have to check it out further once I am there.

[Polaron]

Lima is a pretty expensive city; I found myself with a bit of "sticker shock" when I arrived here. I was under the mistaken impression that the cost of living here would be lower than it is in Santiago de Chile. With the exception of housing, it's about the same: internet and cell phones are higher, transportation is cheaper. It all seems to balance out in the end. Buenos Aires is cheaper in everything but housing and transportation; Asuncion, PY is way cheaper in everything. Now that I am here, I'm adjusting.

There also seems to be some confusion regarding what constitutes an "ex-pat (ex-patriate)." An ex-pat can be, but is not limited to being, someone who leaves his native country for a fairly brief period of time to work in a foreign land but rather is someone who resides in a foreign land, regardless of his/her work status. I've been an ex-pat during 23 years of my life. Now back to cost of living.

Anyone that wants to come down here from Europe, Canada or "Disneyland" without being transferred by his/her company had better either be retired, financially independent, self-employed or willing to take a pretty sizeable cut in pay. Polaron's rule of thumb: in most of Latin America, be prepared to live on 15-20% of what you would earn in the United States. Is it possible to earn more? Yes, of course. Is it probable that you will earn more? I wouldn't count on it. Good jobs are hard to come by and are very heavily sought after. Competition for them is stiff. Most people that live here are not terribly wealthy. If a person cannot live without lots of consumer goodies, charge cards, fancy cars and clothes, then Latin America is probably not the right place for him/her, unless, as I said, s/he is financially independent. Now, on to housing.

A poster asked about Pueblo Libre. I live in PL; have lived here since I arrived in Peru (4 weeks ago). I did my homework on the internet long before I came here. I made friends, talked to people, perused thousands of housing ads, made contact with "corredores" and "inmobiliarias." What I discovered is that to find a really cheap place in Lima, you have to be here, you have to know the city somewhat, and you have to be prepared to pound the pavement, negotiate and get up early to be first in line to see a place for rent. I wasn't able to do that, but I did find a house I enjoy, and I think the price is fairly reasonable, if a bit pricey:

Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, front and rear yards, it is about 220 square meters (that is roughly 2,365 square feet for the metrically-challenged), fully furnished including linens, towels, dishes. The cookstove, refrigerator and beds are brand new. The house is in a safe area, with good security. Price: $650 U.S. per month. I plan on living in this house 6 months to a year and then finding a place that is totally unfurnished and costs a bit less. Why did I choose this house? Because I knew I wouldn't have enough money saved up to buy all the furnishings I wanted when I arrived, and at my age, I don't particularly enjoy living in an empty house or sleeping on the floor.

[Kelly]

Don't lump us all together, because one day you may be posting on here because you need some major help. Lol. We are your friends; and we are a minority.

Thanks, that's great to know.

I had no idea that there was a ton of people down there banking in the cash.

This forum has been an eye opener. Now that I have finally learned what an Expat is, I probably won't be relocating there. I had no idea that you guys all had jobs from other countries. I thought most people here were retired or something.

In a few weeks I plan on going down there. I already got the plane tickets. I'll have to check it out further once I am there.

Let me clarify that - an 'expatriate' was originally a person who was exiled from their home country. Nowadays, expat is generally accepted to mean anyone who has left their home country and taken up residence in another. Expat status has nothing to do with your job.

And we definitely do NOT all have jobs from other countries. There are many of us here who work here. There are many that have started their own businesses. There are teachers. There are translators. There are people who do freelance work on the internet, in business or writing. There are retirees, living off pensions or investments. And I bet if you took a poll, you'd find there aren't many of us living in $1000+/month houses.

[seblair]

This has been a wonderful thread with "buckets" of information. Thank you all for helping us "pilgrims" learn through your experiences. Happy New Year!!

[carguy]

$650/mo. for 2,000 sq. ft.?!?!?! MAN! That is DIRT CHEAP!!!

That's an easy 3-6x that price here in the US.

Most of the places here will not even let you rent a 1 bedroom apt for that! This is one of my primary reasons for not wanting to live here. I can't stand this lack of a bang for the buck in Miami. It absolutely sucks living here unless you have a 6-figure income to go with it.

[Autoground]

Can anyone tell me what a fair monthly salary would be for a human resources position in a US-based company operating out of Lima?

Thannnnk youuuuuu.

[I Love Peru]

Good day my fellow expats. I am currently living in Northern California hoping to go back to Lima soon.
I was born in Miraflores but lived all my adult live in the USA. I am an ex US Navy sailor. Have been self employeed for 16 years, I think that is the way to go. I wonder if those street vendors selling anticuchos,burgers,emolientes and so many other food stuff make any money at all ??
selling foodstuff could be done anywhere for a very low cost investment.everybody has to eat everyday. carrito sangucheros are called. if you know how to work them, one could NET you 100.00 soles per day part time mostly nights. you figure how many units you want to sell & how much to collect.
Just an observation last time I was there.
GoNavy..........

[carguy]

selling foodstuff could be done anywhere for a very low cost investment.everybody has to eat everyday. carrito sangucheros are called. if you know how to work them, one could NET you 100.00 soles per day part time mostly nights. you figure how many units you want to sell & how much to collect.
Just an observation last time I was there.
GoNavy..........

Can you live good on 100 nuevo soles per day?

I think if we were living there, we would average nearly 230 nuevo soles to live on per day based on my monthly income. Could I live in a decent place and eat out 7 days per week on that kind of income?

[Polaron]

Can anyone tell me what a fair monthly salary would be for a human resources position in a US-based company operating out of Lima?

Thannnnk youuuuuu.

Hi, I would estimate that the salary, in US dollar equivalent, for a run-of-the-mill HR position, is probably in the $600 to $1,000 range, depending on responsibility, and whether you are an employee or a "consultant" (independent contractor). I haven't lived in Peru very long and am most certainly not an expert in any way, shape or form on Peru, but that is what you could expect to earn in Buenos Aires, for example. I do not believe salaries are any higher in Lima than in Bs As, though the cost of living here (except housing) is higher.

If a company in the U.S. sends you down here, the salary would probably be higher. And if a U.S. company assigns you here, they will give you certain allowances as well. If you go to work directly for a company here, however, you don't get those perqs. Also, there are U.S.-based companies that operate here, but if you go to work for them here, the same applies. They will not pay you a U.S.-level salary.

To give you a very rough idea, the GNI (Gross National Income), calculated as PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) in Peru was just under $8,000. Meanwhile, the GNI, calculated using the Atlas method (which basically counts the average gross income per person) last year was just under $4,000. What do these two figures mean? Basically, they mean that the average income for all Peruvians is $4,000 U.S. per year, and that with those four thousand dollars, they can live as well as someone who earns $8,000 dollars in the U.S.A.

How willing would you be to live on eight grand a year in the U.S.A.? How about 16 grand? The average annual income in the U.S.A. is more than twice that. I'm asking these questions to help people understand that coming to live in Latin America means you are probably going to be poor, unless you're already wealthy, are retired or are incredibly lucky.

**HOWEVER** the quality of life, of people and relationships here, as far as I am concerned, is far better than in the U.S.A. Economically, I could live way better in the U.S. than here, because I could get a high-paying job, but I'd rather live here fairly modestly with my pension and a small income I get from doing some occasional writing. I much prefer the people in this part of the world.

[carguy]

**HOWEVER** the quality of life, of people and relationships here, as far as I am concerned, is far better than in the U.S.A. Economically, I could live way better in the U.S. than here, because I could get a high-paying job, but I'd rather live here fairly modestly with my pension and a small income I get from doing some occasional writing. I much prefer the people in this part of the world.

Very sad, but true.

$1000/mo. USD in Peru is like living on $30k/yr. in the US isn't it?

$30k/yr. in the US used to be great in the 1980's back when cars and rent was 25-40% of what they are now.
I am amazed that people are still paying today what people made over 20 years ago. This should be outlawed.

[seblair]

I was born and raised in the lake country of northern Minnesota. It's a beautiful vacationland, but the economic environment (like most vacation spots in the U.S.) is poor. To get a job there, you have to give up a lot. I won't do that because it's no fun living in "God's Country" when you're broke. I think the same thing holds true for Peru. In a few years I'll retire with a fixed income coming in. Then, I believe, is a good time to stretch my retirement dollars by living in Peru.

[carguy]

I was born and raised in the lake country of northern Minnesota. It's a beautiful vacationland, but the economic environment (like most vacation spots in the U.S.) is poor. To get a job there, you have to give up a lot. I won't do that because it's no fun living in "God's Country" when you're broke. I think the same thing holds true for Peru. In a few years I'll retire with a fixed income coming in. Then, I believe, is a good time to stretch my retirement dollars by living in Peru.

I would love to register www.ItsNoFunLivinginGodsCountryWhenYoureBroke.com and make a whole blog or something about that if I had the time. What a hoot that would be.

[seblair]

I would love to register http://www.ItsNoFunLivinginGodsCountryW ... eBroke.com and make a whole blog or something about that if I had the time. What a hoot that would be.

I think there are several folks registered to this website that could write a book, using that title. After all, Erma Bombeck's book "The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank" was a big seller.

[carguy]

I think there are several folks registered to this website that could write a book, using that title. After all, Erma Bombeck's book "The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank" was a big seller.

Funny you should say that. I used to have a septic tank at my old house and the grass was NEVER greener.

[naturegirl]

Hi, I would estimate that the salary, in US dollar equivalent, for a run-of-the-mill HR position, is probably in the $600 to $1,000 range, depending on responsibility, and whether you are an employee or a "consultant" (independent contractor). I haven't lived in Peru very long and am most certainly not an expert in any way, shape or form on Peru, but that is what you could expect to earn in Buenos Aires, for example. I do not believe salaries are any higher in Lima than in Bs As, though the cost of living here (except housing) is higher..

Once you work here, you can do more. I'm an academic consultant and tell you that I made more thean 1K a month in Lima.

[cuymagico]

Whenever I am shocked by how little Peruvians make, I remind myself that they generally live with parents until married and often for a little while after that, and single parents generally go back with mom and dad or other relatives.

Single foreigners living in Lima on $500/month, that really astounds me. Seriously, I'm impressed, I could not do that.

[carguy]

Whenever I am shocked by how little Peruvians make, I remind myself that they generally live with parents until married and often for a little while after that, and single parents generally go back with mom and dad or other relatives.

Single foreigners living in Lima on $500/month, that really astounds me. Seriously, I'm impressed, I could not do that.

Click on this to see income in Peru.

[cuymagico]

Click on this to see income in Peru.

Basically what that seems to be saying is you can live well on $500/month as long as you don't live in Lima. I still don't see how you can live in Lima as a single person without shared expenses, and in somewhere other than an area like Rimac or Lurigancho, on $500/month.

[carguy]

Click on this to see income in Peru.

Basically what that seems to be saying is you can live well on $500/month as long as you don't live in Lima. I still don't see how you can live in Lima as a single person without shared expenses, and in somewhere other than an area like Rimac or Lurigancho, on $500/month.

It's like moving to Miami. You don't actually need to live in "Miami" per say. You could live in Miami Gardens, Hialeah, Kendall, Cutler Ridge, Miami Springs, Doral, etc.

It's all good.

Just as long as you're near Lima, that sounds good enough for me.

[markr]

Whenever I am shocked by how little Peruvians make, I remind myself that they generally live with parents until married and often for a little while after that, and single parents generally go back with mom and dad or other relatives.

Single foreigners living in Lima on $500/month, that really astounds me. Seriously, I'm impressed, I could not do that.

Click on this to see income in Peru.

Quote from the above mentioned site.
" currency of Peru is Nuevo Sol. 6.18 Sols equal to 1 pound "
Oh how I wish that was the case

[american_in_lima]

I am sorry but you can not live "well" on $500. It does misjustice for those newbies that read this information. I know plenty of people that are making that monthly (Peruvian and foreigners) and they always mention their difficulties in paying the bills or doing the things they would really like to do.Living on $500 a month is possible, but you will be struggling to manage it. As a reference, a cleaning lady/maid here makes roughly $200. Essentially, at two times more money, it doesn't make sense that you will be living the life of euphoric luxury. Reality is: $500 will not allow you to live well.

[naturegirl]

WHat Peruvians or people actually declare as their income is probably less than what they actually make.

[carguy]

WHat Peruvians or people actually declare as their income is probably less than what they actually make.

That's a very good point!

I'm getting ready to go to Pueblo Libre. Do you think if I bring $300 USD cash, that's enough to live on for 1 week?

Also, is it cheaper to go to an ATM and withdrawal the money or should I do it at the airport?

[american_in_lima]

Carguy: Live or Be on Vacation? Are you just paying for yourself? Depends on what you do. I think with $500 (on vacation) you will enjoy Lima.

Vacation to me is different than living. If you are just living and don't have to pay housing, as it appears you will stay at your family's place, according to some on this site, you could live for 5 soles a day on food ($10).Depends on your idea of living life if your $300 covers you.

[american_in_lima]

Wanted to say "5 soles a day" X 7 days =35 soles (roughly $12-$13).