Budget · Lima · Peru
Lima on a budget
What a trip to Lima really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Lima is affordable for most international visitors. Budget roughly $35–$60 per person per day on a tight budget, $100–$180 mid-range and $300–$800 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in March–May and August–November.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $35–$60 a day
- Mid-range
- $100–$180 a day
- Luxury
- $300–$800 a day
- Local currency
- PEN
- Free sights
- 4
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $35–$60 | $105–$180 | $175–$300 | $245–$420 |
| Mid-range | $100–$180 | $300–$540 | $500–$900 | $700–$1,260 |
| Luxury | $300–$800 | $900–$2,400 | $1,500–$4,000 | $2,100–$5,600 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Lima, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Metropolitano bus fare | about S/3–S/4 |
| Menú lunch in a local restaurant | about S/15–S/25 |
| Ceviche at a cevichería | about S/35–S/60 |
| Pisco sour in a bar | about S/20–S/35 |
| Quarter pollo a la brasa with chips | about S/20–S/30 |
| App taxi from Miraflores to the centre | about S/20–S/35 |
| Museum entry | about S/15–S/50 |
Money-saving tips
- Eat a set menú at lunch for good Peruvian food at a fraction of restaurant prices.
- Walk the Malecón and Barranco, which cost nothing.
- Use the Metropolitano to reach the centre instead of taxis.
- Use app taxis with fixed prices to avoid overcharging.
- Withdraw soles from bank ATMs inside banks or malls.
- Book tasting menus well ahead; lunch menus at good restaurants are often cheaper.
Free things to do
- Plaza Mayor — Lima's main square, where Francisco Pizarro founded the city in 1535, is lined by the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace with its carved wooden balconies, the Government Palace and the City Hall.
- Malecón de Miraflores — A chain of parks, gardens and paths along the clifftops of Miraflores, about 80 metres above the Pacific.
- Barranco and Puente de los Suspiros — Barranco's streets of colourful republican-era mansions, murals and galleries lead to the Puente de los Suspiros, a wooden footbridge over the Bajada de Baños, a tree-shaded path down to the sea.
- Bosque El Olivar — A peaceful park of olive trees in San Isidro, some descended from trees planted in the 16th century.
Where to stay on a budget
$ · Best for culture and budget
Historic Centre
Colonial core of plazas, balconies, churches and government palaces
$ · Best for food lovers and budget
Surquillo
Down-to-earth district next to Miraflores known for its food market
$ · Best for culture and quiet stays
Pueblo Libre
Quiet residential district of the Larco Museum and historic bodegas
Eating well for less
- Anticuchos — Street carts in the evening and anticucherías in Barranco and Miraflores.
Getting around for less
Lima is vast and traffic is heavy. Most visitors walk around Miraflores and Barranco, use app taxis between districts and take the Metropolitano bus to the historic centre.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Lima cost?
About $500–$900 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $175–$300 on a tight budget.
+Is Lima expensive?
It is affordable for international visitors. Eat a set menú at lunch for good Peruvian food at a fraction of restaurant prices.
+How much money do I need per day in Lima?
Roughly $35–$60 on a budget and $100–$180 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Lima?
Usually in March–May and August–November.