Lima vs Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Lima leads on CPI (17.8 vs 21.5, NYC=100), Lima leads on rent index, and Johannesburg leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Lima
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Transport (100% gap, Johannesburg ahead); Utilities (100% gap, Johannesburg ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $38 lower in Lima than in Johannesburg (~17% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $38 (favoring Lima).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Lima | CPI 17.8 vs 21.5 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Lima | Rent index 5.5 vs 6.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | Lima | Groceries index 25.5 vs 27 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Johannesburg | One-way ticket 7.35 vs 2109.75 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Johannesburg | Utilities (85m²) 236.8 vs 82500 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Johannesburg | Internet 406.63 vs 132300 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Lima | Restaurant index 15.4 vs 18 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Lima | Avg net salary 8277000 vs 36015.8 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Johannesburg | PP index 31.4 vs 17.8 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Transport: Johannesburg leads with a 100% gap.
One-way ticket 7.35 vs 2109.75 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Lima — Lower housing / rent index (16% gap).
- Families: Lima — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Lima; purchasing power favors Johannesburg.
- Remote Workers: Lima — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Lima (~21% gap).
- Budget Living: Lima — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Lima is the overall cost winner on CPI (~21% lower everyday-cost index than Johannesburg).
- Housing: Lima leads on rent index (16% gap).
- Food / groceries: Lima is lower (6% gap).
- Purchasing power: Johannesburg scores higher (76% gap).
- Largest category gap: Transport (100%), favoring Johannesburg.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$38 cheaper in Lima.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 17.8/21.5, rent 5.5/6.4, purchasing power 17.8/31.4. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-20
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.