Lima vs Guadalajara
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Rent
✓in Lima cheaper — −30%
Family budget
✓in Lima cheaper — −39%
Internet
✓in Lima cheaper — −29%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
House or apartment rent
per month✓Lima≈ $734–1,270S/ 2,509–4,345cheaper by 30%Guadalajara≈ $1,090–1,770MX$19,800 – 32kFamily budget
per month✓Lima≈ $665S/ 2,272cheaper by 39%Guadalajara≈ $1,080MX$19,621Internet
per month✓Lima≈ $29–41S/ 99–139cheaper by 29%Guadalajara≈ $21–77MX$389–1,399Private school
per monthLima≈ $468–1,290S/ 1,600–4,426✓Guadalajara≈ $221–773MX$4,000 – 14kcheaper by 44%Winter
averageLima15–18 °C15–18 °CGuadalajara10–25 °C10–25 °CPrecipitation
per yearLima13 mm13 mmGuadalajara972 mm972 mmReady-made house
purchase✓Lima$151k – 260,500$151k – 260,500cheaper by 43%Guadalajara≈ $221–497kMX$4–9M
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Daily life
Lima
Nothing yet
Guadalajara
By the 2020 census the municipality of Guadalajara has 1.39 million residents, the five main metro municipalities 4.85 million. 11.5% were born in another state.
OfficialINEGI: 2020 census, results by locality for Jalisco (ITER) · checked 6 Oct 2026
A two-bedroom in Providencia is mostly 28-35k pesos, in Americana 19.5-22k for 60-90 m², in Chapalita 20-23.5k, in Oblatos and Centro 13.5-15.7k.
SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in the municipality of Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026
Housing
Lima
Apartment price per m²: San Isidro 2605 dollars, Barranco 2556, Miraflores 2464, Surco 1818, La Molina 1510 (Q1 2026, central bank BCRP).
OfficialBCRP: apartment sale prices by district of Lima, dollars per m², Q1 2025 - Q1 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
A 100 m² three-bedroom apartment: Barranco 4345 soles a month, San Isidro 4182, Miraflores 3864, Surco 3070, La Molina 2509 (July 2026).
SpecialistInfobae: Urbania Index, apartment rents by district of Lima, July 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
A two-bedroom apartment in listings is about 24,650 pesos a month, half between 19,800 and 32,000. Of 304 offers, 70 are under 20k and 171 above 25k.
SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in the municipality of Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026
Three-bedroom house: 53 listings up to 4M pesos, 58 from 4 to 9M, 61 above. First-page median about 8.3M, about 33k per square meter.
SpecialistMercado Libre: three-bedroom houses for sale in the municipality of Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026
Money and prices
Lima
The INEI minimum food basket for Lima is 307 soles per person a month, about 1228 for a family of four. Figures for 2025.
OfficialINEI: Perú, evolución de la pobreza monetaria 2016-2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026
A family of four in Lima counts as poor at spending below 2272 soles a month. The average Lima resident spends 1014 soles, about 4056 for four.
OfficialINEI: Perú, evolución de la pobreza monetaria 2016-2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
INEGI's urban food basket is 2562.58 pesos per person a month, 10,250 for a family of four (August 2026). A nationwide figure, the food minimum.
OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026
INEGI's urban poverty line is 4905.33 pesos per person, 19,621 a month for a family of four (August 2026). A floor without rent, not a real budget.
OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Family and kids
Lima
Well-known private schools in Lima for 2026: 1600–4426 soles a month plus an entrance fee. The American School Roosevelt: from 1747 dollars a month.
SpecialistInfobae: cost of private schools in Lima for 2026 based on the list by Padres magazine · checked 29 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
Micole's estimate for Jalisco: primary school 4000-14,000 pesos a month, kindergarten 3000-9000, international 18,000-45,000. Plus a fee of 8000-60,000 a year.
SpecialistMicole: how much a private school costs in Jalisco in 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Healthcare
Lima
With a foreigner's card (carné de extranjería), a family can take the public insurance SIS Independiente: 39 soles a month for one person, 115 for a family of four or more. There is also a free plan.
OfficialSIS: questions and rates of the SIS Independiente plan · checked 29 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
According to INEGI, Guadalajara has 76 private medical facilities with 1473 beds, and Zapopan another 26 with 699 beds. Public hospitals are not included.
OfficialINEGI: statistics of private health facilities (ESEP) 2025, report 28/26 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Transport
Lima
The new terminal opened on 30 May 2025: 30 million passengers in the first year, up to 40 million by 2026. The first flights were LATAM to Atlanta and Iberia from Madrid.
OfficialMTC: opening of the new terminal at Jorge Chávez airport · checked 29 Sep 2026
The Metropolitano with a feeder route across the whole city is 3.50 soles; short trips on corridor buses are 1–1.50. The second metro line is free for now.
OfficialATU: how to save money on the Metropolitano and corridor buses · checked 29 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
The airport is 21 km from the cathedral, about 23 minutes without traffic. In August 2026 it handled 1.79 million passengers, 585 thousand of them international.
OfficialGAP: airport passenger traffic for August 2026 (filing on the BMV stock exchange) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Climate
Lima
The coldest month is August: average minimum 14.6 degrees, maximum 18.4. July and September are almost the same; in February it is 19.4 and 26.5.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Lima · checked 29 Sep 2026
There is almost no rain: about 13 mm a year, and no month above 5.4 mm. In winter, instead of rain there is garúa drizzle, which wets the streets but barely shows up in millimetres.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Lima · checked 29 Sep 2026
In winter humidity is above 90% and reaches 99%: fog, garúa drizzle, dense cloud cover by the sea. Because of the dampness, 15 degrees feels like 13–14.
SpecialistAndina: winter 2025 in Lima, SENAMHI forecast for temperature and humidity · checked 29 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
About 970 mm a year, 87% of it from June to September, peaking in July at 274 mm. From November to May it is almost dry: 4 to 20 mm a month.
OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026
The coolest month is January: on average 10.2 degrees at night and 24.7 by day. Winter is dry and sunny; the city sits at about 1540 meters.
OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026
May is the hottest, before the rains: on average 32.4 degrees by day and 17.2 at night. In July and August, because of the rains, about 27 by day.
OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026
Safety
Lima
In 2025, 27.6% of Lima residents aged over 15 were victims of crime. In the zone with Miraflores and San Isidro it was 21.5%, in the east with La Molina 31.3%.
OfficialINEI: Victimización en el Perú 2025, ENAPRES survey · checked 29 Sep 2026
The IGP geophysical institute expects an earthquake stronger than M8.8 near Lima with a tsunami above 8 m. The last one like that was in 1746; when the next will come is unknown.
OfficialIGP: the 1746 earthquake and the expected seismic scenario for Lima · checked 29 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
In June 2026, 78% of adults in Guadalajara and 54% in Zapopan felt unsafe, versus 59.8% nationwide. Homicides in 2024: 25 per 100,000 residents.
OfficialINEGI: ENSU, perceived safety by city, June 2026 (report 27/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Internet and phone
Lima
WIN fibre in Lima: 500 Mbit/s for 99 soles a month, 850 for 119, 1000 for 139. The line is symmetric, traffic is unlimited, and the first month is cheaper.
SpecialistWIN: home fiber-optic internet plans for Lima and Callao · checked 29 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
Telmex: from 389 pesos for 120 Mbps to 1399 for a gigabit. Totalplay 100 Mbps for 390, Megacable 1000 Mbps for 1000 pesos on promotion. Prices are nationwide.
SpecialistExpansión: Telmex, Totalplay, Megacable and Izzi internet packages, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Services
Lima
Luz del Sur from August 2026: 75.56 centimos per kWh for consumption above 140 kWh and 2.66 soles a month. For 300 kWh the bill comes to about 229 soles.
OfficialLuz del Sur: electricity tariffs including IGV, pliego of 4 August 2026 (document “Tarifas - Setiembre 2026”) · checked 29 Sep 2026
Water and sewerage: the first 10 m³ at 3.58 soles, more after that. A bill for 15 m³ is about 72 soles with IGV tax; this is a calculation based on the Sedapal tariff.
OfficialSunass: resolution 00145-2025-SUNASS-CD, Sedapal tariff structure for year 5 of the 2022-2027 period · checked 30 Sep 2026
Piped gas from Cálidda, September 2026: about 1.73 soles per m³ with tax and 1.29 soles a month. For 30 m³ it comes to about 53 soles. The network is not available everywhere.
OfficialCálidda: tariff table for piped gas in Lima and Callao, service for September 2026 (Osinergmin) · checked 30 Sep 2026
Guadalajara
LP gas price cap in Guadalajara and Zapopan for 27 Sep - 3 Oct 2026: 20.27 pesos per kg, 10.95 per liter. A 20 kg cylinder at the cap is about 405 pesos.
OfficialComisión Nacional de Energía: maximum LP gas prices from 27 September to 3 October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Tariff 1 in September 2026: 1.136 pesos per kWh up to 75, 1.381 up to 140, then 4.041. 300 kWh on it is about 950 pesos with VAT. The house's tariff class is on the bill.
SpecialistRecibo de Luz: CFE tariff 1 steps for September 2026 and DAC thresholds for tariffs 1-1F · checked 6 Oct 2026
SIAPA's average water price in 2023 was 18.16 pesos per m³; in 2025 the tariff rose 9.65%. 15 m³ a month at that price is about 270-300 pesos. Murky water complaints.
SpecialistUnoTV: SIAPA asks for a 12.5% water tariff increase, price per cubic meter in 2023 and 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

