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City comparison

Lima vs Valparaíso

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Valparaíso cheaper — −51%

  • Family budget

    ≈ about equal≈ $665S/ 2,272 and ≈ $679CLP 671,031 per month

  • Internet

    in Valparaíso cheaper — −42%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Lima≈ $734–1,270S/ 2,509–4,345
    Valparaíso≈ $435–556CLP 430–550k
    cheaper by 51%
  • Piped gas

    Lima≈ $0.5 per m³S/ 1.73 per m³
    cheaper by 70%
    Valparaíso≈ $1.68 per m³CLP 1,665 per m³
  • Family groceries

    per month
    almost equal
    Lima≈ $359S/ 1,228
    Valparaíso≈ $374CLP 369,308
  • Family budget

    per month
    almost equal
    Lima≈ $665S/ 2,272
    Valparaíso≈ $679CLP 671,031
  • Internet

    per month
    Lima≈ $29–41S/ 99–139
    Valparaíso≈ $13–27CLP 12,990–26,990
    cheaper by 42%
  • Private school

    per month
    Lima≈ $468–1,290S/ 1,600–4,426
    Valparaíso≈ $594CLP 587k
    cheaper by 33%
  • Winter

    average
    Lima15–18 °C15–18 °C
    Valparaíso12 °C12 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Lima13 mm13 mm
    Valparaíso523.9 mm523.9 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Lima$151k – 260,500$151k – 260,500
    Valparaíso≈ $80,900 – 187kCLP 80–185M
    cheaper by 35%

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Daily life

Lima

Nothing yet

Valparaíso

City size

The 2024 census counted 284,938 people in the commune of Valparaíso and 334,871 in neighbouring Viña del Mar. With Quilpué and Villa Alemana it is one metro area.

OfficialINE: first results of the 2024 census for the Valparaíso region · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about daily life in Valparaíso →

Housing

Lima

Buying an apartment

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

Rent by district

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

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Valparaíso

Long-term rent

A two-bedroom apartment in listings costs 430–550 thousand pesos a month, median 480 thousand (about 495 dollars). A one-bedroom is about 395 thousand.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: apartments for long-term rent in the commune of Valparaíso, first eight pages of results (80 listings out of 197) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Buying a house

A 2–4 bedroom house in listings costs 80–185 million pesos, median 170 million (about 175 thousand dollars). By deals, a square metre is a third of Viña's price.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: houses for sale in the commune of Valparaíso, first five pages of results (50 listings out of 331) · checked 6 Oct 2026

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Money and prices

Lima

Groceries for a family

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

Family budget per month

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

Everything about money and prices in Lima →

Valparaíso

Groceries for a family

The minimum food basket costs 92,327 pesos per person a month, about 369 thousand for four (380 dollars). The figure is national.

OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026

Budget for a family of four

Poverty line for a family of four without rent: 671,031 pesos a month. With a two-bedroom flat, food, power, water and internet, about 0.95–1.1 million.

OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about money and prices in Valparaíso →

Family and kids

Lima

Private schools

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

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Valparaíso

Private school

The German School of Valparaíso (located in neighbouring Viña) charges 14.28 UF a month, about 587 thousand pesos (600 dollars), plus a 30 UF entrance fee.

OfficialColegio Alemán de Valparaíso (located in Viña del Mar): contract for the 2026 school year · checked 6 Oct 2026

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Healthcare

Lima

Healthcare: public insurance

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

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Valparaíso

Local healthcare

Valparaíso itself has three accredited high-complexity hospitals: Van Buren and Eduardo Pereira hospitals and Clínica Valparaíso. Neighbouring Viña has seven more.

OfficialSuperintendencia de Salud: register of accredited healthcare providers in the Valparaíso region · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Valparaíso →

Transport

Lima

Jorge Chávez Airport

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

Getting around the city

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

Everything about transport in Lima →

Valparaíso

Getting to Santiago

Santiago is 97 km away, 1 h 40 min to 2 h by bus. About 369 departures a day, the first at 06:10, the last at 22:25; a regular ticket costs 4–6 thousand pesos.

SpecialistCheckMyBus: buses Santiago – Valparaíso, timetable and prices · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Valparaíso →

Climate

Lima

Winter

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

Precipitation and seasonality

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

Humidity and grey skies

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

Everything about climate in Lima →

Valparaíso

Rainfall and seasons

The 1991–2020 normal is 524 mm a year, almost all from May to September, 162 mm in June. Summer is nearly dry: January–February about 1 mm. 2025 had 444 mm.

OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: 2025 rainfall and the 1991–2020 normal, Rodelillo station (Valparaíso), code 330007 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Winter climate

The mean temperature in July 2026 at the Rodelillo station (Valparaíso) was 12.0 °C: about 16 by day, about 9 at night. The coldest night of the month was 2.6 °C.

OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: July 2026 temperature, Rodelillo station (Valparaíso), code 330007 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Valparaíso →

Safety

Lima

Crime by zone

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

Earthquakes

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

Everything about safety in Lima →

Valparaíso

Homicides

In 2025 the commune of Valparaíso had 24 homicides, neighbouring Viña 15. That is about 8.4 per 100 thousand residents, above the national average (5.4).

OfficialReport on homicide victims in Chile for 2025, with figures by region and commune (published on the Fiscalía website) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Earthquake and tsunami

The lower city by the sea is in the potential tsunami zone: SENAPRED publishes separate evacuation plans for the Almendral and Puerto sectors.

OfficialSENAPRED: evacuation plans for the Valparaíso region, including for tsunamis · checked 6 Oct 2026

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Internet and phone

Lima

Internet for remote work

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

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Valparaíso

Internet

Fibre from 12,990 pesos a month on promotion; the median price after the promotion is 26,990 (about 28 dollars). Tariffs are national; availability is checked by address.

SpecialistRedify: catalogue of home fibre internet plans in Chile, October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Valparaíso →

Services

Lima

Electricity tariff

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 Sedapal

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 Cálidda

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

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Valparaíso

Electricity (Chilquinta)

Chilquinta: about 292.5 pesos per kWh plus 1,245 a month, IVA not mentioned. 300 kWh is about 89 thousand, with 19% IVA about 106 thousand pesos (109 dollars).

OfficialChilquinta: electricity tariffs for residential customers, table by commune, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Water and sewerage (ESVAL)

ESVAL: the average bill for 13 m³ a month in Greater Valparaíso is 30,314 pesos. At the decree's base rates, 15 m³ with sewerage is about 28 thousand pesos with IVA.

OfficialDiario Oficial, 2 May 2026: Ministry of Economy Decree No. 4/2026, ESVAL tariff formulas for 2025–2030 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Piped gas (Gasvalpo)

Gasvalpo piped gas: 1,665 pesos per m³ in the 60–100 m³ band, IVA included. A winter month with gas heating (100 m³) is about 176 thousand, 30 m³ about 58 thousand.

OfficialGasvalpo: list of services and natural gas tariffs, updated 1 September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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