Moving to Peru from Canada

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Canada to Peru — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Canada to Peru, you would find that Peru is 46.2% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$106,294 salary in Canada would need to be roughly PEN124,170 in Peru to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lima averages 72°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Canada to Peru.

What does your salary buy?

CA$106,294 PEN124,170

To maintain the same standard of living in Peru

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 58.5% less

Groceries

pay 46.2% less

Transportation

pay 14.5% less

Housing

pay 67.9% less

Childcare

pay 67.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CAD = 2.4 PEN (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Canada to Peru, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
5,714 ↑ 87% vs 2015

people born in Canada live in Peru · UN DESA

Who's moving to Peru?

Top countries of origin for Peru's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Canada and Peru stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CA
2.3
PE
5.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

CA
88%
PE
39%

Canada performs better than Peru across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CA
$7,646
PE
$956
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CA
25.0
PE
16.2

Peru generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CA
8.0
PE
26.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CA
14.0t
PE
2.0t

Canada generally does better on environment, though Peru leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CA
42.6
PE
9.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CA
3.7%
PE
7.2%

Canada performs better than Peru across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CA
5.4%
PE
4.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CA
$55,800
PE
$15,100

Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Peru leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CA
83.8 yrs
PE
68.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CA
4.4
PE
10.8

Canada performs better than Peru across all family life metrics.

Data: Canada Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ottawa Rain: 37.1 in/yr (943 mm)
52° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Lima Rain: 0.5 in/yr (13 mm)
72° / 62°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ottawa Lima
Jan–Mar 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) 79°/67°F (26°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) 71°/62°F (22°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) 66°/58°F (19°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) 71°/62°F (22°/16°C)
View all months
Month Ottawa Lima
Jan 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C)
Feb 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C)
Mar 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C)
Apr 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C)
May 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C)
Jun 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C)
Jul 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C)
Aug 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C)
Sep 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C)
Oct 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C)
Nov 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C)
Dec 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C)

Data: Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada, Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Peru. To live, work, or study long-term in Peru, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Peru's immigration authority.

Canada passport

Canada passport holder visiting Peru

Visa Free
Canada passport holders can enter Peru without a visa.
Peru passport

Peru passport holder visiting Canada

Visa Required
Peru passport holders need a visa to enter Canada.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Peru than Canada?

Generally yes: Peru runs about 51% cheaper than Canada on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Peru?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CA$106,294 comparable salary, that's around PEN31,042 in Peru for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Peru?

With 9.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Peru can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Canada and Peru.

Is Peru safe for expats?

Canada performs better than Peru across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Peru is 5.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada. About 39% of people in Peru feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Peru compared to Canada?

Peru generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Peru, compared to 25.0 in Canada. Peru scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).

What's the weather like in Peru compared to Canada?

The average high temperature in Lima is 72°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Lima receives around 0.5 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.

What language do they speak in Peru?

The official languages in Peru are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.

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At a Glance

CA PE
Population 38,232,593 32,275,736
Currency Canadian Dollar (CA$) Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN)
Languages English, French Aymara, Quechua, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +51
Time zones 6 1
Emergency number 911 105