Moving to Peru from Japan

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Japan to Peru, you would find that Peru is 31.4% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly PEN178,000 in Peru to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

¥12,000,000 → PEN178,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Peru

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 24.2% less

Groceries

pay 42.1% less

Transportation

pay 16.6% less

Housing

pay 33.1% less

Childcare

pay 54.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 27.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JPY = 0.0217 PEN (October 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 Japan to Peru, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
6,376 ↑ 87% vs 2015

people born in Japan 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 Japan and Peru stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

JP
0.2
PE
8.6
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

JP
83%
PE
39%

Japan performs better than Peru across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

JP
$5,365
PE
$956
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

JP
26.5
PE
16.9

Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Peru leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

JP
12.0
PE
26.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JP
7.8t
PE
2.0t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

JP
38.6
PE
11.7
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JP
36.6%
PE
4.8%

Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Peru leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

JP
2.5%
PE
5.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

JP
$35,951
PE
$9,684

Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Peru leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

JP
84.0 yrs
PE
77.9 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JP
1.8
PE
11.0

Japan generally does better on family life, though Peru leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tokyo Rain: 62.9 in/yr (1598 mm)
69° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tokyo Lima
Jan–Mar 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) 79°/67°F (26°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) 71°/62°F (22°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 66°/58°F (19°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) 71°/62°F (22°/16°C)
View all months
Month Tokyo Lima
Jan 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C)
Feb 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C)
Mar 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C)
Apr 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C)
May 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C)
Jun 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C)
Aug 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C)
Sep 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C)
Oct 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C)
Nov 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C)
Dec 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C)

Data: Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency, 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 Japan 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.

Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting Peru

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

Peru passport holder visiting Japan

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

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 Japan?

Generally yes: Peru runs about 31% cheaper than Japan 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 ¥12,000,000 comparable salary, that's around PEN44,500 in Peru for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Peru?

With 11.7 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 Japan and Peru.

Is Peru safe for expats?

Japan performs better than Peru across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Peru is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 39% of people in Peru feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Peru compared to Japan?

Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Peru leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 16.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Peru, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Peru scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Lima is 72°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Lima receives around 0.5 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.

What language do they speak in Peru?

The official languages in Peru are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.

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At a Glance

JP PE
Population 123,366,734 34,576,665
Currency Japanese Yen (¥) Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN)
Languages Japanese Aymara, Quechua, Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +81 +51
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110 105