Moving to Peru from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Peru — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Peru, you would find that Peru is 51.5% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly PEN100,086 in Peru to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Aymara, Quechua and Spanish.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Peru.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → PEN100,086
To maintain the same standard of living in Peru
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 64.6% less
Groceries
pay 49.4% less
Transportation
pay 13.7% less
Housing
pay 74.5% less
Childcare
pay 83.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.9% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to Peru
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Peru, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Peru stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Peru generally does better on safety, though United States leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Peru leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States generally does better on environment, though Peru leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Peru leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Peru leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United States performs better than Peru across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 66°/58°F (19°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Peru
Visa Free
Peru passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 United States?
Generally yes: Peru runs about 61% cheaper than United States 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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around PEN25,022 in Peru for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, 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 United States and Peru.
Is Peru safe for expats?
Peru generally does better on safety, though United States leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Peru is 5.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States. About 39% of people in Peru feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Peru compared to United States?
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Peru leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Peru, compared to 36.1 in United States. Peru scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Peru compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Lima is 72°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Lima receives around 0.5 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Peru?
The official languages in Peru are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. In United States, the official language is English.
