Belem vs Lima

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lima 12% cheaper Lima +31 Mbps N/A / Low
Nomad Cost

$1,458

Belem

$1,284

Lima

Internet

188

Mbps

219

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Belem

Low

Lima

Air Quality

5/5

Belem

5/5

Lima

Healthcare

N/A

Belem

High

Lima

Population

143.5k

Belem

8.9m

Lima

Belem (Brazil) and Lima (Peru) are both in Latin America, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Lima has a modest cost advantage at $1284/mo compared to Belem's $1458/mo — a 12% gap that matters over time.

For families, Belem costs $1527.315246250418/mo compared to Lima's $2188.437491200074/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lima edges ahead with 219 Mbps (#26 globally) versus Belem's 188 Mbps (#0) — a modest difference for most workflows.

Quality of Life

Both Belem and Lima share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Belem and Lima.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Belem is July (around 37 degrees, 1mm rain, score 345), while Lima peaks in January (27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 454). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

BelemLima
Nomad$1,458/mo$1,284/mo
Expat$749/mo$794/mo
Local$436/mo$625/mo
Family$1,527/mo$2,188/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

BelemLima
City Speed
188 Mbps
219 Mbps#26
Country Speed188 Mbps200 Mbps

Environment & Health

BelemLima
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionN/AHigh
ClimateN/AHigh
Humidity8370

Quality of Life

BelemLima
SafetyN/ALow
HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Belem
Lima
Jan
36°
5mm209
27°
0mm454
Feb
35°
7mm209
29°
0mm454
Mar
36°
13mm148
28°
0mm454
Apr
36°
11mm148
25°
0mm434
May
38°
7mm194
21°
0mm414
Jun
37°
3mm286
18°
0mm414
Jul
37°
1mm345
17°
0mm414
Aug
38°
1mm329
17°
0mm414
Sep
38°
1mm325
18°
0mm414
Oct
37°
1mm325
19°
0mm414
Nov
37°
1mm286
23°
0mm434
Dec
36°
3mm281
25°
0mm434

Who Should Choose Belem?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1458
  • Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 188 Mbps
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $1527.315246250418/mo for families
  • Smaller city feel with 143.5k residents
  • Peak season in July — 37 degrees, score 345

Who Should Choose Lima?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1284
  • Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 219 Mbps
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $2188.437491200074/mo for families
  • Major city energy with 8.9m residents
  • Peak season in January — 27 degrees, score 454

Overall Verdict

The data favors Lima as the more well-rounded choice. At $1284/mo versus Belem's $1458/mo, that is a 12% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Belem Lima
ItemBelemLimaDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.45$3.92
12%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$24.91$22.19
11%
McMeal or equivalent combo$5.75$5.22
9%
Cappuccino (regular)$1.28$2.66
52%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.72$2.09
18%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.63$3.92
58%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.88$0.86
2%
Water (0.33L)$0.54$0.57
5%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$1.08$1.22
11%
White bread (500g)$1.02$1.83
44%
White rice (1kg)$0.96$1.11
14%
Eggs (12)$2.11$1.81
14%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$3$4.99
40%
Beef round (1kg)$6.9$8.2
16%
Local cheese (1kg)$6.26$6.89
9%
Apples (1kg)$2.04$1.54
25%
Bananas (1kg)$1.34$1.02
24%
Oranges (1kg)$1.15$0.93
19%
Tomatoes (1kg)$1.53$0.98
36%
Potatoes (1kg)$0.95$0.74
22%
Onions (1kg)$0.77$0.89
13%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.7$0.72
3%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.7$0.72
3%
Wine, mid-range bottle$11.5$7.83
32%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.41$1.6
12%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.79$2.33
23%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.49$5.22
52%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.77$0.52
32%
Monthly transport pass$47.9$15.66
67%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.15$2.61
56%
Taxi per 1km$1.05$1.44
27%
Taxi 1hr waiting$3.83$6.27
39%
Gasoline (1L)$1.29$1.31
2%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$16,285.4$18,274.38
11%
Toyota Corolla (new)$25,865.04$21,697.31
16%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$93.4$71.32
24%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$18.68$30.91
40%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.19$0.18
5%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$20.44$37.19
45%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$28.74$12.4
57%
Cinema, 1 ticket$5.75$5.48
5%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$239.49$213.5
11%
International primary school/yr$4,789.82$5,851.01
18%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$41.51$43.81
5%
Summer dress (chain store)$47.9$28.35
41%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$51.09$71.57
29%
Men's leather business shoes$67.06$68.37
2%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$370.41$511.24
28%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$242.68$349.69
31%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$638.64$954.12
33%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$466.21$701.14
34%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$1,341.15$1,962.17
32%
Price per m², outside centre$910.07$1,483.1
39%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$507.72$489.76
4%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$13.67$8.29
39%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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