Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Lima vs Philipsburg

Lima vs Philipsburg

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lima 71% cheaper Lima +211 Mbps Low / N/A

Lima

Eduardo Flores/Unsplash

Philipsburg

Rajvinder singh/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,284

Lima

$4,499

Philipsburg

Internet

219

Mbps

Safety

Low

Lima

N/A

Philipsburg

Air Quality

5/5

Lima

5/5

Philipsburg

Healthcare

High

Lima

N/A

Philipsburg

Population

8.9m

Lima

34.0k

Philipsburg

Lima (Peru) and Philipsburg (Sint Maarten) 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 is significantly cheaper for digital nomads at $1284/mo — 71% less than Philipsburg's $4499/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $38580.

For families, Lima costs $2188.437491200074/mo compared to Philipsburg's $5237.018749999999/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lima leads on internet connectivity at 219 Mbps (ranked #26 globally) versus Philipsburg's 8 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Lima and Philipsburg.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lima is January (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 454), while Philipsburg peaks in June (33 degrees, 1mm rain, score 368). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LimaPhilipsburg

Nomad$1,284/mo$4,499/mo

Expat$794/mo$2,857/mo

Local$625/mo$1,496/mo

Family$2,188/mo$5,237/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LimaPhilipsburg

City Speed

219 Mbps#26

8 Mbps

Country Speed200 Mbps0 Mbps

Environment & Health

LimaPhilipsburg

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighN/A

ClimateHighN/A

Humidity7068

Quality of Life

LimaPhilipsburg

SafetyLowN/A

HealthcareHighN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lima

Philipsburg

Jan

27°

0mm454

28°

1mm350

Feb

29°

0mm454

29°

1mm354

Mar

28°

0mm454

30°

0mm364

Apr

25°

0mm434

30°

0mm354

May

21°

0mm414

33°

1mm350

Jun

18°

0mm414

33°

1mm368

Jul

17°

0mm414

32°

2mm296

Aug

17°

0mm414

33°

1mm306

Sep

18°

0mm414

34°

1mm306

Oct

19°

0mm414

34°

0mm364

Nov

23°

0mm434

32°

4mm214

Dec

25°

0mm434

30°

1mm317

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

Who Should Choose Philipsburg?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 34.0k residents
Peak season in June — 33 degrees, score 368

Overall Verdict

Overall, Lima edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1284/mo it runs 71% cheaper than Philipsburg's $4499/mo, with 219 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Lima Philipsburg

ItemLimaPhilipsburgDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.92$14

72%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$22.19$100

78%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.22$8

35%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.66$4.83

45%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.09$3

30%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.92$4

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.86$2

57%

Water (0.33L)$0.57$3

81%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.22$2.38

49%

White bread (500g)$1.83$2.02

White rice (1kg)$1.11$2.57

57%

Eggs (12)$1.81$3.05

41%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.99$11.17

55%

Beef round (1kg)$8.2$12.32

33%

Local cheese (1kg)$6.89$4.75

31%

Apples (1kg)$1.54$4.32

64%

Bananas (1kg)$1.02$3.21

68%

Oranges (1kg)$0.93$5.67

84%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.98$3.17

69%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.74$2.83

74%

Onions (1kg)$0.89$2.83

69%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.72$2.32

69%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.72$1.67

57%

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.83$7

11%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.6$2.09

23%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.33$3

22%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$5.22$17

69%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.52$1.25

58%

Monthly transport pass$15.66$0

100%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.61$20

87%

Taxi per 1km$1.44$5

71%

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.27—

—

Gasoline (1L)$1.31$1.22

Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,274.38$18,250

Toyota Corolla (new)$21,697.31$24,750

12%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$71.32$283.33

75%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$30.91$109.33

72%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.25

28%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$37.19$65

43%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$12.4$26.67

54%

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.48$8.5

36%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$213.5$391.67

45%

International primary school/yr$5,851.01$9,500

38%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$43.81$55

20%

Summer dress (chain store)$28.35$28

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$71.57$65

Men's leather business shoes$68.37$80

15%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$511.24$1,233.33

59%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$349.69$850

59%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$954.12$3,466.67

72%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$701.14$2,133.33

67%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,962.17$2,516.67

22%

Price per m², outside centre$1,483.1$1,600

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$489.76$2,333.33

79%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.29$7.5

10%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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