Lima on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Lima is very doable on a budget, especially if you eat set lunches and street food. Plan on about S/165 per person per day (bed S/70, food S/50, sights S/30, transport S/15).
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | S/70 | S/180 | S/400 |
| Food & drink | S/50 | S/120 | S/300 |
| Sights & tickets | S/30 | S/70 | S/150 |
| Local transport | S/15 | S/40 | S/90 |
| Per person, per day | S/165 | S/410 | S/940 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Lima day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the Malecón clifftop parks of Miraflores, including Parque del Amor
- Watch the changing of the guard at the Government Palace (around midday)
- Explore Barranco's Puente de los Suspiros and street art
- See the cats and craft stalls in Parque Kennedy
- Walk the Plaza Mayor and Plaza San Martín in the historic centre
- Watch paragliders and the Pacific sunset from Parque Raimondi
Cheap eats
- Menú del día (starter, main, drink): about S/12–20
- Ceviche in a casual cevichería: about S/25–45
- Anticuchos from an evening cart: about S/12–25
- Picarones with syrup: about S/6–12
- Chifa fried rice (arroz chaufa): about S/15–25
Where to sleep for less
Miraflores hostels and Barranco guesthouses offer dorm beds and cheap doubles at about S/120–200 for a double, with dorms from roughly S/35–60.
Getting around cheaply
Use the Metropolitano bus (about S/3) between Miraflores and the centre, and Uber or InDrive for other trips (S/8–15 locally). From the airport, Airport Express Lima to Miraflores is the cheapest safe option.
A sample budget day
- Morning: historic centre, San Francisco catacombs (about S/15–20)
- Lunch: menú del día (about S/15)
- Afternoon: Metropolitano back to Miraflores (S/3), Huaca Pucllana (about S/15)
- Evening: Barranco walk and anticuchos (about S/20)
- Total: about S/90 plus a hostel bed, roughly S/150–165
More ways to save
- Eat ceviche at lunchtime, when it is freshest and cevicherías are open.
- Visit the Circuito Mágico del Agua fountains for about S/4.
- Carry coins and small notes for buses and markets.
- Buy fruit at Surquillo market for cheap breakfasts.
- Avoid peak traffic hours for cheaper and faster rides.
- Group sights by district to cut transport costs.
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Common questions
Can I visit Lima on a budget?
Yes, at around S/165 a day with hostels, set lunches and buses.
What is the cheapest safe way from the airport?
Airport Express Lima to Miraflores, or an official airport taxi (about S/60–90).
What is free in Lima?
The Malecón parks, the changing of the guard, Barranco's streets and the historic squares.