💰 Cost of Living
Average monthly expenses for a digital nomad
🏠 Accommodation
🍜 Food & Dining
🚗 Transportation
🎯 Other
⚡ Digital Nomad Essentials
Everything you need to work remotely from Lima
📶 Internet
☁️ Weather
✈️ Transport
🛂 Visa
✓Advantages
- ✓World-renowned gastronomy capital
- ✓Very affordable cost of living
- ✓Rich colonial history and museums
- ✓Safe tourist neighborhoods like Miraflores
- ✓Easy access to Machu Picchu
- ✓Great cafe culture for remote work
- ✓Reliable internet in business districts
- ✓US timezone friendly (GMT-5)
- ✓Growing digital nomad community
- ✓Beautiful Pacific coastal views
✗Disadvantages
- ✗Gloomy grey skies most of the year
- ✗Phone theft and petty crime concerns
- ✗Traffic congestion and constant honking
- ✗Spanish essential outside tourist areas
- ✗Winter fog (garua) can be depressing
- ✗International food options limited
- ✗Tap water not safe to drink
- ✗Immigration gives short visa stamps
- ✗Air pollution in some areas
- ✗Far from major nomad hubs
💼 Top Coworking Spaces
Best places to work in Lima
WeWork Real 2
📍 Av. Victor Andres Belaunde 147, Edificio Real Dos, San Isidro • 150 Mbps • 24/7 • Meeting rooms
Residencia Coworking
📍 Av. Reducto 1310, Miraflores • 100 Mbps • Meeting rooms
Comunal Coworking Barranco
📍 Av. Grau 629, Barranco • 80 Mbps • Meeting rooms
Liberal Coworking
📍 Diagonal 340, Miraflores • 70 Mbps • Meeting rooms
Seedspace Lima
📍 Av. Alfredo Benavides 1944, Miraflores • 90 Mbps • Meeting rooms
☕ Best Cafes to Work From
Laptop-friendly cafes with good WiFi
La Bodega Verde
📍 Barranco
Caleta Dolsa
📍 Barranco
Puku Puku Cafe
📍 Miraflores
Neira Cafe Lab
📍 Miraflores
Bisetti Cafe
📍 Barranco
The Coffee Road
📍 Barranco
🏘️ Best Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Lima
Miraflores
Lima's premier tourist district and the top choice for digital nomads. This upscale coastal neighborhood offers stunning Pacific Ocean views from clifftop parks, excellent restaurants showcasing Peru's world-famous cuisine, modern shopping at Larcomar mall, and the beautiful Parque Kennedy. Infrastructure is excellent with fast internet, numerous cafes for remote work, and a very safe environment. Walking along the Malecon boardwalk at sunset is unforgettable.
Barranco
Lima's bohemian heart, Barranco is a colorful district beloved by artists, musicians, and creative digital nomads. Colonial mansions house trendy cafes, street art covers walls, and the famous Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs) adds romance. The nightlife is Lima's best with bars and clubs staying open late. More affordable than Miraflores while maintaining charm and safety during the day. Some caution needed at night in quieter areas.
San Isidro
Lima's prestigious financial and business district where corporate Peru operates. San Isidro offers the safest environment in the city with quiet tree-lined streets, upscale restaurants, and beautiful Parque El Olivar with its ancient olive trees. WeWork and major coworking spaces are concentrated here. Less touristy atmosphere appeals to long-term professionals seeking a residential feel with excellent amenities.
Centro Historico
Lima's UNESCO World Heritage historic center showcases Spanish colonial grandeur with the magnificent Plaza de Armas, ornate Cathedral, and Government Palace. The architecture is stunning with balconied colonial buildings and baroque churches. Budget-friendly accommodation and authentic local food abound. However, safety decreases significantly after dark, and the area is more suited for daytime exploration than residence. Great for history buffs on short visits.
🏛️ Top Attractions
Best things to do in Lima
Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor)
The historic heart of Lima and founding site of the city in 1535. This UNESCO World Heritage plaza is surrounded by magnificent colonial buildings including the Cathedral of Lima with its baroque facade, the Archbishop's Palace with stunning wooden balconies, and the Government Palace where you can watch the daily changing of the guard at noon. The bronze fountain dates from 1651 and is the only original structure remaining.
Museo Larco
Peru's most celebrated pre-Columbian museum housed in an 18th-century vice-royal mansion built atop a 7th-century pyramid. The collection of over 45,000 artifacts spans 5,000 years of Peruvian history including exquisite gold and silver pieces, intricate textiles, and the famous (and controversial) erotic pottery gallery. The beautiful gardens and on-site restaurant make for a complete cultural experience.
Huaca Pucllana
A remarkable adobe pyramid rising from the heart of modern Miraflores, this archaeological site dates to 400 AD from the Lima culture. The illuminated nighttime tours are particularly magical as the ancient structure glows against the city skyline. An on-site museum explains the history and you can dine at the acclaimed restaurant overlooking the ruins for a truly unique Lima experience.
Circuito Magico del Agua
The Magic Water Circuit in Parque de la Reserva features 13 spectacular fountains that create an unforgettable nighttime display of light, music, and water. The Fuente de la Fantasia shoots water 80 meters high while synchronized to classical and Peruvian music. Walk through tunnels of water, watch laser shows, and enjoy a magical evening perfect for families and romantics alike.
Parque del Amor
Miraflores' romantic clifftop park overlooking the Pacific Ocean features the iconic El Beso sculpture of two lovers embracing. Colorful mosaic walls decorated with romantic quotes in the style of Gaudi surround curved benches perfect for sunset watching. Paragliders launch from nearby cliffs adding to the scenic beauty. A must-visit spot for couples and photographers alike.
San Francisco Church and Catacombs
This 17th-century Franciscan monastery houses Lima's most fascinating underground attraction - the catacombs containing an estimated 70,000 bones arranged in geometric patterns. Above ground, marvel at the stunning baroque architecture, beautiful cloisters, and one of the oldest libraries in the Americas with 25,000 antique texts. The guided tours reveal centuries of colonial history.
Barranco District Walk
Explore Lima's most colorful neighborhood on foot, starting at the main plaza and walking to the famous Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), a romantic wooden bridge with a legend that if you hold your breath while crossing, your wish comes true. Continue through streets adorned with vibrant murals, past colonial mansions, galleries, and end at the cliffside viewpoints overlooking the Pacific.
Miraflores Malecon
A stunning 10-kilometer clifftop boardwalk stretching along the Pacific coast with panoramic ocean views, beautiful parks, and constant sea breezes. Perfect for morning jogs, evening walks, or simply watching paragliders launch from the cliffs. Larcomar shopping center is built into the cliffs with restaurants overlooking the surf. The path connects Miraflores to Barranco for a scenic walk between neighborhoods.
🛡️ Safety & Healthcare
What to know about safety and medical care
🚨 Safety
🏥 Healthcare
💬 What Nomads Say
Real reviews from digital nomads
"Lima exceeded all my expectations as a digital nomad base. I stayed in Miraflores and the infrastructure was excellent - fiber internet in my Airbnb hit 100 Mbps consistently. The food scene is absolutely world-class; I ate ceviche almost daily and never got tired of it. $3 lunch menus (menu del dia) at local spots saved me money while eating like a king. The timezone alignment with US East Coast made work meetings easy. Residencia Coworking became my second home with its productive atmosphere. Yes, you need to be street smart about phone theft, but staying in Miraflores I felt completely safe. The weekend trips to Huacachina sand dunes and Paracas were incredible bonuses."
"Spent two months between Miraflores and Barranco. The good: incredibly affordable compared to Europe, amazing Peruvian food (seriously the best in South America), plenty of cafes with WiFi for working, and the coastal views are stunning. La Bodega Verde in Barranco became my favorite work spot. The challenging: the grey winter sky from May-November can get depressing if you're used to sunshine. International food options are limited and not great quality. The immigration office only gave me 30 days initially which was stressful. Also, as a woman traveling solo, I was more cautious at night, especially in Barranco. Overall a solid choice for nomads who love food and culture over beaches and nightlife."
"Lima is a mixed bag. The positives are clear: cheap cost of living ($1,000/month comfortable), incredible ceviche and Peruvian food, interesting history and museums. However, after three months I was ready to leave. The constant grey skies and garua (coastal fog) during winter made the city feel gloomy. Traffic noise and honking is relentless. Internet in my apartment was inconsistent despite paying for fiber. The nomad community is smaller than Mexico City or Medellin - sometimes felt isolated. Phone theft paranoia meant I never relaxed in public. Uber everywhere got tedious. It's a good short-term base (1-2 months) or gateway to Machu Picchu, but I wouldn't recommend it for long-term stays unless you really love the food scene."
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