Peru, a country equally fascinating in nature as in culture, draws retirees interested in one of the region’s most accessible retirement visas, remote workers testing out Lima’s growing coworking scene, and families or professionals relocating for mining, energy, or diplomatic postings in the capital.
It’s a country of dramatic range, from the Pacific coast to the Andes to the Amazon basin. And it consistently ranks as one of the more affordable places to live in South America, according to Numbeo. If moving to Peru is on your radar, here’s everything you need to know before relocating.
Things to Know about Moving to Peru
Why Move to Peru?
Peru’s appeal is in excellent food, a mild climate in several major cities, dramatic scenery within a short flight or drive, and a lower cost of living. It’s also one of the few countries that lets you apply for long-term residency while still on a tourist entry stamp. This is more convenient compared to countries that require you to apply from abroad.
Retirees are the group Peru serves best. Its rentista visa has one of the lowest income thresholds of any retirement visa in the world, and pension income is exempt from Peruvian tax. Families relocating for work, usually to Lima, find strong international schools and safe, walkable neighborhoods, provided they choose carefully where to live. Digital nomads are drawn by the cost of living and the coworking scene in Lima and Cusco. However, Peru’s dedicated digital nomad visa, despite being announced years ago, is still in the works.
Cost of Living
Peru is one of the least expensive countries in South America to live in. A single person can cover a comfortable lifestyle in most cities for $1,500–2,500 a month. A simpler budget is about $800–1,200. Lima is the most expensive city in the country. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in a desirable district like Miraflores or San Isidro approximates $1,500 a month. Cusco and Arequipa are roughly 20–40% cheaper for comparable housing.
Groceries, transport, and dining out are inexpensive by Western standards. A full lunch menu at a local restaurant can cost $3–5. Private health insurance, which most expats carry instead of relying on the public system, costs $75–150 a month depending on age and coverage.
Taxes
Peru determines tax residency by physical presence: spend more than 183 days in the country within 12 months, and you become a tax resident, liable on worldwide income going forward. Non-residents pay a flat 30% on Peru-sourced income only. Resident income tax is progressive, ranging from 8% to 30% based on tax units (UIT), with the first seven UIT of annual income (roughly $9,700) exempt from tax entirely.
Peru has no wealth tax and no inheritance or gift tax, a notable difference from several European retirement destinations. It also has no comprehensive tax treaty with the US, so American movers need to do their research to avoid double taxation and should budget for a local accountant to handle annual filing with Peru’s tax authority. One advantage for retirees specifically: pension income is generally exempt from Peruvian income tax under the rentista visa.
Housing
Most newcomers rent before considering a purchase. Furnished apartments are widely available on flexible leases in the neighborhoods expats cluster in. In Lima, the neighborhoods Miraflores, San Isidro, Barranco, La Molina, and Santiago de Surco, all cited consistently for safety, walkability, and proximity to international schools and private clinics.
Buying property is legally straightforward for foreigners, who have the same ownership rights as Peruvian citizens except in border zones (within 50 km of an international border), where restrictions apply. A modern three-bedroom home in upscale Lima can run $500,000 or more, while comparable properties in Arequipa or Trujillo typically start around $200,000.
Visas
Peru’s immigration system is one of the more approachable in the region. The main routes include:
- Rentista Visa (Independent Means): Peru’s version of a retirement visa, and one of the most accessible anywhere. It requires a permanent, verifiable passive income of at least $1,000 a month (from a pension, annuity, dividends, or rental income), plus $500 a month for each dependent, deposited through a Peruvian bank. There’s no age requirement, no Spanish language test, and the resulting residency is indefinite, provided you don’t spend more than 183 days outside Peru in a given year. After three years, rentista holders can apply for permanent residency; after five years total, citizenship becomes an option.
- Worker Visa: For those with a job offer from a Peruvian employer or those establishing a local company and drawing a salary of at least roughly $12,000 a year from it.
- Investment Visa: For those investing at least approximately $154,000 in a new or existing Peruvian business.
- Tourist Entry / Long-Stay Option: Citizens of the US, Canada, the EU, and many other countries receive an entry stamp valid for up to 183 days, decided by the immigration officer at the border. This is unusually long by regional standards and is what most digital nomads use in practice while the dedicated Digital Nomad visa remains unavailable.
Work
For salaried professionals, Peru’s strongest sectors for foreign hiring are mining, energy, agribusiness, and international NGOs and diplomatic missions, concentrated in Lima. For remote workers, the practical path today is tourist entry.
Since Peru allows a stay of up to 183 days per entry for many nationalities and permits long-term residency applications to be filed from within the country while on that entry stamp, some remote workers use this route to establish themselves before transitioning to a longer-term status. Most often that is the rentista visa if they have qualifying passive income, or a worker visa.
Lima and Cusco both have an active coworking scene with reliable internet, though Cusco’s high altitude, above 11,000 feet, should be noted in case of cardiovascular concerns.
Education
Lima has Peru’s strongest concentration of international schools, including long-established institutions like Markham College and the Franklin D. Roosevelt School, serving British, American, and IB curricula. Families relocating for work cluster in Miraflores, San Isidro, and La Molina specifically because of proximity to these schools, alongside safety and recreational amenities.
Outside Lima, international schooling options thin out; Arequipa and Cusco have limited alternatives, so families considering a secondary city should confirm school availability and curriculum before committing to a location.
Healthcare
Peru runs a fragmented healthcare system: the Ministry of Health covers roughly 60% of the population, EsSalud (the contributory social security system funded by a 9% employer payroll contribution) covers about 30%, and the armed forces, police, and private sector cover the remainder. In practice, expats bypass the public system and rely on private healthcare instead. Private clinics in Lima, Cusco, and Arequipa offer modern facilities, English-speaking doctors, and short wait times.
Private international health insurance costs $75–150 a month depending on age and coverage and is mandatory for anyone not formally employed in Peru, since rentista visa holders and other residents don’t have automatic access to EsSalud.
Safety
Safety is the area where deliberate planning is required. Lima does experience urban crime concentrated in specific districts and after dark, which is why expats cluster in the established districts, Miraflores, San Isidro, Barranco, La Molina, and Santiago de Surco.
Arequipa has a lower crime rate than Lima and a strong reputation among long-term expats as one of the more comfortable, secure cities in the country. Cusco and the Sacred Valley, geared heavily toward tourism, are generally safe with standard precautions.
Language
Spanish is the official language and is necessary for daily life outside a narrow slice of Lima’s expat districts and the tourist circuit around Cusco. English is spoken in international schools, some private clinics, and higher-end hotels and restaurants, but government offices, banks, landlords, and most everyday transactions happen in Spanish.
Places to Move to in Peru
Lima
Peru’s capital and its largest expat hub, with the country’s best international schools, private healthcare, and job market. Housing costs and crime are both higher here than elsewhere in the country, but the established districts of Miraflores, San Isidro, and La Molina offer a safe, walkable, well-serviced base for families and professionals.
Arequipa
Known as the White City for its colonial architecture built from white volcanic stone, Arequipa combines a lower crime rate than Lima, a mild year-round climate, and a lower cost of living than the capital. It’s become a favorite among retirees and remote workers who want a calmer pace without giving up urban infrastructure.
Cusco
The former Inca capital and Peru’s tourism center, Cusco offers dramatic scenery, a strong coworking and remote-work community, and a slower pace of life, geared toward visitors and long-term travelers. Its high altitude is a consideration for retirees with cardiovascular conditions, and international schooling options are limited compared to Lima.
Trujillo
A coastal city in northern Peru with a lower cost of living than the major hubs and a more relaxed, less touristy atmosphere. It suits retirees and remote workers looking for beach access and affordability over international infrastructure, though services and international schooling are limited.
Are You Ready to Move to Peru?
Moving to Peru enables a comfortable lifestyle, a low-barrier retirement visa, dramatic scenery, and some of the best food in South America. If it sounds like the right destination for you, read our resources to learn how to prepare for an international move.
When you are ready to take action, reach out to our moving experts. With over a century of experience helping individuals, families, and professionals relocate internationally, Arpin can handle the logistics for you. Contact us for a free quote and consultation with our move coordinators.
