In short
The market for fresh produce and advice, the corner bodega for emergencies, the convenience store open late for water and snacks, the supermarket for packaged, labelled products. As an order of magnitude, breakfast for two over three mornings costs less than S/ 40 at a supermarket, excluding bread and coffee (online prices on 2 October 2026). Do not drink tap water: buy it in bottles or large containers.
Four ways of buying
| Where | What you find there | When to go |
|---|---|---|
| The market (mercado) | Fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, herbs, by weight or by the pile; advice from the sellers | In the morning, for fresh produce and discovery |
| The bodega | A small neighbourhood grocery: water, bread, eggs, tins, drinks, phone top-ups | For emergencies, near your accommodation, often late |
| The chain convenience store (Tambo, Oxxo…) | Water, snacks, drinks, basic products, ready meals; long opening hours | In the evening, between journeys |
| The supermarket (Plaza Vea, Metro, Wong, Tottus…) | Everything, packaged and labelled, fresh counters, bakery, ready meals | For stocking up, a specific product, reading the ingredients |
Each format has its advantages. The market teaches you about Peruvian food and sells fruit when it is ripe; the supermarket lets you read the labels, useful if you have an allergy. Nothing forces you to choose: many residents buy fresh produce at the market and the rest at the supermarket.
Three costed baskets
The three baskets below are calculated from prices recorded online at two supermarkets in Lima on 2 October 2026: each line multiplies the quantity by the recorded price, with no convenient rounding. These are web prices, often promotional, not purchases made in the shop or market prices. They give an order of magnitude for preparing a travel budget, not a “cost of living” in Lima.
Reading a Peruvian label
On many packaged products, you will see one or more black octagons: “Alto en azúcar” (high in sugar), “Alto en sodio” (high in salt), “Alto en grasas saturadas” (high in saturated fat), or the statement “Contiene grasas trans”. These warnings have been compulsory since the manual published in June 2018 came into force, under the law on healthy eating for children and adolescents. They indicate a product that exceeds thresholds set by law, which is useful for comparing two products.
For allergies, read the list of ingredients (“ingredientes”) and the statements “contiene” (contains) and “puede contener” (may contain). The useful words are in the glossary.
Water
Do not drink untreated tap water: buy bottled water or, for a longer stay, a 7-litre container (S/ 5.20 online on 2 October 2026) or a 20-litre case (S/ 23.50). Also use it to wash fruit you will eat without peeling and for ice cubes.
Keeping food in the fridge
If your accommodation has a kitchen, a few simple rules limit unpleasant surprises:
- check that the fridge is cold enough: between 0 and 5 °C according to British health recommendations;
- put cooked leftovers in the fridge within one or two hours of cooking, and eat them within 48 hours;
- defrost in the fridge and eat within 24 hours;
- buy meat and fish at the end of your shopping and take them straight to your accommodation: an afternoon of sightseeing with a chicken in your bag is not a good idea.
Cooked rice needs particular attention: cool it quickly and reheat it until it is piping hot all the way through. See the recipe for arroz chaufa.
Useful phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ¿Cuánto está el kilo? | How much is a kilo? |
| Medio kilo de limones, por favor. | Half a kilo of limes, please. |
| ¿Tiene bolsa? | Do you have a bag? (bring your own, bags are often charged for) |
| ¿Acepta tarjeta o Yape? | Do you take cards or Yape? |
| ¿Me da boleta, por favor? | Can you give me a receipt? |
Yape and Plin are mobile payment apps widely used in Peru, often linked to a Peruvian bank account; a traveller generally pays in cash or by card. See Money and connectivity.
Sources and dates
4 sources
Prices, opening hours and rules change: every piece of information cited links to its source, with the date it was consulted.
Figures and rules cited
- S/ 5.20 per 7 L container: San Luis table water, 7-litre container (Plaza Vea (online sales), Lima) (All customers, online purchase in Lima) . Promotional price shown; crossed-out price S/ 6.90 on the day it was recorded.
Price recorded: Plaza Vea, product page (new tab) · consulted on 2 October 2026 - S/ 23.50 per 20 L box: San Luis table water, 20-litre box (Plaza Vea (online sales), Lima) (All customers, online purchase in Lima)
Price recorded: Plaza Vea, product page (new tab) · consulted on 2 October 2026
Sources consulted
- Plaza Vea and Metro, online sales catalogues (basket prices) (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)
- PAHO/WHO, Peru publishes the manual of octagon warnings (16 June 2018) (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)
- CDC, Travelers’ Health: Peru (food and water) (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, How to chill, freeze and defrost food safely (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)
How we choose and date our information: our method. Has something changed? Let us know.