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Inside-Peru Home - Living in Peru

Living in Peru

Discover the ins and outs of living in Peru. It's easy to get inside the culture and life of Peru with the following information.

On this page, you'll find a good introduction to:

Relocating to Peru
Life in Peru
Jobs in Peru
Teaching in Peru
Teaching English in Peru

Living in Peru - Relocating to Peru

When relocating to Peru, it is necessary to take into consideration residency vs. tourist visas.

Residency in Peru can be obtained through three methods:

Marriage
Work
Study

The processing time for residency when you are locating to Peru varies from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

Once resident status is obtained, you will be granted a foreign resident card called Carnet de Extranjeria.

One option for foreigners relocating to Peru is to try to obtain the maximum time allotted for a tourist visa (183 days) and then, once in Peru, seek residency.

However, if one overstays the given time on their visa, there is a fine of $1 per day.

When your 3 or 6 month visa is up, you can cross the border to Peru or Ecuador for a couple of days and re-enter with a new tourist visa

If you are planning on sticking around, though, that soon becomes costly and time-consuming.

Therefore, to avoid unnecessary problems and headaches, it would be better to seek residency as soon as possible if one plans on relocating to Peru and living in Peru long-term.

Living in Peru - Finding Rooms or Apartments in Peru

Once in Peru, the challenge becomes finding a place to stay.

A good starting point is to purchase the local newspaper with ads on rooms or apartments for rent.

Some spaces will come fully furnished while others will come with little or no furnishing.

When looking for a room or apartment, be sure to consider the safety of the neighborhood, cost of living in Peru, and lifestyle.

Living in Peru

Locals Walking Up Cobbles...

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Relocating to Peru

Be realistic about the amount that one can spend on their living arrangements given their intended lifestyle in the country.

Life in Peru

Living in Peru will be an adventure from day one!

During the first weeks, you'll see everything through the eyes of a tourist. New food, tours, sightseeing... you name it, it's all so different!

As the weeks go by, the process of adaptation kicks in as you begin to learn more about your new country and its culture.

Money:

The currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol, with an exchange rate of approximately 2.68 for one U.S. dollar.

When exchanging money, it is important to beware of false coins or bills. For maximum security, exchange your money in banks.

Food:

For those who plan to cook their own food, visit the local supermarkets such as Plaza Vea (Lima) and Mega (Cusco).

For those who wish to eat out, you can visit local restaurants for a three course menu of approximately 6 soles or tourist restaurants for a three course menu of approximately 15 soles.

Safety:

For maximum safety, always be aware of your surroundings as robbers patiently wait for the right opportunity.

Carry a copy of your passport rather than the original passport and refrain from flashing around expensive jewelry or accessories.

In addition, take particular attention when in a crowded festival or restaurant, as these are often the scenes of pick-pocketing.

Living in Peru - Jobs in Peru

For U.S. citizens looking for jobs in Peru to support themselves, it is necessary to have a work visa before being able to start your Peru job search.

Oldest Home in Americas to be Continuously Inhabited, Las Casa Aliaga, Lima, Peru

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Options for jobs in Peru include:

Working for a company located in your home country. The same company could assist with the visa process; or, if you work online, you can remain on a tourist visa.

When your 3 or 6 months is up, cross the border to Peru or Ecuador for a couple of days and re-enter with a new tourist visa.

Looking for work when arriving in Peru.

This can be done by checking the local newspapers or certain websites, such as www.computrabajo.com.pe.

Once you are hired, you can begin the process of applying for a work visa.

Living in Peru - Teaching in Peru

For those with a work visa, there are many opportunities to teach in Peru, especially in Lima.

Teaching in Peru can include:

Elementary school to university classes

Offering private services

In order to get a postion teaching in Peru at an institution, a bachelor's degree is preferable (any major), although some schools may be more flexible concerning this.

Additionally, new teachers can expect the pay to start at approximately $5/hour. While that is likely far less than you would be making in your home country, the dollar goes a lot farther even in major cities like Lima, and many ex-pats are teaching in Peru and making ends meet with no problem.

It goes without saying that the highest paying jobs teaching in Peru are at the university or international schools. The latter even provides opportunities to get hired before arriving in Peru.

One thing to keep in mind is that the school year in Peru runs from March to December. Therefore, if you are planning on teaching in Peru, hit the pavement with your resume in hand well before the Peruvian school year starts!

Living in Peru - Teaching English in Peru

Opportunities for teaching English in Peru abound as this language has grown in popularity around the country.

New residents or those without experience can begin teaching English in Peru by:

Volunteering at orphanages
Teaching English to children
Tutoring adolescents

From there one can look for work with schools or organizations, particularly those that have Native English Programs.

These organizations look for native English speakers, as this is a unique way to stand out among other companies.

One such organization hiring native English teachers in Peru is Maximo Nivel, located in Cusco, Peru (www.maximonivel.com).

This organization even provides the opportunity to obtain TEFL certification, which may be required for the bigger schools/companies when teaching English in Peru.

Thus, if you are planning on living in Peru, consider your options, obtain certifications if needed, and prepare to make a difference in the lives of students overseas!

Living in Peru

Teacher of Languages

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Teaching English in Peru

Contributed by Inside-Peru's Associate Writer Michelle Dinos

More interesting information about life in Peru:

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As nominal Christians, their Afro religious symbols and ideas took on Catholic names and were freely mixed. This gave rise to the patron of the Afro-Peruvian ...

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