Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Ayacucho Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Ayacucho

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Arequipa vs $109 in Ayacucho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Arequipa vs $191 in Ayacucho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Arequipa vs $273 in Ayacucho, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 498% more than Ayacucho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Ayacucho are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Ayacucho 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.80

$1.70 PEN 5.78

139.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 PEN 94.6

$13.69 PEN 46.43

103.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.54

$4.13 PEN 14.00

32.45%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.74

$2.17 PEN 7.38

18.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.84 PEN 2.87

-2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.29 PEN 0.99

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$1.89 PEN 6.41

18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.72

$2.25 PEN 7.62

171.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.26

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.30

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.01

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.89

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 PEN 17.89

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 25.71

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.97

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 4.00

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.02

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.98

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.52

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 PEN 17.12

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 PEN 17.67

$5.94 PEN 20.16

-12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 PEN 43.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.49

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K PEN 86.0K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$39.23 PEN 133

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.33 PEN 35.03

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 PEN 103

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 PEN 74.5

$25.40 PEN 86.2

-13.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.73

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PEN 15.12

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$59.9 PEN 203

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 PEN 128

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 PEN 75.6

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 PEN 214

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 PEN 192

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 827

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 533

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 PEN 1,853

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,324

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 PEN 6,863

$1,890 PEN 6,413

7.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 PEN 3,373

$1,764 PEN 5,983

-43.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,201

$481 PEN 1,631

34.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ayacucho: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 35% higher in Arequipa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa versus $14.00 in Ayacucho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $12.00 – making Ayacucho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arequipa vs Ayacucho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 498% more than Ayacucho, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Arequipa and $163 in Ayacucho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $652 in Arequipa and $109 in Ayacucho. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 1339% more in Arequipa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $652 in Arequipa and $109 in Ayacucho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ayacucho costs $109 versus $652 in Arequipa. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ayacucho. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arequipa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.