Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Cerro de Pasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Cerro de Pasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $650 per month in Arequipa vs $515 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Arequipa vs $852 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,485 per month in Arequipa vs $1,189 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 26% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arequipa and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Cerro de Pasco 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 14.32

$2.76 PEN 9.73

47.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.21 PEN 99.3

$27.58 PEN 97.1

2.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 PEN 20.00

$7.12 PEN 25.07

-20.22%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 9.18

$1.92 PEN 6.76

35.94%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.88

$0.71 PEN 2.50

15.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.30

$0.40 PEN 1.41

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.70

$2.25 PEN 7.92

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 PEN 20.69

$3.88 PEN 13.66

51.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.40

$1.42 PEN 5.01

7.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.46

$2.19 PEN 7.71

-42.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.28

$1.24 PEN 4.36

-1.61%

Eggs

$2.06 PEN 7.24

$2.30 PEN 8.08

-10.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 PEN 18.93

$7.81 PEN 27.50

-31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 PEN 18.51

$5.68 PEN 19.99

-7.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 PEN 26.22

$7.76 PEN 27.31

-3.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 5.15

$2.07 PEN 7.28

-29.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.28

$0.67 PEN 2.36

82.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.17

$0.40 PEN 1.42

197.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.71

$1.14 PEN 4.02

-32.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.95

$0.71 PEN 2.51

-22.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.90

$0.51 PEN 1.80

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.55

$0.81 PEN 2.85

-45.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.66

$0.84 PEN 2.96

-9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 PEN 17.41

$5.65 PEN 19.89

-12.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 PEN 17.14

$7.08 PEN 24.92

-31.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.43

$1.76 PEN 6.21

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PEN 8.15

$2.47 PEN 8.71

-6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.03

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.33

$3.42 PEN 12.05

-39.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.82 PEN 45.12

$8.08 PEN 28.46

58.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 PEN 5.64

$1.36 PEN 4.78

17.65%

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

$18.7K PEN 65.9K

$19.7K PEN 69.4K

-5.06%

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

$25.0K PEN 88.0K

$24.5K PEN 86.3K

1.99%

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

$39.83 PEN 140

$56.8 PEN 200

-29.88%

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

$10.73 PEN 37.77

$12.63 PEN 44.47

-15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 PEN 108

$23.62 PEN 83.2

29.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 PEN 75.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 PEN 28.93

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 15.44

$6.83 PEN 24.04

-35.72%

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

$59.9 PEN 211

$216 PEN 762

-72.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,271 PEN 22.1K

$7,926 PEN 27.9K

-20.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.93 PEN 130

$49.94 PEN 176

-26.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.01 PEN 77.5

$36.38 PEN 128

-39.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 217

$89.8 PEN 316

-31.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 PEN 194

$89.9 PEN 316

-38.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 PEN 861

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 549

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,908

$391 PEN 1,375

38.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 PEN 1,350

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 7,023

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 PEN 3,526

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 PEN 2,222

$460 PEN 1,617

37.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

48.37%

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

Last update for Arequipa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 37% 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 $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $191 – making Arequipa 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 Cerro de Pasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 26% more than Cerro de Pasco, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $975 per month in Arequipa and $772 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa and $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $650 in Arequipa and $515 in Cerro de Pasco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerro de Pasco costs $515 versus $650 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 Cerro de Pasco. 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.