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 $639 per month in Arequipa vs $524 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Arequipa vs $854 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,518 per month in Arequipa vs $1,183 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 22% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arequipa and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Cerro de Pasco 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 PEN 13.94

$2.81 PEN 9.55

45.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.33 PEN 92.9

$27.35 PEN 93.0

-0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 PEN 19.37

$7.02 PEN 23.88

-18.80%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.77

$1.91 PEN 6.48

35.08%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$0.71 PEN 2.41

12.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.33

$0.40 PEN 1.36

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$2.27 PEN 7.72

-5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 PEN 20.23

$3.95 PEN 13.44

50.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.42 PEN 4.81

13.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 PEN 4.13

$2.26 PEN 7.69

-46.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.25 PEN 4.26

-1.60%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.04

$2.29 PEN 7.77

-9.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 PEN 18.42

$8.02 PEN 27.27

-32.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 PEN 17.83

$5.72 PEN 19.44

-8.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 PEN 26.36

$7.93 PEN 26.94

-2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.93

$1.96 PEN 6.67

-26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.15

$0.72 PEN 2.45

69.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.13

$0.44 PEN 1.48

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.82

$1.14 PEN 3.88

-27.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$0.72 PEN 2.46

-23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$0.52 PEN 1.78

9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.51

$0.88 PEN 2.99

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 PEN 2.64

$0.85 PEN 2.91

-8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 PEN 16.61

$5.42 PEN 18.41

-9.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 PEN 17.21

$7.04 PEN 23.94

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.33

$1.69 PEN 5.73

44.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$2.53 PEN 8.59

-11.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.08

$3.27 PEN 11.12

-36.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 PEN 7.14

$2.14 PEN 7.26

-1.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.90 PEN 43.87

$8.37 PEN 28.46

54.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.35 PEN 4.60

19.26%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

$19.2K PEN 65.2K

-2.85%

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

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

$25.0K PEN 84.9K

0.30%

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

$40.46 PEN 138

$55.8 PEN 190

-27.47%

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

$10.61 PEN 36.07

$12.40 PEN 42.16

-14.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.57 PEN 104

$23.47 PEN 79.8

30.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 PEN 15.42

$6.74 PEN 22.92

-32.64%

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

$59.3 PEN 202

$221 PEN 751

-73.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

$8,138 PEN 27.7K

-20.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 PEN 128

$49.25 PEN 167

-23.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 PEN 74.2

$35.69 PEN 121

-38.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 PEN 208

$91.8 PEN 312

-33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 PEN 188

$87.9 PEN 299

-37.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 PEN 820

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,844

$392 PEN 1,332

38.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 PEN 1,343

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 PEN 6,646

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$644 PEN 2,188

$453 PEN 1,538

42.25%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 42% 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 $27.00 in Arequipa versus $27.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $194 – 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 22% 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 $958 per month in Arequipa and $786 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 $27.00 in Arequipa and $27.00 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 $639 in Arequipa and $524 in Cerro de Pasco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerro de Pasco costs $524 versus $639 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.