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 $641 per month in Arequipa vs $517 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,058 per month in Arequipa vs $845 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Arequipa vs $1,173 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 24% 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

$4.14 PEN 14.06

$2.75 PEN 9.34

50.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.18 PEN 95.7

$27.91 PEN 94.8

0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PEN 18.69

$6.80 PEN 23.10

-18.97%

Cappuccino

$2.49 PEN 8.47

$1.91 PEN 6.49

30.37%

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

$0.76 PEN 2.58

$0.68 PEN 2.31

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.33

$0.40 PEN 1.36

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$2.21 PEN 7.50

0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 PEN 20.31

$3.95 PEN 13.42

51.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.17

$1.40 PEN 4.77

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 PEN 4.19

$2.28 PEN 7.76

-45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.19 PEN 4.05

6.72%

Eggs

$2.14 PEN 7.25

$2.36 PEN 8.03

-9.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 PEN 18.21

$8.09 PEN 27.47

-33.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 PEN 17.84

$5.57 PEN 18.91

-5.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 PEN 26.22

$7.66 PEN 26.02

0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.94

$1.96 PEN 6.65

-26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$0.70 PEN 2.38

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.03

$0.40 PEN 1.36

197.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$1.08 PEN 3.68

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.01

$0.71 PEN 2.40

-16.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.51 PEN 1.73

7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.50

$0.87 PEN 2.94

-49.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.59

$0.82 PEN 2.77

-7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 PEN 17.21

$5.61 PEN 19.06

-9.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 PEN 17.85

$7.30 PEN 24.78

-27.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.33

$1.75 PEN 5.94

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$2.57 PEN 8.71

-12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.07

$3.37 PEN 11.45

-38.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 PEN 7.02

$2.21 PEN 7.51

-6.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.84 PEN 43.58

$8.21 PEN 27.87

56.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.52

$1.30 PEN 4.41

25.38%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.1K

$19.4K PEN 65.9K

-4.27%

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

$25.2K PEN 85.5K

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

1.66%

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

$39.89 PEN 135

$56.7 PEN 192

-29.60%

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

$10.74 PEN 36.45

$12.80 PEN 43.46

-16.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.30 PEN 103

$23.55 PEN 80.0

28.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 PEN 73.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 27.60

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PEN 14.70

$6.78 PEN 23.01

-36.14%

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

$59.5 PEN 202

$220 PEN 748

-73.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,278 PEN 21.3K

$8,048 PEN 27.3K

-21.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.91 PEN 125

$49.80 PEN 169

-25.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 PEN 74.0

$35.60 PEN 121

-38.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 PEN 211

$91.2 PEN 310

-31.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 PEN 186

$88.0 PEN 299

-37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 PEN 804

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 528

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 PEN 1,827

$389 PEN 1,321

38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,297

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 PEN 6,838

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 PEN 3,353

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 PEN 2,189

$472 PEN 1,604

36.44%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 36% 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: $171 vs $192 – 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 24% 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 $961 per month in Arequipa and $775 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 12% 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 $641 in Arequipa and $517 in Cerro de Pasco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerro de Pasco costs $517 versus $641 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.