Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Chachapoyas Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Chachapoyas

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 PEN 12.65

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.65 PEN 99.4

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PEN 19.75

Cappuccino

$2.46 PEN 8.24

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

$0.88 PEN 2.94

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 PEN 1.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 PEN 8.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.56

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.44

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.86

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 PEN 5.15

Eggs

$2.40 PEN 8.05

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.35 PEN 21.29

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 PEN 15.60

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 PEN 25.30

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.13

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.07

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.57

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.32

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.33

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 PEN 2.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 PEN 17.70

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 PEN 17.53

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 PEN 10.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.00

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 6.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 PEN 7.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.02 PEN 43.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.09

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

$18.8K PEN 63.1K

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

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

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

$23.84 PEN 79.9

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

$10.25 PEN 34.35

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.13 PEN 80.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.26 PEN 27.69

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 PEN 25.49

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

$76.9 PEN 258

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,718 PEN 22.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 PEN 168

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.80 PEN 89.9

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 PEN 226

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 PEN 199

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 PEN 1,234

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 818

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 PEN 2,444

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,444

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,041 PEN 6,841

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,376

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 PEN 2,201

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: August 15, 2026

Last update for Chachapoyas: August 16, 2026

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 Chachapoyas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Chachapoyas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Chachapoyas. 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.