Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Chiclayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Chiclayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Arequipa vs $751 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $1,258 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $1,765 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Arequipa is about 14% cheaper than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Chiclayo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$4.95 PEN 16.84

-16.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.5

$33.86 PEN 115

-17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.18

$8.31 PEN 28.25

-32.13%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.62

$4.08 PEN 13.88

-37.75%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$0.86 PEN 2.94

-4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.50 PEN 1.70

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$2.49 PEN 8.45

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.43 PEN 4.85

12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-20.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.70 PEN 5.78

-27.65%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.29

$3.05 PEN 10.38

-29.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.75

$6.08 PEN 20.66

-9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.59

$5.87 PEN 19.95

-11.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.38

$8.74 PEN 29.73

-11.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$1.91 PEN 6.49

-21.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.97

$1.57 PEN 5.33

-25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$1.09 PEN 3.70

9.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$1.58 PEN 5.36

-51.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.91 PEN 3.10

-39.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$1.37 PEN 4.67

-60.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$0.70 PEN 2.40

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.68 PEN 2.30

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.56

$4.40 PEN 14.97

10.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.12

$14.66 PEN 49.85

-65.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.38

$1.33 PEN 4.54

84.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$1.60 PEN 5.45

44.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.51 PEN 1.74

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.32 PEN 92.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$2.70 PEN 9.19

-23.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$1.12 PEN 3.82

83.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.43

$4.73 PEN 16.07

169.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.24

$1.29 PEN 4.37

19.38%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$23.5K PEN 79.9K

-20.90%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

$22.6K PEN 76.9K

12.63%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$38.47 PEN 131

1.74%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.94

$14.88 PEN 50.6

-28.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$35.07 PEN 119

-11.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.1

$31.96 PEN 109

-33.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.37

$33.46 PEN 114

-75.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$5.68 PEN 19.31

-20.95%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$225 PEN 763

-73.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

$3,378 PEN 11.5K

85.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$44.75 PEN 152

-17.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.1

$36.52 PEN 124

-39.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$82.3 PEN 280

-23.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$39.36 PEN 134

42.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$125 PEN 426

91.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$137 PEN 467

15.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,836

$326 PEN 1,107

65.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,314

$361 PEN 1,227

7.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,650

$1,112 PEN 3,782

75.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,377

$1,109 PEN 3,769

-10.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,210

$469 PEN 1,593

38.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

50.00%

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

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $125 in Chiclayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa versus $34.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $210 – 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 Chiclayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiclayo costs about 16% more than Arequipa, 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 $974 per month in Arequipa and $1,127 in Chiclayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa and $34.00 in Chiclayo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chiclayo, 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 $649 in Arequipa and $751 in Chiclayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $751 in Chiclayo. 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 Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiclayo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.