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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Arequipa vs $739 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Arequipa vs $1,244 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Arequipa vs $1,748 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Arequipa is about 12% cheaper than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Chiclayo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.78

$4.97 PEN 16.84

-18.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 PEN 94.5

$32.94 PEN 112

-15.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.52

$8.22 PEN 27.84

-33.45%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.73

$4.06 PEN 13.76

-36.45%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$0.79 PEN 2.68

3.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.50 PEN 1.70

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$2.60 PEN 8.80

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.70

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.25

$1.42 PEN 4.82

9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$1.64 PEN 5.54

-22.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.70 PEN 5.75

-24.12%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.00

$3.03 PEN 10.28

-31.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.87

$6.06 PEN 20.53

-8.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 PEN 17.87

$5.90 PEN 20.00

-10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 25.68

$8.49 PEN 28.77

-10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.96

$1.99 PEN 6.76

-26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.99

$1.65 PEN 5.60

-28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$1.09 PEN 3.69

11.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$1.57 PEN 5.32

-50.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.01

$0.99 PEN 3.35

-40.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.97

$1.42 PEN 4.82

-59.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.52

$0.66 PEN 2.23

-31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.67 PEN 2.28

7.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 PEN 17.10

$4.18 PEN 14.18

20.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 PEN 17.65

$14.71 PEN 49.86

-64.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.39

$1.35 PEN 4.56

83.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$1.58 PEN 5.36

39.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.48 PEN 1.64

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 PEN 93.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.08

$2.71 PEN 9.19

-22.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.92

$1.09 PEN 3.69

87.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 PEN 43.79

$4.84 PEN 16.39

166.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.48

$1.28 PEN 4.35

26.56%

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

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

$23.5K PEN 79.7K

-20.42%

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

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

$22.7K PEN 77.0K

11.54%

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

$39.23 PEN 133

$37.97 PEN 129

3.32%

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

$10.33 PEN 34.99

$15.05 PEN 51.0

-31.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 PEN 103

$35.57 PEN 121

-14.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 PEN 74.4

$32.57 PEN 110

-32.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.70

$33.41 PEN 113

-75.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PEN 15.11

$5.48 PEN 18.56

-18.61%

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

$59.9 PEN 203

$221 PEN 749

-72.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

$3,498 PEN 11.9K

82.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 PEN 128

$43.80 PEN 148

-13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 PEN 75.5

$35.99 PEN 122

-38.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 PEN 214

$82.1 PEN 278

-23.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 PEN 191

$38.54 PEN 131

46.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 826

$125 PEN 422

95.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 533

$139 PEN 471

13.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 PEN 1,851

$317 PEN 1,075

72.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,322

$362 PEN 1,228

7.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 PEN 6,856

$1,119 PEN 3,793

80.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 PEN 3,369

$1,088 PEN 3,688

-8.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,198

$473 PEN 1,603

37.14%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 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 37% 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 $33.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $211 – 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 13% 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 $977 per month in Arequipa and $1,109 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 $33.00 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 $652 in Arequipa and $739 in Chiclayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $739 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.