Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Arequipa vs $747 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $1,171 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $1,596 in Cusco, rent included.

Arequipa is about 13% cheaper than Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$2.81 PEN 9.56

46.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.6

$27.73 PEN 94.3

1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.19

$5.64 PEN 19.20

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.63

$2.02 PEN 6.86

25.74%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.23 PEN 4.17

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.74 PEN 2.50

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$2.19 PEN 7.44

-1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.91

$4.23 PEN 14.39

38.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.49

$1.46 PEN 4.95

10.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$3.01 PEN 10.24

-57.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.33 PEN 4.53

-7.52%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.30

$3.87 PEN 13.15

-44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.76

$4.76 PEN 16.20

15.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.60

$4.89 PEN 16.62

5.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.40

$6.88 PEN 23.41

12.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$2.37 PEN 8.06

-37.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.98

$0.72 PEN 2.45

62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$1.27 PEN 4.32

-6.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$0.90 PEN 3.05

-14.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$1.00 PEN 3.39

-45.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.96 PEN 3.26

-43.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$0.70 PEN 2.37

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.68 PEN 2.31

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.57

$4.83 PEN 16.42

0.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.13

$5.86 PEN 19.93

-13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.39

$1.98 PEN 6.74

24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$3.06 PEN 10.42

-24.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.27 PEN 0.91

7.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$1.69 PEN 5.74

21.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$1.61 PEN 5.48

27.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.46

$2.79 PEN 9.49

357.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.25

$1.51 PEN 5.13

1.99%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

-1.12%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.7K

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

15.24%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$33.09 PEN 113

18.28%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.96

$14.07 PEN 47.86

-24.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$30.14 PEN 103

2.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.2

$30.93 PEN 105

-31.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$4.76 PEN 16.19

-5.67%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$36.52 PEN 124

1.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.2

$28.63 PEN 97.4

-22.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$61.6 PEN 210

1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$70.4 PEN 239

-20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$304 PEN 1,033

-20.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$250 PEN 850

-36.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,838

$582 PEN 1,979

-7.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,315

$410 PEN 1,395

-5.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,654

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

-49.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,379

$1,754 PEN 5,968

-43.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,211

$432 PEN 1,471

50.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

36.36%

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

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $304 in Cusco. 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 50% 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 $28.00 in Cusco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 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 Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco costs about 15% 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 $1,120 in Cusco. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $649 in Arequipa and $747 in Cusco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Cusco, 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 $747 in Cusco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $747 in Cusco. 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, Cusco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.