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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Arequipa vs $699 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,150 per month in Arequipa vs $1,042 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Arequipa vs $1,385 in Cusco, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 4% more than Cusco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Arequipa and Cusco are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Cusco 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PEN 12.04

$2.51 PEN 8.41

43.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 PEN 100

$20.88 PEN 70.0

42.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.63

$6.44 PEN 21.58

-9.16%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 8.75

$2.23 PEN 7.48

17.04%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.79

$0.80 PEN 2.69

3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 PEN 1.22

$0.34 PEN 1.14

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.40

$2.03 PEN 6.79

8.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PEN 14.56

$4.33 PEN 14.53

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$1.33 PEN 4.47

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.85

$2.37 PEN 7.96

-38.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.31 PEN 4.41

16.79%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$3.61 PEN 12.10

-34.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 PEN 21.66

$4.77 PEN 15.98

35.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 PEN 14.98

$4.36 PEN 14.63

2.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 PEN 24.95

$7.32 PEN 24.54

1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

$2.64 PEN 8.86

-30.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

$0.80 PEN 2.67

56.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.91

$1.47 PEN 4.95

-21.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$0.88 PEN 2.93

15.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$1.06 PEN 3.55

-36.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.42

$1.08 PEN 3.62

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$0.54 PEN 1.82

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.57

$0.71 PEN 2.38

8.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 PEN 17.51

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 PEN 17.74

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-12.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 PEN 9.69

$1.97 PEN 6.60

46.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.04

$4.26 PEN 14.29

-43.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$0.31 PEN 1.04

-6.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$1.83 PEN 6.14

14.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.86

$1.88 PEN 6.31

9.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 PEN 43.08

$2.94 PEN 9.86

337.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.08

$1.56 PEN 5.22

-2.56%

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

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

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

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

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

$24.42 PEN 81.9

$29.75 PEN 99.8

-17.92%

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

$10.19 PEN 34.16

$14.73 PEN 49.40

-30.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 PEN 78.5

$44.70 PEN 150

-47.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

$35.37 PEN 119

-27.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 PEN 28.04

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 PEN 25.16

$4.39 PEN 14.74

70.84%

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

$75.6 PEN 253

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 PEN 166

$39.00 PEN 131

26.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 PEN 88.0

$33.68 PEN 113

-22.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 PEN 232

$54.7 PEN 183

26.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 PEN 200

$75.0 PEN 251

-20.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,214

$151 PEN 508

139.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 804

$180 PEN 603

33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 PEN 2,452

$363 PEN 1,217

101.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

$267 PEN 895

57.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 6,688

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

-49.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

$1,776 PEN 5,953

-42.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,198

$433 PEN 1,451

51.51%

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 29, 2026

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Arequipa versus $151 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 52% 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 $30.00 in Arequipa versus $21.00 in Cusco. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Arequipa vs $190 in Cusco – so Arequipa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Arequipa costs about 4% more than Cusco, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,089 per month in Arequipa and $1,049 in Cusco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cusco, 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 $726 in Arequipa and $699 in Cusco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $726 in Arequipa and $699 in Cusco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cusco costs $699 versus $726 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 Cusco. 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.