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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Arequipa vs $1,164 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Arequipa vs $1,589 in Cusco, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.79

$2.73 PEN 9.24

49.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 PEN 94.5

$28.05 PEN 95.1

-0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.53

$5.64 PEN 19.11

-3.01%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.73

$2.00 PEN 6.78

29.00%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.73 PEN 2.48

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$2.23 PEN 7.57

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.71

$4.29 PEN 14.55

42.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.25

$1.45 PEN 4.90

6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$2.88 PEN 9.78

-55.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.27 PEN 4.31

1.57%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.00

$3.80 PEN 12.89

-45.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.87

$4.64 PEN 15.74

20.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 PEN 17.88

$4.82 PEN 16.33

9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 25.69

$6.78 PEN 22.97

11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.96

$2.45 PEN 8.31

-40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.99

$0.72 PEN 2.45

63.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$1.32 PEN 4.49

-7.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$0.88 PEN 3.00

-11.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.01

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-41.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.97

$0.99 PEN 3.34

-41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.52

$0.65 PEN 2.19

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.70 PEN 2.36

2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 PEN 17.10

$4.75 PEN 16.08

6.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 PEN 17.65

$5.83 PEN 19.76

-10.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.39

$1.90 PEN 6.45

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$3.16 PEN 10.71

-30.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.29 PEN 0.99

-6.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.08

$1.64 PEN 5.56

27.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.92

$1.66 PEN 5.64

22.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 PEN 43.81

$2.79 PEN 9.46

363.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.48

$1.49 PEN 5.06

8.72%

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

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

-2.04%

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

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

15.83%

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

$39.23 PEN 133

$33.89 PEN 115

15.76%

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

$10.33 PEN 35.00

$14.14 PEN 47.92

-26.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 PEN 103

$31.07 PEN 105

-1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 PEN 74.4

$30.62 PEN 104

-28.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.71

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PEN 15.11

$5.00 PEN 16.94

-10.80%

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

$59.9 PEN 203

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 PEN 128

$36.06 PEN 122

4.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 PEN 75.6

$29.00 PEN 98.3

-23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 PEN 214

$61.9 PEN 210

2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 PEN 192

$72.3 PEN 245

-21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 826

$303 PEN 1,028

-19.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 533

$247 PEN 838

-36.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 PEN 1,852

$588 PEN 1,993

-7.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,323

$424 PEN 1,436

-7.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 PEN 6,858

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

-48.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 PEN 3,370

$1,798 PEN 6,096

-44.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,199

$427 PEN 1,448

51.86%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Arequipa versus $303 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 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 $192 – 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 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 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 $652 in Arequipa and $739 in Cusco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $652 in Arequipa and $739 in Cusco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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