Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Huancayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Huancayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Arequipa vs $464 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Arequipa vs $805 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,518 per month in Arequipa vs $1,147 in Huancayo, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 38% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arequipa and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Huancayo 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 PEN 13.94

$2.20 PEN 7.49

86.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.33 PEN 92.9

$33.19 PEN 113

-17.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 PEN 19.37

$6.95 PEN 23.63

-17.99%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.77

$2.68 PEN 9.09

-3.73%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$0.96 PEN 3.27

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.33

$0.62 PEN 2.10

-37.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$2.29 PEN 7.77

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 PEN 20.23

$3.86 PEN 13.11

54.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.08 PEN 3.68

49.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 PEN 4.13

$0.96 PEN 3.26

27.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.35 PEN 4.60

-8.89%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.04

$2.29 PEN 7.80

-9.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 PEN 18.42

$4.96 PEN 16.85

9.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 PEN 17.83

$5.61 PEN 19.08

-6.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 PEN 26.36

$4.92 PEN 16.73

57.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.93

$1.38 PEN 4.68

5.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.15

$1.08 PEN 3.68

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.13

$0.55 PEN 1.87

120.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.82

$1.13 PEN 3.84

-26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$0.80 PEN 2.72

-31.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$0.81 PEN 2.76

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.51

$0.53 PEN 1.82

-16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 PEN 2.64

$0.85 PEN 2.88

-8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 PEN 16.61

$5.65 PEN 19.22

-13.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 PEN 17.21

$5.26 PEN 17.87

-3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.33

$1.70 PEN 5.79

44.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$2.99 PEN 10.18

-25.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.55 PEN 1.85

-47.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.41 PEN 55.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.08

$1.78 PEN 6.04

16.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 PEN 7.14

$2.12 PEN 7.21

-0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.90 PEN 43.87

$8.14 PEN 27.68

58.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.31 PEN 4.44

22.90%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

$19.2K PEN 65.4K

-3.23%

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

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

$24.2K PEN 82.2K

3.61%

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

$40.46 PEN 138

$32.96 PEN 112

22.75%

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

$10.61 PEN 36.07

$11.28 PEN 38.34

-5.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.57 PEN 104

$11.14 PEN 37.89

174.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 PEN 15.42

$6.83 PEN 23.22

-33.53%

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

$59.3 PEN 202

$223 PEN 757

-73.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

$7,924 PEN 26.9K

-18.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 PEN 128

$49.24 PEN 167

-23.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 PEN 74.2

$36.00 PEN 122

-39.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 PEN 208

$88.9 PEN 302

-31.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 PEN 188

$89.4 PEN 304

-38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 PEN 820

$310 PEN 1,055

-22.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,844

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 PEN 1,343

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 PEN 6,646

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$644 PEN 2,188

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

48.37%

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

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Arequipa versus $310 in Huancayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Arequipa versus $33.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Arequipa vs $155 in Huancayo – so Huancayo 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 Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 38% more than Huancayo, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $958 per month in Arequipa and $695 in Huancayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Huancayo, 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 $27.00 in Arequipa and $33.00 in Huancayo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Arequipa, 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 $639 in Arequipa and $464 in Huancayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $464 versus $639 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 Huancayo. 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.