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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $641 per month in Arequipa vs $469 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,058 per month in Arequipa vs $789 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Arequipa vs $1,109 in Huancayo, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 37% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arequipa and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Huancayo 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 PEN 14.06

$2.15 PEN 7.31

92.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.18 PEN 95.7

$33.78 PEN 115

-16.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PEN 18.69

$6.84 PEN 23.21

-19.44%

Cappuccino

$2.49 PEN 8.47

$2.56 PEN 8.70

-2.73%

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

$0.76 PEN 2.58

$0.96 PEN 3.28

-20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.33

$0.61 PEN 2.09

-36.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$2.16 PEN 7.34

3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 PEN 20.31

$3.98 PEN 13.53

50.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.17

$1.14 PEN 3.87

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 PEN 4.19

$0.93 PEN 3.14

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.29 PEN 4.40

-1.55%

Eggs

$2.14 PEN 7.25

$2.40 PEN 8.14

-10.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 PEN 18.21

$5.10 PEN 17.32

5.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 PEN 17.84

$5.46 PEN 18.53

-3.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 PEN 26.22

$5.04 PEN 17.11

53.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.94

$1.42 PEN 4.82

2.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$1.11 PEN 3.78

7.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.03

$0.55 PEN 1.85

116.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$1.09 PEN 3.69

-25.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.01

$0.87 PEN 2.94

-32.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.87 PEN 2.94

-36.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.50

$0.58 PEN 1.96

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.59

$0.82 PEN 2.77

-7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 PEN 17.21

$5.64 PEN 19.15

-10.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 PEN 17.85

$5.19 PEN 17.61

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.33

$1.77 PEN 6.01

38.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$3.06 PEN 10.40

-26.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.55 PEN 1.86

-47.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.47 PEN 55.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.07

$1.83 PEN 6.20

13.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 PEN 7.02

$2.16 PEN 7.32

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.84 PEN 43.58

$8.10 PEN 27.50

58.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.52

$1.35 PEN 4.57

20.74%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.1K

$19.7K PEN 66.8K

-5.56%

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

$25.2K PEN 85.5K

$24.4K PEN 82.9K

3.11%

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

$39.89 PEN 135

$33.87 PEN 115

17.77%

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

$10.74 PEN 36.45

$11.27 PEN 38.25

-4.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.30 PEN 103

$11.16 PEN 37.87

171.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 PEN 73.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 27.60

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PEN 14.70

$7.03 PEN 23.88

-38.41%

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

$59.5 PEN 202

$217 PEN 738

-72.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,278 PEN 21.3K

$7,902 PEN 26.8K

-20.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.91 PEN 125

$50.8 PEN 172

-27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 PEN 74.0

$35.56 PEN 121

-38.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 PEN 211

$89.7 PEN 305

-30.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 PEN 186

$88.5 PEN 301

-38.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 PEN 804

$300 PEN 1,018

-21.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 528

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 PEN 1,827

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,297

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 PEN 6,838

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 PEN 3,353

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 PEN 2,189

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Arequipa versus $300 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 $28.00 in Arequipa versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Arequipa vs $156 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 37% 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 $961 per month in Arequipa and $704 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 $28.00 in Arequipa and $34.00 in Huancayo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $641 in Arequipa and $469 in Huancayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $469 versus $641 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.