Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Arequipa vs $985 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $1,537 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $2,089 in Lima, rent included.

Arequipa is about 34% cheaper than Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Lima 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$4.11 PEN 13.97

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.5

$32.93 PEN 112

-14.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.18

$7.00 PEN 23.79

-19.43%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.62

$2.54 PEN 8.63

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$0.92 PEN 3.13

-10.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.61 PEN 2.06

-39.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$2.24 PEN 7.62

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$3.84 PEN 13.06

52.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.41 PEN 4.79

14.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$2.73 PEN 9.29

-53.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.30 PEN 4.43

-5.38%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.29

$2.96 PEN 10.06

-27.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.75

$7.97 PEN 27.09

-30.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.59

$5.67 PEN 19.29

-8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.38

$10.58 PEN 35.98

-26.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$2.02 PEN 6.87

-26.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.97

$1.07 PEN 3.65

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$1.13 PEN 3.85

5.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$1.25 PEN 4.26

-38.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$1.03 PEN 3.51

-46.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.96 PEN 3.25

-43.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$0.87 PEN 2.96

-48.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.88 PEN 3.00

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.56

$5.46 PEN 18.57

-10.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.12

$8.98 PEN 30.53

-43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.38

$1.75 PEN 5.95

40.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$3.08 PEN 10.47

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.67 PEN 2.26

-56.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$3.38 PEN 11.50

-39.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$2.21 PEN 7.53

-6.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.43

$8.22 PEN 27.94

55.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.24

$1.35 PEN 4.60

14.07%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

-3.81%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

4.79%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$56.7 PEN 193

-30.98%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.94

$12.64 PEN 42.98

-16.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$24.00 PEN 81.6

29.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.1

$30.10 PEN 102

-29.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.37

$18.95 PEN 64.4

-55.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$6.74 PEN 22.90

-33.38%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$218 PEN 740

-72.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

$7,895 PEN 26.8K

-20.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$49.95 PEN 170

-25.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.1

$36.59 PEN 124

-39.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$89.7 PEN 305

-29.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$88.1 PEN 299

-36.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$606 PEN 2,061

-60.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$350 PEN 1,189

-54.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,836

$1,036 PEN 3,522

-47.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,314

$628 PEN 2,134

-38.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,650

$2,367 PEN 8,049

-17.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,377

$1,434 PEN 4,877

-30.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,210

$626 PEN 2,129

3.77%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $606 in Lima. 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 4% 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 $33.00 in Lima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $222 – 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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima costs about 52% 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 $1,477 in Lima. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa and $33.00 in Lima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Lima, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $649, than in Lima at $985. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $985 in Lima. 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, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.