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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Arequipa vs $1,016 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,150 per month in Arequipa vs $1,623 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Arequipa vs $2,229 in Lima, rent included.

Arequipa is about 29% cheaper than Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PEN 12.04

$4.35 PEN 14.59

-17.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 PEN 100

$32.17 PEN 108

-7.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.63

$7.03 PEN 23.58

-16.79%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 8.75

$3.23 PEN 10.84

-19.20%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.79

$1.13 PEN 3.79

-26.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 PEN 1.22

$0.62 PEN 2.08

-41.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.40

$2.68 PEN 8.99

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PEN 14.56

$4.53 PEN 15.19

-4.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$1.64 PEN 5.50

-16.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.85

$2.60 PEN 8.72

-44.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.34 PEN 4.50

14.18%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$3.05 PEN 10.24

-22.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 PEN 21.66

$9.01 PEN 30.22

-28.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 PEN 14.98

$5.93 PEN 19.87

-24.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 PEN 24.95

$9.80 PEN 32.87

-24.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

$2.10 PEN 7.03

-12.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

$1.05 PEN 3.53

19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.91

$1.45 PEN 4.87

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$1.50 PEN 5.03

-32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.93 PEN 3.10

-27.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.42

$0.94 PEN 3.16

-23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$0.89 PEN 3.00

-37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.57

$0.95 PEN 3.19

-18.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 PEN 17.51

$5.82 PEN 19.50

-10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 PEN 17.74

$9.02 PEN 30.26

-41.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 PEN 9.69

$1.94 PEN 6.50

48.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.04

$3.23 PEN 10.82

-25.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$0.69 PEN 2.30

-57.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$3.90 PEN 13.07

-46.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.86

$2.03 PEN 6.81

0.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 PEN 43.08

$7.45 PEN 24.97

72.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.08

$1.71 PEN 5.75

-11.11%

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

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

-16.33%

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

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

$26.7K PEN 89.6K

-2.57%

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

$24.42 PEN 81.9

$71.1 PEN 238

-65.64%

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

$10.19 PEN 34.16

$16.93 PEN 56.8

-39.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 PEN 78.5

$28.29 PEN 94.9

-17.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

$33.80 PEN 113

-24.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 PEN 28.04

$19.96 PEN 66.9

-58.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 PEN 25.16

$7.23 PEN 24.23

3.73%

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

$75.6 PEN 253

$181 PEN 606

-58.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

$13.4K PEN 45.1K

-49.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 PEN 166

$54.0 PEN 181

-8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 PEN 88.0

$35.57 PEN 119

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 PEN 232

$85.9 PEN 288

-19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 PEN 200

$81.0 PEN 272

-26.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,214

$759 PEN 2,543

-52.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 804

$346 PEN 1,162

-30.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 PEN 2,452

$1,254 PEN 4,205

-41.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

$646 PEN 2,165

-34.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 6,688

$2,479 PEN 8,312

-19.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

$1,391 PEN 4,663

-26.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,198

$669 PEN 2,242

-1.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

67.79%

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

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Arequipa versus $759 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 2% higher in Lima, 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 $32.00 in Lima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $230 – 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 40% 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 $1,089 per month in Arequipa and $1,524 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 $30.00 in Arequipa and $32.00 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 $726, than in Lima at $1,016. 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 $726 versus $1,016 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.