Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Arequipa vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,150 per month in Arequipa vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Arequipa vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Arequipa is about 56% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arequipa sits 47% below the global median, while Mexico City is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PEN 12.04

$12.11 MX$205

-70.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 PEN 100

$52.2 MX$883

-42.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.63

$10.90 MX$184

-46.33%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 8.75

$4.05 MX$68.5

-35.56%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.79

$1.72 MX$28.99

-51.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 PEN 1.22

$1.38 MX$23.28

-73.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.40

$3.47 MX$58.6

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PEN 14.56

$5.81 MX$98.2

-25.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$1.85 MX$31.32

-25.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.85

$3.22 MX$54.5

-54.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$2.09 MX$35.24

-26.79%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$2.91 MX$49.16

-18.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 PEN 21.66

$12.49 MX$211

-48.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 PEN 14.98

$10.11 MX$171

-55.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 PEN 24.95

$15.89 MX$269

-53.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

$3.31 MX$56.0

-44.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

$2.13 MX$35.94

-41.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.91

$2.19 MX$37.02

-47.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$2.45 MX$41.36

-58.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$2.19 MX$36.99

-69.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.42

$1.90 MX$32.19

-62.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$1.62 MX$27.30

-65.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.57

$1.35 MX$22.81

-42.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 PEN 17.51

$5.43 MX$91.7

-3.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 PEN 17.74

$17.59 MX$297

-69.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 PEN 9.69

$2.07 MX$34.95

39.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.04

$4.75 MX$80.2

-49.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$0.34 MX$5.74

-14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$2.04 MX$34.48

2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.86

$0.58 MX$9.77

253.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 PEN 43.08

$5.97 MX$101

115.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.08

$1.62 MX$27.30

-6.17%

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

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

$22.8K MX$385.5K

-18.60%

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

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

$26.7K MX$450.6K

-2.33%

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

$24.42 PEN 81.9

$65.2 MX$1,102

-62.57%

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

$10.19 PEN 34.16

$29.87 MX$505

-65.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 PEN 78.5

$36.55 MX$618

-35.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

$61.0 MX$1,031

-58.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 PEN 28.04

$26.70 MX$451

-68.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 PEN 25.16

$6.85 MX$116

9.49%

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

$75.6 PEN 253

$453 MX$7,662

-83.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-48.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 PEN 166

$75.0 MX$1,267

-34.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 PEN 88.0

$55.3 MX$934

-52.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 PEN 232

$114 MX$1,920

-39.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 PEN 200

$123 MX$2,073

-51.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,214

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-68.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 804

$712 MX$12.0K

-66.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 PEN 2,452

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-71.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-67.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 6,688

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-50.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-51.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,198

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-37.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

32.74%

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

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Arequipa versus $1,134 in Mexico City. 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 60% higher in Mexico City, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $345 – 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 127% 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 $2,469 in Mexico City. 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% more in Mexico City, 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 Mexico City at $1,646. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $726 versus $1,646 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.