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 $649 per month in Arequipa vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

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

Arequipa sits 52% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$13.18 MX$228

-68.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.5

$53.9 MX$931

-47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.18

$9.42 MX$163

-40.13%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.62

$3.55 MX$61.3

-28.45%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.62 MX$27.95

-49.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$1.11 MX$19.25

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$3.12 MX$53.9

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$4.63 MX$80.0

26.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.70 MX$29.40

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$2.72 MX$46.97

-52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.91 MX$33.04

-35.60%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.29

$2.54 MX$43.82

-15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.75

$10.03 MX$173

-44.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.59

$8.09 MX$140

-36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.38

$11.62 MX$201

-33.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$2.97 MX$51.3

-49.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.97

$1.81 MX$31.21

-35.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$2.01 MX$34.79

-40.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$2.03 MX$35.16

-62.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$2.12 MX$36.71

-74.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$2.27 MX$39.21

-76.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$1.40 MX$24.20

-67.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$1.13 MX$19.53

-36.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.56

$4.27 MX$73.8

14.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.12

$15.56 MX$269

-67.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.38

$1.76 MX$30.36

39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$3.60 MX$62.1

-35.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.38 MX$6.62

-23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$1.38 MX$23.77

49.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$0.28 MX$4.78

635.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.43

$5.45 MX$94.1

134.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.24

$1.30 MX$22.53

18.46%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$18.7K MX$322.9K

-0.58%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

$23.1K MX$399.7K

10.15%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$40.86 MX$706

-4.21%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.94

$26.81 MX$463

-60.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$29.96 MX$518

3.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.1

$52.0 MX$899

-59.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.37

$26.84 MX$464

-68.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$6.30 MX$109

-28.73%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$436 MX$7,536

-86.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

$10.4K MX$180.0K

-39.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$56.7 MX$979

-34.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.1

$44.38 MX$767

-50.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$103 MX$1,779

-38.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$106 MX$1,823

-46.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-76.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$631 MX$10.9K

-74.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,836

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-74.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,314

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-68.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,650

$3,903 MX$67.4K

-49.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,377

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-51.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,210

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-41.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

32.28%

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

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $1,022 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 72% 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 $28.00 in Arequipa versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $288 – 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 126% 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 $2,201 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 $28.00 in Arequipa and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% 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 $649, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $649 versus $1,467 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.