Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Moquegua Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Moquegua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $721 per month in Arequipa vs $468 in Moquegua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in Arequipa vs $784 in Moquegua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,575 per month in Arequipa vs $1,099 in Moquegua, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 54% more than Moquegua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Arequipa and Moquegua are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 PEN 12.65

$3.69 PEN 12.37

2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.65 PEN 99.4

$29.34 PEN 98.4

1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PEN 19.75

$6.05 PEN 20.28

-2.64%

Cappuccino

$2.46 PEN 8.24

$2.47 PEN 8.26

-0.40%

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

$0.88 PEN 2.94

$0.80 PEN 2.68

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 PEN 1.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 PEN 8.19

$2.33 PEN 7.80

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.56

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-3.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.44

$1.37 PEN 4.60

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.86

$1.42 PEN 4.77

2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 PEN 5.15

$1.51 PEN 5.06

1.99%

Eggs

$2.40 PEN 8.05

$2.32 PEN 7.78

3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.35 PEN 21.29

$6.51 PEN 21.81

-2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 PEN 15.60

$4.67 PEN 15.66

-0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 PEN 25.30

$7.45 PEN 24.98

1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.13

$1.81 PEN 6.07

1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

$1.27 PEN 4.26

-1.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.07

$1.17 PEN 3.93

3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.57

$1.02 PEN 3.43

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.32

$0.68 PEN 2.29

1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.33

$0.69 PEN 2.31

1.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.76

$0.56 PEN 1.88

-5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 PEN 2.73

$0.76 PEN 2.55

6.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 PEN 17.70

$5.06 PEN 16.98

4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 PEN 17.53

$5.31 PEN 17.79

-1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 PEN 10.88

$3.07 PEN 10.28

5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.00

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 6.90

$2.11 PEN 7.08

-2.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 PEN 7.01

$2.04 PEN 6.84

2.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.02 PEN 43.64

$13.04 PEN 43.72

-0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.09

$1.55 PEN 5.18

-1.94%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.1K

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

-2.17%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

-0.10%

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

$23.84 PEN 79.9

$24.11 PEN 80.8

-1.12%

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

$10.25 PEN 34.35

$10.20 PEN 34.20

0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.13 PEN 80.9

$23.71 PEN 79.5

1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.26 PEN 27.69

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 PEN 25.49

$7.26 PEN 24.35

4.68%

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

$76.9 PEN 258

$77.3 PEN 259

-0.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,718 PEN 22.5K

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

-1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 PEN 168

$49.52 PEN 166

1.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.80 PEN 89.9

$27.22 PEN 91.3

-1.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 PEN 226

$69.6 PEN 233

-3.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 PEN 199

$60.4 PEN 202

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 PEN 1,234

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 818

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 PEN 2,444

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,444

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,041 PEN 6,841

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,376

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 PEN 2,201

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: August 15, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Arequipa versus $29.00 in Moquegua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $181 – making Moquegua 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 Moquegua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 54% more than Moquegua, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,082 per month in Arequipa and $701 in Moquegua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Arequipa and $29.00 in Moquegua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Arequipa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $721 in Arequipa and $468 in Moquegua, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moquegua costs $468 versus $721 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 Moquegua. 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.