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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Arequipa vs $453 in Moquegua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,114 per month in Arequipa vs $751 in Moquegua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,510 per month in Arequipa vs $1,050 in Moquegua, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 59% more than Moquegua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Arequipa and Moquegua are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 46% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 PEN 11.74

$3.46 PEN 11.93

-1.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.27 PEN 93.9

$27.61 PEN 95.1

-1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 PEN 19.55

$5.82 PEN 20.03

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$2.47 PEN 8.49

$2.56 PEN 8.82

-3.52%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.83

$0.82 PEN 2.82

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 PEN 1.32

$0.37 PEN 1.27

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 PEN 7.13

$2.16 PEN 7.44

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 PEN 15.15

$4.37 PEN 15.05

0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.59

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 PEN 4.70

$1.37 PEN 4.73

-0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.23

$1.54 PEN 5.31

-1.30%

Eggs

$2.25 PEN 7.76

$2.33 PEN 8.01

-3.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 PEN 21.99

$6.24 PEN 21.50

2.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 PEN 15.05

$4.63 PEN 15.95

-5.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 PEN 25.77

$7.37 PEN 25.38

1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 PEN 6.09

$1.81 PEN 6.22

-2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.20

$1.21 PEN 4.17

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.90

$1.20 PEN 4.13

-5.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.54

$1.05 PEN 3.63

-1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 PEN 2.20

$0.69 PEN 2.38

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.31

$0.69 PEN 2.39

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.87

$0.55 PEN 1.89

-1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.61

$0.74 PEN 2.56

2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 PEN 17.84

$5.28 PEN 18.19

-1.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.34

$5.11 PEN 17.58

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.59

$2.25 PEN 7.75

-2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PEN 0.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 PEN 6.91

$2.05 PEN 7.06

-1.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 PEN 6.79

$2.02 PEN 6.97

-2.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.00 PEN 44.76

$13.02 PEN 44.83

-0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.29

$1.52 PEN 5.25

0.66%

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

$19.2K PEN 66.0K

$18.5K PEN 63.8K

3.45%

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

$25.0K PEN 86.2K

$25.2K PEN 86.9K

-0.81%

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

$24.05 PEN 82.8

$23.82 PEN 82.0

0.97%

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

$10.15 PEN 34.96

$10.37 PEN 35.73

-2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 PEN 79.3

$23.27 PEN 80.2

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.05 PEN 86.3

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 28.01

Cinema Ticket

$7.41 PEN 25.51

$7.33 PEN 25.26

1.09%

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

$74.8 PEN 257

$74.5 PEN 257

0.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,596 PEN 22.7K

$6,749 PEN 23.2K

-2.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.85 PEN 168

$48.42 PEN 167

0.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.46 PEN 91.1

$26.56 PEN 91.5

-0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 PEN 234

-0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.3 PEN 197

$58.4 PEN 201

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 PEN 1,219

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 PEN 813

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 PEN 2,461

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 PEN 1,438

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 PEN 6,856

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$974 PEN 3,355

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 PEN 2,124

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: October 5, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Arequipa versus $28.00 in Moquegua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $176 – 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 Moquegua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 59% 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 $1,078 per month in Arequipa and $680 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 $27.00 in Arequipa and $28.00 in Moquegua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $719 in Arequipa and $453 in Moquegua, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moquegua costs $453 versus $719 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.