Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Teresopolis Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Teresopolis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Arequipa vs $686 in Teresopolis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $1,100 in Teresopolis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $1,515 in Teresopolis, rent included.

Arequipa is about 5% cheaper than Teresopolis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arequipa and Teresopolis are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Teresopolis 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$3.63 R$18.38

13.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.5

$25.68 R$130

9.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.18

$6.24 R$31.58

-9.62%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.62

$1.60 R$8.09

58.75%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.33 R$6.73

-38.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.73 R$3.70

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$1.77 R$8.95

22.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$2.63 R$13.30

122.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.16 R$5.85

38.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.76 R$8.92

-27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.43 R$7.25

-13.99%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.29

$2.02 R$10.25

6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.75

$7.92 R$40.10

-30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.59

$3.68 R$18.62

40.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.38

$7.71 R$39.06

0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$2.21 R$11.17

-32.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.97

$1.23 R$6.21

-4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$1.47 R$7.45

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$1.50 R$7.61

-48.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$1.25 R$6.33

-56.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$1.15 R$5.81

-53.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$0.63 R$3.19

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.62 R$3.13

16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.56

$1.95 R$9.86

149.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.12

$5.85 R$29.60

-13.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.38

$1.25 R$6.34

96.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$2.12 R$10.73

8.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.85 R$4.31

-65.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 R$121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$0.87 R$4.42

136.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$0.67 R$3.39

207.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.43

$2.11 R$10.67

505.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.24

$1.07 R$5.42

43.93%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$20.9K R$105.8K

-11.05%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

$27.2K R$137.9K

-6.44%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$27.30 R$138

43.37%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.94

$12.23 R$61.9

-13.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$16.96 R$85.9

83.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.1

$24.31 R$123

-12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.37

$17.94 R$90.9

-53.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$5.54 R$28.07

-18.95%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$265 R$1,342

-77.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

$11.7K R$59.4K

-46.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$21.55 R$109

71.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.1

$26.50 R$134

-16.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$76.0 R$385

-17.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$61.9 R$314

-9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$321 R$1,627

-25.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$216 R$1,092

-26.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,836

$346 R$1,754

55.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,314

$422 R$2,138

-8.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,650

$1,214 R$6,148

61.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,377

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,210

$494 R$2,499

31.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

32.39%

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

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Teresopolis: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $321 in Teresopolis. 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 32% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa versus $26.00 in Teresopolis. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Arequipa vs $178 in Teresopolis – so Arequipa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Teresopolis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Teresopolis costs about 6% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,029 in Teresopolis. 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 $26.00 in Teresopolis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Teresopolis, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $649 in Arequipa and $686 in Teresopolis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $686 in Teresopolis. 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, Teresopolis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.