Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Trujillo Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Trujillo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Arequipa vs $903 in Trujillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,136 per month in Arequipa vs $1,360 in Trujillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,553 per month in Arequipa vs $1,816 in Trujillo, rent included.

Arequipa is about 20% cheaper than Trujillo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Trujillo are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Trujillo 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 PEN 11.92

$3.64 PEN 12.29

-3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.40 PEN 95.8

$24.04 PEN 81.1

18.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 PEN 20.45

$7.09 PEN 23.93

-14.53%

Cappuccino

$2.59 PEN 8.75

$3.30 PEN 11.13

-21.52%

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

$0.85 PEN 2.86

$0.96 PEN 3.25

-11.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.66 PEN 2.23

-43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 PEN 7.07

$2.03 PEN 6.86

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PEN 14.81

$3.61 PEN 12.16

21.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.60

$1.43 PEN 4.81

-4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 PEN 4.69

$2.04 PEN 6.89

-31.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.01

$1.16 PEN 3.90

27.59%

Eggs

$2.35 PEN 7.93

$4.31 PEN 14.54

-45.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 PEN 21.97

$7.71 PEN 25.99

-15.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 PEN 15.44

$6.82 PEN 23.00

-32.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 PEN 25.91

$9.45 PEN 31.89

-18.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 PEN 5.98

$1.71 PEN 5.77

3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.26

$0.57 PEN 1.93

121.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.96

$0.61 PEN 2.06

93.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.59

$0.85 PEN 2.88

24.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.99 PEN 3.35

-31.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$1.20 PEN 4.05

-43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.90

$1.27 PEN 4.29

-55.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.56

$1.15 PEN 3.89

-33.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 PEN 17.18

$4.36 PEN 14.69

16.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 PEN 17.27

$5.97 PEN 20.12

-14.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 PEN 9.30

$1.81 PEN 6.10

52.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PEN 7.82

$1.66 PEN 5.60

39.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.59 PEN 1.99

-47.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.89 PEN 60.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.06

$2.58 PEN 8.69

-18.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.14

$2.26 PEN 7.61

-6.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 PEN 44.25

$6.00 PEN 20.23

118.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.26

$1.72 PEN 5.79

-9.30%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.5K

$17.9K PEN 60.3K

7.06%

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

$25.8K PEN 87.0K

$27.8K PEN 93.7K

-7.17%

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

$24.60 PEN 83.0

$99.5 PEN 335

-75.27%

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

$10.35 PEN 34.93

$13.36 PEN 45.07

-22.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.49 PEN 79.2

$27.44 PEN 92.5

-14.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.85 PEN 83.8

$40.22 PEN 136

-38.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 PEN 27.12

$6.06 PEN 20.45

32.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 PEN 24.76

$4.59 PEN 15.49

59.91%

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

$76.7 PEN 259

$111 PEN 374

-30.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,936 PEN 23.4K

$2,129 PEN 7,180

225.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.48 PEN 167

$74.6 PEN 252

-33.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.26 PEN 91.9

$14.59 PEN 49.20

86.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 PEN 227

$47.30 PEN 160

42.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 PEN 204

$44.83 PEN 151

35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 PEN 1,207

$393 PEN 1,324

-8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 PEN 803

$254 PEN 857

-6.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 PEN 2,517

$751 PEN 2,532

-0.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,454

$511 PEN 1,723

-15.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 PEN 6,764

$1,186 PEN 4,001

69.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,396

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 PEN 2,124

$549 PEN 1,853

14.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.7

28.21%

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

Last update for Arequipa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Trujillo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Arequipa versus $393 in Trujillo. 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 15% 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 $24.00 in Trujillo. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Arequipa vs $209 in Trujillo – 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 Trujillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trujillo costs about 26% 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 $1,079 per month in Arequipa and $1,355 in Trujillo. 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 $24.00 in Trujillo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Trujillo, 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 $719 in Arequipa and $903 in Trujillo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $719 versus $903 in Trujillo. 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, Trujillo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.