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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Arequipa vs $779 in Trujillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Arequipa vs $1,173 in Trujillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Arequipa vs $1,567 in Trujillo, rent included.

Arequipa is about 16% cheaper than Trujillo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Arequipa and Trujillo are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Trujillo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.78

$3.24 PEN 10.99

25.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 PEN 94.5

$13.70 PEN 46.43

103.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.52

$6.73 PEN 22.80

-18.72%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.73

$2.98 PEN 10.08

-13.42%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$0.89 PEN 3.02

-7.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.59 PEN 2.00

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$1.92 PEN 6.51

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.70

$3.30 PEN 11.17

85.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.25

$1.05 PEN 3.55

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$1.77 PEN 6.01

-28.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.13 PEN 3.81

14.16%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.00

$3.88 PEN 13.14

-46.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.87

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 PEN 17.87

$6.47 PEN 21.94

-18.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 25.68

$7.52 PEN 25.47

0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.96

$1.17 PEN 3.97

24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.99

$0.58 PEN 1.96

103.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$0.58 PEN 1.95

110.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$0.71 PEN 2.40

9.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.01

$0.92 PEN 3.13

-35.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.97

$0.82 PEN 2.78

-29.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.52

$0.91 PEN 3.09

-50.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.92 PEN 3.11

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 PEN 17.10

$4.27 PEN 14.48

18.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 PEN 17.65

$5.79 PEN 19.61

-10.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.39

$1.41 PEN 4.76

75.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$1.65 PEN 5.59

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.64 PEN 2.16

-57.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.08

$2.80 PEN 9.48

-25.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.92

$1.99 PEN 6.74

2.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 PEN 43.79

$5.66 PEN 19.20

128.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.48

$1.36 PEN 4.61

19.12%

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

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

$16.9K PEN 57.2K

10.85%

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

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

$26.2K PEN 88.8K

-3.23%

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

$39.23 PEN 133

$76.6 PEN 259

-48.76%

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

$10.33 PEN 34.99

$8.48 PEN 28.75

21.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 PEN 103

$21.22 PEN 71.9

43.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 PEN 74.4

$36.00 PEN 122

-39.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.70

$5.39 PEN 18.28

51.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PEN 15.11

$4.16 PEN 14.09

7.21%

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

$59.9 PEN 203

$102 PEN 346

-41.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

$1,963 PEN 6,653

224.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 PEN 128

$70.8 PEN 240

-46.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 PEN 75.5

$14.00 PEN 47.43

59.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 PEN 214

$32.71 PEN 111

93.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 PEN 191

$32.74 PEN 111

72.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 826

$365 PEN 1,237

-33.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 533

$257 PEN 870

-38.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 PEN 1,851

$602 PEN 2,040

-9.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,322

$489 PEN 1,657

-20.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 PEN 6,856

$1,138 PEN 3,856

77.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 PEN 3,369

$821 PEN 2,783

21.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,198

$524 PEN 1,777

23.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.7

18.11%

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

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Trujillo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Arequipa versus $365 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 24% 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 $14.00 in Trujillo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $159 – making Trujillo 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 Trujillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trujillo costs about 20% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Arequipa and $1,169 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 $14.00 in Trujillo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Trujillo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $652 in Arequipa and $779 in Trujillo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $779 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.