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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Arequipa vs $784 in Trujillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $1,170 in Trujillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $1,557 in Trujillo, rent included.

Arequipa is about 17% cheaper than Trujillo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Arequipa and Trujillo are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Trujillo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$3.21 PEN 10.91

28.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.6

$13.85 PEN 47.14

102.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.19

$6.75 PEN 22.96

-16.44%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.63

$2.88 PEN 9.81

-11.81%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$0.89 PEN 3.04

-7.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.57 PEN 1.95

-35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$1.99 PEN 6.77

8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.91

$3.34 PEN 11.37

75.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.49

$1.01 PEN 3.42

59.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.83 PEN 6.24

-30.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.14 PEN 3.88

7.89%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.30

$3.85 PEN 13.11

-44.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.76

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.60

$6.53 PEN 22.22

-20.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.40

$7.62 PEN 25.94

1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$1.13 PEN 3.85

31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.98

$0.58 PEN 1.96

101.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$0.58 PEN 1.96

105.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$0.76 PEN 2.58

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.93 PEN 3.18

-40.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.81 PEN 2.74

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$0.89 PEN 3.03

-49.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.86 PEN 2.94

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.57

$4.05 PEN 13.77

20.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.13

$5.77 PEN 19.63

-12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.39

$1.42 PEN 4.83

73.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$1.70 PEN 5.80

35.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.59 PEN 2.00

-50.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.72 PEN 56.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$2.75 PEN 9.35

-25.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$2.05 PEN 6.97

0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.46

$5.52 PEN 18.79

131.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.25

$1.36 PEN 4.62

13.24%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$16.9K PEN 57.7K

9.63%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.7K

$26.6K PEN 90.4K

-4.08%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$74.4 PEN 253

-47.36%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.96

$8.19 PEN 27.85

29.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$20.99 PEN 71.4

47.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.2

$35.41 PEN 120

-40.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.38

$5.65 PEN 19.21

47.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$4.07 PEN 13.84

10.32%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$106 PEN 360

-43.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.4K

$2,029 PEN 6,902

209.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$69.7 PEN 237

-46.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.2

$13.96 PEN 47.48

58.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$33.78 PEN 115

85.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$32.69 PEN 111

72.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$366 PEN 1,246

-34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$254 PEN 865

-37.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,838

$602 PEN 2,047

-10.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,315

$477 PEN 1,624

-19.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,654

$1,138 PEN 3,872

71.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,379

$834 PEN 2,837

19.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,211

$539 PEN 1,834

20.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Trujillo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $366 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 21% 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 $160 – 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 21% 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 $974 per month in Arequipa and $1,176 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 $649 in Arequipa and $784 in Trujillo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $784 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.