Cost of Living Comparison Between Ayacucho and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ayacucho and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $110 per month in Ayacucho vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $191 per month in Ayacucho vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $272 per month in Ayacucho vs $1,482 in Arequipa, rent included.

Ayacucho is about 83% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ayacucho and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Ayacucho 92% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.64 PEN 5.57

$4.13 PEN 14.06

-60.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.75 PEN 46.77

$28.09 PEN 95.6

-51.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 PEN 13.84

$5.64 PEN 19.19

-27.84%

Cappuccino

$2.25 PEN 7.66

$2.54 PEN 8.63

-11.42%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.71

$0.82 PEN 2.78

-2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

$0.37 PEN 1.25

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 PEN 6.42

$2.16 PEN 7.33

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 PEN 7.66

$5.85 PEN 19.91

-61.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.49

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.30

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.76

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.60

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.40

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.98

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.57

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 PEN 19.73

$5.04 PEN 17.13

15.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.25

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

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

$25.5K PEN 86.7K

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

$39.14 PEN 133

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

$10.57 PEN 35.96

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.55 PEN 83.5

$21.22 PEN 72.2

15.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

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

$60.0 PEN 204

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.2

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,838

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,315

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,944 PEN 6,615

$1,956 PEN 6,654

-0.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,747 PEN 5,942

$993 PEN 3,379

75.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 PEN 1,675

$650 PEN 2,211

-24.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Ayacucho: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 32% higher in Arequipa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Ayacucho versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $12.00 vs $171 – making Ayacucho 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

Ayacucho vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 492% more than Ayacucho, 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 $164 per month in Ayacucho and $974 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $110 in Ayacucho and $649 in Arequipa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 1377% more in Arequipa, 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 $110 in Ayacucho and $649 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ayacucho costs $110 versus $649 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 Ayacucho. 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.