Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $639 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $854 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,078 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,183 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,518 in Arequipa, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 18% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 61% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.55

$4.10 PEN 13.94

-31.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.35 PEN 93.0

$27.33 PEN 92.9

0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 PEN 23.88

$5.70 PEN 19.37

23.16%

Cappuccino

$1.91 PEN 6.48

$2.58 PEN 8.77

-25.97%

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

$0.71 PEN 2.41

$0.80 PEN 2.73

-11.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$0.39 PEN 1.33

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 PEN 7.72

$2.15 PEN 7.32

5.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.44

$5.95 PEN 20.23

-33.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.81

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-11.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PEN 7.69

$1.22 PEN 4.13

85.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$1.23 PEN 4.19

1.63%

Eggs

$2.29 PEN 7.77

$2.07 PEN 7.04

10.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 PEN 27.27

$5.42 PEN 18.42

47.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 PEN 19.44

$5.24 PEN 17.83

9.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 PEN 26.94

$7.75 PEN 26.36

2.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 PEN 6.67

$1.45 PEN 4.93

35.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.22 PEN 4.15

-40.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.44 PEN 1.48

$1.21 PEN 4.13

-63.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$0.83 PEN 2.82

37.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.46

$0.55 PEN 1.87

30.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PEN 1.78

$0.57 PEN 1.94

-8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 2.99

$0.44 PEN 1.51

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PEN 2.91

$0.78 PEN 2.64

8.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 PEN 18.41

$4.89 PEN 16.61

10.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 PEN 23.94

$5.06 PEN 17.21

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PEN 5.73

$2.45 PEN 8.33

-31.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 PEN 8.59

$2.23 PEN 7.58

13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 PEN 11.12

$2.08 PEN 7.08

57.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 PEN 7.26

$2.10 PEN 7.14

1.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 PEN 28.46

$12.90 PEN 43.87

-35.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-16.15%

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

$19.2K PEN 65.2K

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

2.93%

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

$25.0K PEN 84.9K

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

-0.30%

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

$55.8 PEN 190

$40.46 PEN 138

37.86%

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

$12.40 PEN 42.16

$10.61 PEN 36.07

16.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.47 PEN 79.8

$30.57 PEN 104

-23.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

$4.54 PEN 15.42

48.46%

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

$221 PEN 751

$59.3 PEN 202

272.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,138 PEN 27.7K

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

25.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 PEN 167

$37.77 PEN 128

30.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 PEN 121

$21.81 PEN 74.2

63.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 PEN 312

$61.3 PEN 208

49.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 PEN 299

$55.3 PEN 188

59.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 PEN 820

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 PEN 1,332

$542 PEN 1,844

-27.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 PEN 1,343

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 PEN 6,646

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$453 PEN 1,538

$644 PEN 2,188

-29.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-32.60%

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 9, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 42% 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 $27.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $27.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Cerro de Pasco vs $172 in Arequipa – 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

Cerro de Pasco vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 22% more than Cerro de Pasco, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $786 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $958 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $27.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $524 in Cerro de Pasco and $639 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerro de Pasco costs $524 versus $639 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 Cerro de Pasco. 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.