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 $515 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $650 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $852 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,067 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,189 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,485 in Arequipa, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 21% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 62% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 PEN 9.73

$4.07 PEN 14.32

-32.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.58 PEN 97.1

$28.21 PEN 99.3

-2.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 PEN 25.07

$5.68 PEN 20.00

25.35%

Cappuccino

$1.92 PEN 6.76

$2.61 PEN 9.18

-26.44%

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

$0.71 PEN 2.50

$0.82 PEN 2.88

-13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 PEN 1.41

$0.37 PEN 1.30

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 PEN 7.92

$2.19 PEN 7.70

2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 PEN 13.66

$5.88 PEN 20.69

-34.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 5.01

$1.53 PEN 5.40

-7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 PEN 7.71

$1.27 PEN 4.46

72.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.36

$1.22 PEN 4.28

1.64%

Eggs

$2.30 PEN 8.08

$2.06 PEN 7.24

11.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 PEN 27.50

$5.38 PEN 18.93

45.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.68 PEN 19.99

$5.26 PEN 18.51

7.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 27.31

$7.45 PEN 26.22

4.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 PEN 7.28

$1.46 PEN 5.15

41.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.36

$1.22 PEN 4.28

-45.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.42

$1.19 PEN 4.17

-66.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 4.02

$0.77 PEN 2.71

48.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.51

$0.55 PEN 1.95

29.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.80

$0.54 PEN 1.90

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 PEN 2.85

$0.44 PEN 1.55

84.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 PEN 2.96

$0.76 PEN 2.66

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 PEN 19.89

$4.95 PEN 17.41

14.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 PEN 24.92

$4.87 PEN 17.14

45.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 PEN 6.21

$2.40 PEN 8.43

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PEN 8.71

$2.32 PEN 8.15

6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.03

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 PEN 12.05

$2.08 PEN 7.33

64.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 PEN 28.46

$12.82 PEN 45.12

-36.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.78

$1.60 PEN 5.64

-15.00%

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

$19.7K PEN 69.4K

$18.7K PEN 65.9K

5.32%

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

$24.5K PEN 86.3K

$25.0K PEN 88.0K

-1.95%

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

$56.8 PEN 200

$39.83 PEN 140

42.61%

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

$12.63 PEN 44.47

$10.73 PEN 37.77

17.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.62 PEN 83.2

$30.64 PEN 108

-22.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 PEN 75.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 PEN 28.93

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 24.04

$4.39 PEN 15.44

55.58%

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

$216 PEN 762

$59.9 PEN 211

261.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,926 PEN 27.9K

$6,271 PEN 22.1K

26.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.94 PEN 176

$36.93 PEN 130

35.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 PEN 128

$22.01 PEN 77.5

65.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PEN 316

$61.6 PEN 217

45.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 PEN 316

$55.1 PEN 194

62.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 PEN 861

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 549

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 PEN 1,375

$542 PEN 1,908

-27.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 PEN 1,350

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 7,023

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 PEN 3,526

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$460 PEN 1,617

$631 PEN 2,222

-27.21%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 37% 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 $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Cerro de Pasco vs $169 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 26% 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 $772 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $975 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 $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $28.00 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 $515 in Cerro de Pasco and $650 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerro de Pasco costs $515 versus $650 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.