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 $565 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $719 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $899 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,136 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,233 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,553 in Arequipa, rent included.

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

Both Cerro de Pasco and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 59% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 PEN 9.98

$3.53 PEN 11.92

-16.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.49 PEN 99.5

$28.40 PEN 95.8

3.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 PEN 23.77

$6.06 PEN 20.46

16.34%

Cappuccino

$2.10 PEN 7.08

$2.59 PEN 8.75

-18.92%

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

$0.75 PEN 2.54

$0.85 PEN 2.86

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 PEN 1.56

$0.37 PEN 1.25

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 PEN 8.91

$2.10 PEN 7.07

25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.30

$4.39 PEN 14.82

3.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 PEN 5.34

$1.36 PEN 4.60

16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 PEN 8.22

$1.39 PEN 4.69

75.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$1.48 PEN 5.01

-14.19%

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.16

$2.35 PEN 7.93

2.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 PEN 32.06

$6.51 PEN 21.97

45.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 PEN 20.87

$4.58 PEN 15.44

35.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 PEN 28.30

$7.68 PEN 25.92

9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.78

$1.77 PEN 5.98

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.53

$1.26 PEN 4.26

-40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.57

$1.18 PEN 3.97

-60.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.98

$1.06 PEN 3.59

11.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.43

$0.68 PEN 2.30

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PEN 1.79

$0.68 PEN 2.30

-22.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$0.56 PEN 1.90

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.07

$0.76 PEN 2.56

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 PEN 19.98

$5.09 PEN 17.19

16.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 PEN 24.57

$5.12 PEN 17.27

42.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.47

$2.76 PEN 9.30

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PEN 9.22

$2.32 PEN 7.82

17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 PEN 13.62

$2.09 PEN 7.06

93.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.16

$2.12 PEN 7.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.51 PEN 25.35

$13.12 PEN 44.26

-42.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 PEN 5.85

$1.56 PEN 5.27

10.90%

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

$22.1K PEN 74.6K

$19.1K PEN 64.6K

15.59%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.9K

$25.8K PEN 87.0K

1.11%

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

$70.7 PEN 239

$24.60 PEN 83.0

187.40%

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

$17.03 PEN 57.5

$10.35 PEN 34.93

64.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.25 PEN 95.3

$23.49 PEN 79.3

20.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.85 PEN 83.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 PEN 27.13

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 PEN 25.48

$7.34 PEN 24.77

2.86%

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

$181 PEN 609

$76.7 PEN 259

135.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K PEN 45.8K

$6,936 PEN 23.4K

95.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 PEN 181

$49.48 PEN 167

8.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.34 PEN 123

$27.26 PEN 92.0

33.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 289

$67.3 PEN 227

27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 PEN 275

$60.6 PEN 204

34.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 PEN 1,207

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 PEN 803

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,422

$746 PEN 2,517

-43.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,455

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 PEN 6,765

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,397

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 PEN 1,631

$630 PEN 2,124

-23.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

-40.40%

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 14, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 30% 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 $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $178 – making Arequipa 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

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

Arequipa costs about 27% more than Cerro de Pasco, 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 $847 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,079 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 $29.00 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 17% 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 $565 in Cerro de Pasco and $719 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerro de Pasco costs $565 versus $719 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.