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 $517 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $641 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,058 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,475 in Arequipa, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 19% 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

$2.75 PEN 9.34

$4.14 PEN 14.06

-33.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.91 PEN 94.8

$28.18 PEN 95.7

-0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 PEN 23.10

$5.51 PEN 18.69

23.41%

Cappuccino

$1.91 PEN 6.49

$2.49 PEN 8.47

-23.29%

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

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.76 PEN 2.58

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$0.39 PEN 1.33

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.50

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.42

$5.98 PEN 20.31

-33.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 PEN 4.77

$1.52 PEN 5.17

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 PEN 7.76

$1.24 PEN 4.19

83.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.05

$1.27 PEN 4.31

-6.30%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 8.03

$2.14 PEN 7.25

10.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 PEN 27.47

$5.36 PEN 18.21

50.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.91

$5.26 PEN 17.84

5.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 PEN 26.02

$7.72 PEN 26.22

-0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 PEN 6.65

$1.45 PEN 4.94

35.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$1.19 PEN 4.03

-66.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.68

$0.81 PEN 2.76

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.40

$0.59 PEN 2.01

20.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.73

$0.55 PEN 1.86

-7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.44 PEN 1.50

97.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.76 PEN 2.59

7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 PEN 19.06

$5.07 PEN 17.21

10.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.30 PEN 24.78

$5.26 PEN 17.85

38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.94

$2.45 PEN 8.33

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 PEN 8.71

$2.24 PEN 7.59

14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.45

$2.08 PEN 7.07

62.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.51

$2.07 PEN 7.02

6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 PEN 27.87

$12.84 PEN 43.58

-36.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.41

$1.63 PEN 5.52

-20.25%

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

$19.4K PEN 65.9K

$18.6K PEN 63.1K

4.46%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

$25.2K PEN 85.5K

-1.63%

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

$56.7 PEN 192

$39.89 PEN 135

42.04%

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

$12.80 PEN 43.46

$10.74 PEN 36.45

19.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.55 PEN 80.0

$30.30 PEN 103

-22.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 PEN 73.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 27.60

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 PEN 23.01

$4.33 PEN 14.70

56.58%

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

$220 PEN 748

$59.5 PEN 202

270.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,048 PEN 27.3K

$6,278 PEN 21.3K

28.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.80 PEN 169

$36.91 PEN 125

34.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.60 PEN 121

$21.81 PEN 74.0

63.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 PEN 310

$62.3 PEN 211

46.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 PEN 299

$54.9 PEN 186

60.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 PEN 804

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 528

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 PEN 1,321

$538 PEN 1,827

-27.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,297

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 PEN 6,838

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 PEN 3,353

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$472 PEN 1,604

$645 PEN 2,189

-26.71%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 36% 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 – $192 in Cerro de Pasco vs $171 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 24% 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 $775 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $961 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 12% 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 $517 in Cerro de Pasco and $641 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerro de Pasco costs $517 versus $641 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.