Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $751 per month in Chiclayo vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,258 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,482 in Arequipa, rent included.

Chiclayo costs about 16% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiclayo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 44% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 PEN 16.85

$4.13 PEN 14.06

19.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$28.09 PEN 95.6

20.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 PEN 28.27

$5.64 PEN 19.19

47.34%

Cappuccino

$4.08 PEN 13.89

$2.54 PEN 8.63

60.63%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$0.82 PEN 2.78

4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 PEN 1.70

$0.37 PEN 1.25

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 PEN 8.46

$2.16 PEN 7.33

15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.91

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 PEN 4.85

$1.61 PEN 5.49

-11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.28 PEN 4.35

25.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$1.23 PEN 4.19

38.21%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.39

$2.15 PEN 7.30

41.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PEN 20.67

$5.52 PEN 18.76

10.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 PEN 19.96

$5.17 PEN 17.60

13.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 PEN 29.74

$7.76 PEN 26.40

12.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 PEN 6.49

$1.49 PEN 5.07

28.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 PEN 5.33

$1.17 PEN 3.98

34.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.71

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-8.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 PEN 5.37

$0.77 PEN 2.61

105.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.11

$0.55 PEN 1.86

65.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.67

$0.54 PEN 1.84

153.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.40

$0.45 PEN 1.51

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 PEN 14.98

$4.87 PEN 16.57

-9.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 PEN 49.88

$5.04 PEN 17.13

190.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PEN 4.54

$2.46 PEN 8.39

-45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 PEN 5.46

$2.31 PEN 7.87

-30.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 PEN 1.74

$0.29 PEN 0.99

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.32 PEN 93.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 PEN 9.19

$2.06 PEN 7.02

31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 PEN 3.82

$2.06 PEN 7.01

-45.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 PEN 16.08

$12.77 PEN 43.46

-62.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$1.54 PEN 5.25

-16.23%

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

$23.5K PEN 79.9K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

26.42%

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

$22.6K PEN 77.0K

$25.5K PEN 86.7K

-11.22%

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

$38.47 PEN 131

$39.14 PEN 133

-1.71%

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

$14.88 PEN 50.6

$10.57 PEN 35.96

40.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.07 PEN 119

$31.04 PEN 106

12.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.96 PEN 109

$21.22 PEN 72.2

50.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.46 PEN 114

$8.34 PEN 28.38

301.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 PEN 19.32

$4.49 PEN 15.27

26.50%

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

$225 PEN 764

$60.0 PEN 204

273.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,378 PEN 11.5K

$6,277 PEN 21.4K

-46.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.75 PEN 152

$37.00 PEN 126

20.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.52 PEN 124

$22.10 PEN 75.2

65.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 PEN 280

$62.8 PEN 214

31.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.36 PEN 134

$56.3 PEN 191

-30.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PEN 426

$240 PEN 817

-47.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 PEN 468

$158 PEN 538

-13.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 PEN 1,108

$540 PEN 1,838

-39.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 PEN 1,228

$386 PEN 1,315

-6.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,112 PEN 3,784

$1,956 PEN 6,654

-43.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,109 PEN 3,772

$993 PEN 3,379

11.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$469 PEN 1,594

$650 PEN 2,211

-27.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-33.33%

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

Last update for Chiclayo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Chiclayo versus $240 in Arequipa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Chiclayo versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $171 – 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

Chiclayo vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiclayo costs about 16% more than Arequipa, 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 $1,127 per month in Chiclayo and $974 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Chiclayo and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chiclayo, 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 $751 in Chiclayo and $649 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $751 in Chiclayo. 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 Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiclayo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.