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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $739 per month in Chiclayo vs $652 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,244 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,071 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,748 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,490 in Arequipa, rent included.

Chiclayo costs about 13% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiclayo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 45% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 PEN 16.86

$4.07 PEN 13.80

22.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.94 PEN 112

$27.88 PEN 94.6

18.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 PEN 27.87

$5.47 PEN 18.54

50.27%

Cappuccino

$4.06 PEN 13.78

$2.58 PEN 8.74

57.36%

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

$0.79 PEN 2.69

$0.82 PEN 2.77

-3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 PEN 1.70

$0.37 PEN 1.25

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PEN 8.81

$2.24 PEN 7.59

16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.72

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$1.55 PEN 5.26

-8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 PEN 5.55

$1.27 PEN 4.30

29.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 PEN 5.75

$1.29 PEN 4.36

31.78%

Eggs

$3.03 PEN 10.29

$2.07 PEN 7.01

46.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 PEN 20.55

$5.57 PEN 18.89

8.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 PEN 20.02

$5.27 PEN 17.89

11.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 PEN 28.80

$7.58 PEN 25.71

12.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 PEN 6.76

$1.46 PEN 4.97

36.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 PEN 5.61

$1.18 PEN 4.00

39.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$1.22 PEN 4.14

-10.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 PEN 5.32

$0.78 PEN 2.63

101.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.35

$0.59 PEN 2.02

67.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$0.58 PEN 1.98

144.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.45 PEN 1.52

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.28

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 PEN 14.19

$5.05 PEN 17.12

-17.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 PEN 49.92

$5.21 PEN 17.67

182.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 PEN 4.57

$2.48 PEN 8.40

-45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PEN 5.36

$2.20 PEN 7.47

-28.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 PEN 1.64

$0.27 PEN 0.91

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 PEN 93.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 PEN 9.20

$2.09 PEN 7.08

29.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$2.04 PEN 6.92

-46.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 PEN 16.41

$12.92 PEN 43.84

-62.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.62 PEN 5.49

-20.99%

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

$23.5K PEN 79.8K

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

25.66%

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

$22.7K PEN 77.1K

$25.4K PEN 86.0K

-10.35%

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

$37.97 PEN 129

$39.23 PEN 133

-3.21%

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

$15.05 PEN 51.1

$10.33 PEN 35.03

45.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.57 PEN 121

$30.48 PEN 103

16.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.57 PEN 110

$21.96 PEN 74.5

48.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.41 PEN 113

$8.17 PEN 27.73

308.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 PEN 18.57

$4.46 PEN 15.12

22.87%

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

$221 PEN 749

$59.9 PEN 203

268.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,498 PEN 11.9K

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

-45.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 PEN 149

$37.74 PEN 128

16.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.99 PEN 122

$22.29 PEN 75.6

61.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 PEN 279

$63.2 PEN 214

29.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.54 PEN 131

$56.5 PEN 192

-31.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PEN 422

$244 PEN 827

-48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PEN 471

$157 PEN 533

-11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 PEN 1,076

$546 PEN 1,853

-41.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,230

$390 PEN 1,324

-7.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,119 PEN 3,796

$2,023 PEN 6,863

-44.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,088 PEN 3,692

$994 PEN 3,373

9.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 PEN 1,605

$649 PEN 2,201

-27.08%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Chiclayo versus $244 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 37% 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 $33.00 in Chiclayo versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 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 13% 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 $1,109 per month in Chiclayo and $977 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 $33.00 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 $739 in Chiclayo and $652 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $739 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.