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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Chiclayo vs $726 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,150 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,879 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,573 in Arequipa, rent included.

Chiclayo costs about 9% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiclayo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 42% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 PEN 17.72

$3.59 PEN 12.04

47.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.81 PEN 120

$29.83 PEN 100

20.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 PEN 29.24

$5.85 PEN 19.63

49.06%

Cappuccino

$4.51 PEN 15.13

$2.61 PEN 8.75

72.80%

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

$0.85 PEN 2.86

$0.83 PEN 2.79

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 PEN 1.55

$0.36 PEN 1.22

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.72 PEN 29.23

$2.21 PEN 7.40

294.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PEN 14.56

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 PEN 6.67

$1.37 PEN 4.59

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 PEN 8.99

$1.45 PEN 4.85

84.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 PEN 8.89

$1.53 PEN 5.13

73.20%

Eggs

$1.82 PEN 6.10

$2.36 PEN 7.91

-22.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 PEN 32.54

$6.46 PEN 21.66

50.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 PEN 33.21

$4.47 PEN 14.98

121.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 PEN 26.67

$7.44 PEN 24.95

6.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 PEN 6.67

$1.25 PEN 4.20

59.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.91

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 PEN 6.53

$1.02 PEN 3.43

91.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.32

$0.67 PEN 2.26

92.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 PEN 6.49

$0.72 PEN 2.42

169.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 PEN 3.11

$0.56 PEN 1.89

66.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.05

$0.77 PEN 2.57

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 PEN 14.80

$5.22 PEN 17.51

-15.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 PEN 50.3

$5.29 PEN 17.74

183.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 PEN 5.04

$2.89 PEN 9.69

-48.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 PEN 3.93

$2.40 PEN 8.04

-51.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 PEN 1.71

$0.29 PEN 0.97

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 PEN 98.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 PEN 14.68

$2.10 PEN 7.05

108.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 PEN 20.27

$12.85 PEN 43.08

-53.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.35

$1.52 PEN 5.08

-14.47%

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

$25.1K PEN 84.1K

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

35.15%

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

$24.2K PEN 81.3K

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

-6.87%

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

$51.4 PEN 172

$24.42 PEN 81.9

110.48%

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

$44.91 PEN 151

$10.19 PEN 34.16

340.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.14 PEN 80.9

$23.41 PEN 78.5

3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.80 PEN 147

$25.53 PEN 85.6

71.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 PEN 120

$8.36 PEN 28.04

326.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 PEN 25.22

$7.50 PEN 25.16

0.27%

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

$359 PEN 1,203

$75.6 PEN 253

375.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,248 PEN 17.6K

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

-23.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 PEN 166

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 PEN 88.0

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 PEN 232

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 PEN 200

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$176 PEN 589

$362 PEN 1,214

-51.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 PEN 500

$240 PEN 804

-37.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 PEN 1,487

$731 PEN 2,452

-39.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 PEN 1,379

$421 PEN 1,412

-2.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,144 PEN 3,837

$1,995 PEN 6,688

-42.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,100 PEN 3,688

$1,016 PEN 3,406

8.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 PEN 1,633

$656 PEN 2,198

-25.68%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $176 in Chiclayo versus $362 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 35% 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 $36.00 in Chiclayo versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $179 – 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 9% more than Arequipa, 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 $1,186 per month in Chiclayo and $1,089 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 $36.00 in Chiclayo and $30.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $790 in Chiclayo and $726 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $726 versus $790 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.