Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,164 per month in Cusco vs $1,071 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,589 per month in Cusco vs $1,490 in Arequipa, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.24

$4.07 PEN 13.79

-32.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 PEN 95.1

$27.88 PEN 94.5

0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.11

$5.47 PEN 18.53

3.11%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PEN 6.78

$2.58 PEN 8.73

-22.48%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.16

$0.82 PEN 2.76

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PEN 2.48

$0.37 PEN 1.25

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$2.24 PEN 7.59

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.55

$6.11 PEN 20.71

-29.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.90

$1.55 PEN 5.25

-6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 PEN 9.78

$1.27 PEN 4.29

126.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.29 PEN 4.36

-1.55%

Eggs

$3.80 PEN 12.89

$2.07 PEN 7.00

83.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 PEN 15.74

$5.57 PEN 18.87

-16.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 PEN 16.33

$5.27 PEN 17.88

-8.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 PEN 22.97

$7.58 PEN 25.69

-10.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.31

$1.46 PEN 4.96

67.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.18 PEN 3.99

-38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$1.22 PEN 4.14

8.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$0.78 PEN 2.63

12.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$0.59 PEN 2.01

69.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.34

$0.58 PEN 1.97

70.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 PEN 2.19

$0.45 PEN 1.52

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 PEN 16.08

$5.05 PEN 17.10

-5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.76

$5.21 PEN 17.65

11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.45

$2.48 PEN 8.39

-23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.71

$2.20 PEN 7.47

43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.27 PEN 0.91

7.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.56

$2.09 PEN 7.08

-21.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.64

$2.04 PEN 6.92

-18.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.46

$12.92 PEN 43.81

-78.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.06

$1.62 PEN 5.48

-8.02%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

2.09%

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

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

-13.67%

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

$33.89 PEN 115

$39.23 PEN 133

-13.61%

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

$14.14 PEN 47.92

$10.33 PEN 35.00

36.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 PEN 105

$30.48 PEN 103

1.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

$21.96 PEN 74.4

39.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.71

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 PEN 16.94

$4.46 PEN 15.11

12.11%

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

$59.9 PEN 203

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.06 PEN 122

$37.74 PEN 128

-4.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 PEN 98.3

$22.29 PEN 75.6

30.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 PEN 210

$63.2 PEN 214

-1.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 PEN 245

$56.5 PEN 192

27.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 PEN 1,028

$244 PEN 826

24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 838

$157 PEN 533

57.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,993

$546 PEN 1,852

7.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,436

$390 PEN 1,323

8.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

$2,023 PEN 6,858

92.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,096

$994 PEN 3,370

80.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,448

$649 PEN 2,199

-34.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-26.67%

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

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $303 in Cusco 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 52% 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 $28.00 in Cusco versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Cusco 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

Cusco vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco 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 Cusco 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $739 in Cusco and $652 in Arequipa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Cusco, 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 Cusco 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 Cusco. 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, Cusco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.