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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Cusco vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,171 per month in Cusco vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,596 per month in Cusco vs $1,482 in Arequipa, rent included.

Cusco costs about 15% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$4.13 PEN 14.06

-31.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$28.09 PEN 95.6

-1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$5.64 PEN 19.19

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$2.54 PEN 8.63

-20.47%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.82 PEN 2.78

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.37 PEN 1.25

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$2.16 PEN 7.33

1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

$5.85 PEN 19.91

-27.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$1.61 PEN 5.49

-9.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$1.28 PEN 4.35

135.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$1.23 PEN 4.19

8.13%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$2.15 PEN 7.30

80.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$5.52 PEN 18.76

-13.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$5.17 PEN 17.60

-5.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$7.76 PEN 26.40

-11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$1.49 PEN 5.07

59.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.17 PEN 3.98

-38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.19 PEN 4.04

6.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$0.77 PEN 2.61

16.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$0.55 PEN 1.86

81.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$0.54 PEN 1.84

77.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$0.45 PEN 1.51

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$4.87 PEN 16.57

-0.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$5.04 PEN 17.13

16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$2.46 PEN 8.39

-19.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$2.31 PEN 7.87

32.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.29 PEN 0.99

-6.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$2.06 PEN 7.02

-17.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$2.06 PEN 7.01

-21.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$12.77 PEN 43.46

-78.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$1.54 PEN 5.25

-1.95%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

1.13%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$25.5K PEN 86.7K

-13.22%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$39.14 PEN 133

-15.46%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$10.57 PEN 35.96

33.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$31.04 PEN 106

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

$21.22 PEN 72.2

45.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$4.49 PEN 15.27

6.01%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$37.00 PEN 126

-1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$22.10 PEN 75.2

29.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$62.8 PEN 214

-1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$56.3 PEN 191

25.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

$240 PEN 817

26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

$158 PEN 538

58.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

$540 PEN 1,838

7.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

$386 PEN 1,315

6.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

$1,956 PEN 6,654

98.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

$993 PEN 3,379

76.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$650 PEN 2,211

-33.46%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $304 in Cusco 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 50% 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 – $194 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 15% 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 $1,120 per month in Cusco 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Cusco and $649 in Arequipa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $747 in Cusco and $649 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $747 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.