Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $464 per month in Huancayo vs $639 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $805 per month in Huancayo vs $1,078 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,147 per month in Huancayo vs $1,518 in Arequipa, rent included.

Huancayo is about 27% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Huancayo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 66% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.49

$4.10 PEN 13.94

-46.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.19 PEN 113

$27.33 PEN 92.9

21.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 PEN 23.63

$5.70 PEN 19.37

21.93%

Cappuccino

$2.68 PEN 9.09

$2.58 PEN 8.77

3.88%

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

$0.96 PEN 3.27

$0.80 PEN 2.73

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$0.39 PEN 1.33

58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.77

$2.15 PEN 7.32

6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PEN 13.11

$5.95 PEN 20.23

-35.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 PEN 3.68

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-32.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$1.22 PEN 4.13

-21.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.23 PEN 4.19

9.76%

Eggs

$2.29 PEN 7.80

$2.07 PEN 7.04

10.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.96 PEN 16.85

$5.42 PEN 18.42

-8.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 PEN 19.08

$5.24 PEN 17.83

7.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.92 PEN 16.73

$7.75 PEN 26.36

-36.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 PEN 4.68

$1.45 PEN 4.93

-4.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.68

$1.22 PEN 4.15

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$1.21 PEN 4.13

-54.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$0.83 PEN 2.82

36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.72

$0.55 PEN 1.87

45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$0.57 PEN 1.94

42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.82

$0.44 PEN 1.51

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$0.78 PEN 2.64

8.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 PEN 19.22

$4.89 PEN 16.61

15.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 PEN 17.87

$5.06 PEN 17.21

3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$2.45 PEN 8.33

-30.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 PEN 10.18

$2.23 PEN 7.58

34.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 PEN 1.85

$0.29 PEN 0.99

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.41 PEN 55.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PEN 6.04

$2.08 PEN 7.08

-14.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.21

$2.10 PEN 7.14

0.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 PEN 27.68

$12.90 PEN 43.87

-36.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.44

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-18.63%

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

$19.2K PEN 65.4K

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

3.34%

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

$24.2K PEN 82.2K

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

-3.49%

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

$32.96 PEN 112

$40.46 PEN 138

-18.54%

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

$11.28 PEN 38.34

$10.61 PEN 36.07

6.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.14 PEN 37.89

$30.57 PEN 104

-63.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 23.22

$4.54 PEN 15.42

50.44%

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

$223 PEN 757

$59.3 PEN 202

275.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,924 PEN 26.9K

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

22.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.24 PEN 167

$37.77 PEN 128

30.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.00 PEN 122

$21.81 PEN 74.2

65.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PEN 302

$61.3 PEN 208

45.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 PEN 304

$55.3 PEN 188

61.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 PEN 1,055

$241 PEN 820

28.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,844

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 PEN 1,343

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 PEN 6,646

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$644 PEN 2,188

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-32.60%

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

Last update for Huancayo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Huancayo versus $241 in Arequipa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Huancayo versus $27.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Huancayo vs $172 in Arequipa – so Huancayo 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

Huancayo vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 38% more than Huancayo, 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 $695 per month in Huancayo and $958 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Huancayo, 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 Huancayo and $27.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Arequipa, 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 $464 in Huancayo and $639 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $464 versus $639 in Arequipa. 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 Huancayo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arequipa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.