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 $650 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $798 per month in Huancayo vs $1,067 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,132 per month in Huancayo vs $1,485 in Arequipa, rent included.

Huancayo is about 29% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Huancayo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 65% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 PEN 7.69

$4.07 PEN 14.32

-46.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.34 PEN 117

$28.21 PEN 99.3

18.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 24.63

$5.68 PEN 20.00

23.24%

Cappuccino

$2.59 PEN 9.10

$2.61 PEN 9.18

-0.77%

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

$0.93 PEN 3.29

$0.82 PEN 2.88

13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 PEN 2.13

$0.37 PEN 1.30

62.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PEN 7.74

$2.19 PEN 7.70

0.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 PEN 13.31

$5.88 PEN 20.69

-35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 PEN 3.98

$1.53 PEN 5.40

-26.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 PEN 3.30

$1.27 PEN 4.46

-25.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.57

$1.22 PEN 4.28

6.56%

Eggs

$2.31 PEN 8.14

$2.06 PEN 7.24

12.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 PEN 17.75

$5.38 PEN 18.93

-6.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 PEN 19.01

$5.26 PEN 18.51

2.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 PEN 17.85

$7.45 PEN 26.22

-31.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.99

$1.46 PEN 5.15

-2.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.96

$1.22 PEN 4.28

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.53 PEN 1.88

$1.19 PEN 4.17

-55.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.83

$0.77 PEN 2.71

41.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.80

$0.55 PEN 1.95

45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.84

$0.54 PEN 1.90

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 2.05

$0.44 PEN 1.55

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 PEN 2.81

$0.76 PEN 2.66

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 PEN 20.09

$4.95 PEN 17.41

15.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.25 PEN 18.50

$4.87 PEN 17.14

7.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 PEN 6.04

$2.40 PEN 8.43

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 PEN 10.68

$2.32 PEN 8.15

30.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 PEN 2.05

$0.29 PEN 1.03

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.80 PEN 59.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PEN 6.33

$2.08 PEN 7.33

-13.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.72

$2.11 PEN 7.44

3.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 PEN 29.05

$12.82 PEN 45.12

-35.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.58

$1.60 PEN 5.64

-18.75%

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

$19.5K PEN 68.8K

$18.7K PEN 65.9K

4.50%

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

$24.2K PEN 85.1K

$25.0K PEN 88.0K

-3.31%

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

$33.11 PEN 117

$39.83 PEN 140

-16.87%

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

$10.93 PEN 38.48

$10.73 PEN 37.77

1.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.01 PEN 38.76

$30.64 PEN 108

-64.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 PEN 75.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 PEN 28.93

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 PEN 24.68

$4.39 PEN 15.44

59.68%

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

$217 PEN 764

$59.9 PEN 211

262.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,091 PEN 28.5K

$6,271 PEN 22.1K

29.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 PEN 179

$36.93 PEN 130

37.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 PEN 125

$22.01 PEN 77.5

61.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PEN 313

$61.6 PEN 217

44.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 PEN 319

$55.1 PEN 194

64.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 PEN 1,089

$245 PEN 861

26.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 549

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,908

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 PEN 1,350

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 7,023

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 PEN 3,526

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 PEN 2,222

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $309 in Huancayo versus $245 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 $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Huancayo vs $169 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 40% 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 $696 per month in Huancayo and $975 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 $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $650 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $464 versus $650 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.