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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $501 per month in Huancayo vs $719 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $850 per month in Huancayo vs $1,136 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,199 per month in Huancayo vs $1,553 in Arequipa, rent included.

Huancayo is about 30% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Huancayo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 63% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 PEN 8.10

$3.53 PEN 11.92

-32.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.30 PEN 119

$28.40 PEN 95.8

24.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 PEN 23.92

$6.06 PEN 20.46

17.00%

Cappuccino

$3.31 PEN 11.15

$2.59 PEN 8.75

27.80%

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

$1.14 PEN 3.86

$0.85 PEN 2.86

34.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 PEN 2.14

$0.37 PEN 1.25

70.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 PEN 8.92

$2.10 PEN 7.07

26.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 PEN 14.95

$4.39 PEN 14.82

0.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 PEN 4.08

$1.36 PEN 4.60

-11.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$1.39 PEN 4.69

-24.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.49

$1.48 PEN 5.01

-10.14%

Eggs

$2.52 PEN 8.49

$2.35 PEN 7.93

7.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.23 PEN 17.63

$6.51 PEN 21.97

-19.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 PEN 20.45

$4.58 PEN 15.44

32.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PEN 17.61

$7.68 PEN 25.92

-32.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.07

$1.77 PEN 5.98

-15.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.59

$1.26 PEN 4.26

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$1.18 PEN 3.97

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.90

$1.06 PEN 3.59

9.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$0.68 PEN 2.30

26.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$0.68 PEN 2.30

26.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PEN 1.93

$0.56 PEN 1.90

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$0.76 PEN 2.56

13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 PEN 20.31

$5.09 PEN 17.19

18.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.40 PEN 18.22

$5.12 PEN 17.27

5.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 PEN 6.53

$2.76 PEN 9.30

-29.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 PEN 11.24

$2.32 PEN 7.82

43.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.31 PEN 1.05

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.78 PEN 60.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 PEN 6.39

$2.09 PEN 7.06

-9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.13

$2.12 PEN 7.14

-0.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 PEN 24.88

$13.12 PEN 44.26

-43.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 4.95

$1.56 PEN 5.27

-5.77%

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

$22.1K PEN 74.7K

$19.1K PEN 64.6K

15.66%

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

$26.3K PEN 88.6K

$25.8K PEN 87.0K

1.88%

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

$35.07 PEN 118

$24.60 PEN 83.0

42.56%

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

$11.94 PEN 40.29

$10.35 PEN 34.93

15.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.97 PEN 40.37

$23.49 PEN 79.3

-49.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.85 PEN 83.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 PEN 27.13

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 PEN 24.69

$7.34 PEN 24.77

-0.27%

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

$180 PEN 607

$76.7 PEN 259

134.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K PEN 44.7K

$6,936 PEN 23.4K

90.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 PEN 182

$49.48 PEN 167

8.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.45 PEN 123

$27.26 PEN 92.0

33.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 PEN 294

$67.3 PEN 227

29.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 PEN 275

$60.6 PEN 204

34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 PEN 1,119

$358 PEN 1,207

-7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 PEN 803

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 PEN 2,517

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,455

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 PEN 6,765

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,397

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 PEN 2,124

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

-40.40%

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

Last update for Huancayo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $332 in Huancayo versus $358 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 $35.00 in Huancayo versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Huancayo vs $178 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 43% more than Huancayo, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $752 per month in Huancayo and $1,079 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 $35.00 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 7% 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 $501 in Huancayo and $719 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $501 versus $719 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.