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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $469 per month in Huancayo vs $641 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $789 per month in Huancayo vs $1,058 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,109 per month in Huancayo vs $1,475 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 65% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.15 PEN 7.31

$4.14 PEN 14.06

-48.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.78 PEN 115

$28.18 PEN 95.7

19.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.21

$5.51 PEN 18.69

24.14%

Cappuccino

$2.56 PEN 8.70

$2.49 PEN 8.47

2.81%

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

$0.96 PEN 3.28

$0.76 PEN 2.58

26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.09

$0.39 PEN 1.33

56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.34

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PEN 13.53

$5.98 PEN 20.31

-33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.87

$1.52 PEN 5.17

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 PEN 3.14

$1.24 PEN 4.19

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.40

$1.27 PEN 4.31

1.57%

Eggs

$2.40 PEN 8.14

$2.14 PEN 7.25

12.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.10 PEN 17.32

$5.36 PEN 18.21

-4.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 PEN 18.53

$5.26 PEN 17.84

3.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 PEN 17.11

$7.72 PEN 26.22

-34.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$1.45 PEN 4.94

-2.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.78

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.85

$1.19 PEN 4.03

-53.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$0.81 PEN 2.76

34.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.59 PEN 2.01

47.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.55 PEN 1.86

58.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$0.44 PEN 1.50

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.76 PEN 2.59

7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 PEN 19.15

$5.07 PEN 17.21

11.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.19 PEN 17.61

$5.26 PEN 17.85

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 6.01

$2.45 PEN 8.33

-27.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.40

$2.24 PEN 7.59

36.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.29 PEN 0.99

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.47 PEN 55.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.20

$2.08 PEN 7.07

-12.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 PEN 7.32

$2.07 PEN 7.02

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 PEN 27.50

$12.84 PEN 43.58

-36.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.57

$1.63 PEN 5.52

-17.18%

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

$19.7K PEN 66.8K

$18.6K PEN 63.1K

5.89%

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

$24.4K PEN 82.9K

$25.2K PEN 85.5K

-3.02%

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

$33.87 PEN 115

$39.89 PEN 135

-15.09%

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

$11.27 PEN 38.25

$10.74 PEN 36.45

4.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.16 PEN 37.87

$30.30 PEN 103

-63.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 PEN 73.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 27.60

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 PEN 23.88

$4.33 PEN 14.70

62.36%

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

$217 PEN 738

$59.5 PEN 202

265.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,902 PEN 26.8K

$6,278 PEN 21.3K

25.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 PEN 172

$36.91 PEN 125

37.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.56 PEN 121

$21.81 PEN 74.0

63.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$62.3 PEN 211

44.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 PEN 301

$54.9 PEN 186

61.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 PEN 1,018

$237 PEN 804

26.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 528

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 PEN 1,827

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,297

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 PEN 6,838

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 PEN 3,353

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 PEN 2,189

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $300 in Huancayo versus $237 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 $34.00 in Huancayo versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Huancayo vs $171 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 37% 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 $704 per month in Huancayo and $961 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 $34.00 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 $469 in Huancayo and $641 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $469 versus $641 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.