Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in La Merced vs $650 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $879 per month in La Merced vs $1,067 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,231 per month in La Merced vs $1,485 in Arequipa, rent included.

La Merced is about 19% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both La Merced and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – La Merced 61% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 PEN 14.35

$4.07 PEN 14.28

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.89 PEN 119

$28.21 PEN 99.0

20.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 PEN 23.86

$5.68 PEN 19.95

19.72%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 9.20

$2.61 PEN 9.15

0.38%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.24

$0.82 PEN 2.87

12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.13

$0.37 PEN 1.30

64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 PEN 8.01

$2.19 PEN 7.67

4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PEN 13.39

$5.88 PEN 20.63

-35.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.14

$1.53 PEN 5.38

-3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 PEN 6.93

$1.27 PEN 4.45

55.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.33

$1.22 PEN 4.27

0.82%

Eggs

$2.25 PEN 7.91

$2.06 PEN 7.22

9.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 PEN 23.99

$5.38 PEN 18.88

26.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 PEN 19.88

$5.26 PEN 18.46

7.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.51 PEN 29.87

$7.45 PEN 26.14

14.23%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.10

$1.46 PEN 5.13

-39.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PEN 1.43

$1.22 PEN 4.27

-66.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.93

$1.19 PEN 4.16

-77.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.46

$0.77 PEN 2.70

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

$0.55 PEN 1.95

-50.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.41

$0.54 PEN 1.90

-25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PEN 2.05

$0.44 PEN 1.54

34.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.24

$0.76 PEN 2.66

21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 PEN 18.99

$4.95 PEN 17.36

9.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 PEN 25.51

$4.87 PEN 17.09

49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 PEN 6.12

$2.40 PEN 8.41

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 PEN 10.88

$2.32 PEN 8.13

33.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.03

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 PEN 11.90

$2.08 PEN 7.31

62.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 PEN 7.58

$2.11 PEN 7.41

2.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 PEN 30.04

$12.82 PEN 44.99

-33.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.79

$1.60 PEN 5.62

-14.37%

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

$19.7K PEN 69.0K

$18.7K PEN 65.7K

5.14%

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

$24.1K PEN 84.6K

$25.0K PEN 87.8K

-3.70%

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

$56.5 PEN 198

$39.83 PEN 140

41.93%

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

$12.55 PEN 44.05

$10.73 PEN 37.66

16.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.20 PEN 85.0

$30.64 PEN 108

-21.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 PEN 75.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 PEN 28.85

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 PEN 24.04

$4.39 PEN 15.40

56.04%

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

$219 PEN 770

$59.9 PEN 210

266.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,883 PEN 27.7K

$6,271 PEN 22.0K

25.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 PEN 179

$36.93 PEN 130

37.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 PEN 127

$22.01 PEN 77.3

64.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 PEN 319

$61.6 PEN 216

47.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 PEN 318

$55.1 PEN 194

64.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 PEN 858

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 547

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,902

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 PEN 1,346

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 7,003

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 PEN 3,516

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 PEN 2,216

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 La Merced: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in La Merced versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $169 – making Arequipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

La Merced vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 23% more than La Merced, 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 $793 per month in La Merced and $975 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in La Merced and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in La Merced and $650 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $528 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 La Merced. 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.