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 $525 per month in La Merced vs $639 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $867 per month in La Merced vs $1,078 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,209 per month in La Merced vs $1,518 in Arequipa, rent included.

La Merced is about 18% 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 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 PEN 14.06

$4.10 PEN 13.94

0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.61 PEN 114

$27.33 PEN 92.9

22.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 PEN 24.13

$5.70 PEN 19.37

24.56%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.00

$2.58 PEN 8.77

2.71%

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

$0.99 PEN 3.36

$0.80 PEN 2.73

23.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$0.39 PEN 1.33

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 PEN 7.66

$2.15 PEN 7.32

4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PEN 13.31

$5.95 PEN 20.23

-34.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.01

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 PEN 6.65

$1.22 PEN 4.13

60.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.33

$1.23 PEN 4.19

3.25%

Eggs

$2.28 PEN 7.74

$2.07 PEN 7.04

10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 PEN 22.89

$5.42 PEN 18.42

24.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 PEN 18.79

$5.24 PEN 17.83

5.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 PEN 28.60

$7.75 PEN 26.36

8.52%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.19

$1.45 PEN 4.93

-35.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PEN 1.39

$1.22 PEN 4.15

-66.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.21 PEN 4.13

-76.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.27

$0.83 PEN 2.82

-19.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.55 PEN 1.87

-47.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.47

$0.57 PEN 1.94

-24.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$0.44 PEN 1.51

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$0.78 PEN 2.64

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 PEN 18.79

$4.89 PEN 16.61

13.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 PEN 23.91

$5.06 PEN 17.21

38.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 PEN 6.04

$2.45 PEN 8.33

-27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 PEN 10.17

$2.23 PEN 7.58

34.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 PEN 11.22

$2.08 PEN 7.08

58.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$2.10 PEN 7.14

4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.45 PEN 28.73

$12.90 PEN 43.87

-34.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PEN 4.57

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-16.77%

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

$19.2K PEN 65.3K

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

3.09%

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

$24.7K PEN 84.1K

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

-1.27%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$40.46 PEN 138

40.06%

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

$12.69 PEN 43.15

$10.61 PEN 36.07

19.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.14 PEN 82.1

$30.57 PEN 104

-21.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 PEN 23.34

$4.54 PEN 15.42

51.32%

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

$215 PEN 731

$59.3 PEN 202

262.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,905 PEN 26.9K

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

22.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.51 PEN 168

$37.77 PEN 128

31.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.14 PEN 123

$21.81 PEN 74.2

65.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 304

$61.3 PEN 208

45.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 PEN 310

$55.3 PEN 188

64.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 PEN 820

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 La Merced: June 8, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in La Merced versus $27.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $172 – 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 22% 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 $787 per month in La Merced and $958 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 $27.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $525 in La Merced and $639 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $525 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 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.