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 $531 per month in La Merced vs $641 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $868 per month in La Merced vs $1,058 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,205 per month in La Merced vs $1,475 in Arequipa, rent included.

La Merced is about 17% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both La Merced and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – La Merced 60% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.85

$4.14 PEN 14.09

-1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$28.18 PEN 95.8

20.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 PEN 24.09

$5.51 PEN 18.72

28.49%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.00

$2.49 PEN 8.48

6.43%

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

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$0.76 PEN 2.58

22.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.20

$0.39 PEN 1.34

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.77

$2.23 PEN 7.58

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PEN 13.54

$5.98 PEN 20.34

-33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$1.52 PEN 5.18

-1.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 PEN 6.47

$1.24 PEN 4.20

53.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.16

$1.27 PEN 4.32

-3.94%

Eggs

$2.26 PEN 7.70

$2.14 PEN 7.26

5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 PEN 24.17

$5.36 PEN 18.24

32.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 PEN 19.17

$5.26 PEN 17.87

7.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.54 PEN 29.03

$7.72 PEN 26.26

10.62%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.27

$1.45 PEN 4.94

-33.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-63.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-77.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$0.81 PEN 2.77

-12.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.59 PEN 2.02

-50.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 PEN 1.50

$0.55 PEN 1.86

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.44 PEN 1.50

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$0.76 PEN 2.59

22.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 PEN 19.35

$5.07 PEN 17.24

12.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 PEN 24.54

$5.26 PEN 17.88

37.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.94

$2.45 PEN 8.34

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 PEN 10.10

$2.24 PEN 7.60

32.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 PEN 11.39

$2.08 PEN 7.08

61.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.21

$2.07 PEN 7.03

2.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 PEN 27.84

$12.84 PEN 43.65

-36.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PEN 4.57

$1.63 PEN 5.53

-17.79%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.6K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

3.73%

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

$24.7K PEN 84.1K

$25.2K PEN 85.7K

-1.83%

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

$55.4 PEN 189

$39.89 PEN 136

38.98%

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

$12.60 PEN 42.83

$10.74 PEN 36.51

17.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 PEN 80.1

$30.30 PEN 103

-22.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 PEN 73.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 27.64

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 PEN 22.90

$4.33 PEN 14.73

55.43%

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

$215 PEN 732

$59.5 PEN 202

261.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,145 PEN 27.7K

$6,278 PEN 21.4K

29.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 PEN 171

$36.91 PEN 126

36.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.94 PEN 122

$21.81 PEN 74.2

64.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PEN 306

$62.3 PEN 212

44.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 PEN 308

$54.9 PEN 187

64.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 PEN 806

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 PEN 1,830

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,299

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 PEN 6,849

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 PEN 3,359

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 PEN 2,192

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 26, 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 $171 – 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 21% 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 $796 per month in La Merced and $961 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 5% 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 $531 in La Merced and $641 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $531 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 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.