Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $985 per month in Lima vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,537 per month in Lima vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,089 per month in Lima vs $1,482 in Arequipa, rent included.

Lima costs about 52% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lima and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Lima 27% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.98

$4.13 PEN 14.07

-0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$28.09 PEN 95.6

17.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 23.81

$5.64 PEN 19.20

24.11%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.64

$2.54 PEN 8.63

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

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$0.82 PEN 2.78

12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$0.37 PEN 1.25

64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$2.16 PEN 7.34

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PEN 13.08

$5.85 PEN 19.92

-34.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$1.61 PEN 5.49

-12.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 PEN 9.30

$1.28 PEN 4.35

113.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.44

$1.23 PEN 4.19

5.69%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.07

$2.15 PEN 7.30

37.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.12

$5.52 PEN 18.77

44.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 PEN 19.31

$5.17 PEN 17.60

9.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PEN 36.01

$7.76 PEN 26.40

36.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.88

$1.49 PEN 5.08

35.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.66

$1.17 PEN 3.98

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.86

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-5.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$0.77 PEN 2.61

62.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.52

$0.55 PEN 1.86

87.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$0.54 PEN 1.84

77.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.96

$0.45 PEN 1.52

93.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$0.72 PEN 2.44

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 18.58

$4.87 PEN 16.57

12.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 PEN 30.55

$5.04 PEN 17.14

78.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.96

$2.46 PEN 8.39

-28.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 PEN 10.48

$2.31 PEN 7.87

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.29 PEN 1.00

131.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.51

$2.06 PEN 7.02

64.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.53

$2.06 PEN 7.01

7.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.97

$12.77 PEN 43.47

-35.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.54 PEN 5.25

-12.34%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

3.96%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

$25.5K PEN 86.7K

-4.57%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$39.14 PEN 133

44.89%

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

$12.64 PEN 43.01

$10.57 PEN 35.97

19.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 PEN 81.7

$31.04 PEN 106

-22.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

$21.22 PEN 72.2

41.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

$8.34 PEN 28.39

127.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

$4.49 PEN 15.28

50.11%

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

$218 PEN 740

$60.0 PEN 204

262.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

$6,277 PEN 21.4K

25.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

$37.00 PEN 126

35.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 PEN 125

$22.10 PEN 75.2

65.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$62.8 PEN 214

42.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 PEN 300

$56.3 PEN 191

56.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,063

$240 PEN 817

152.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,190

$158 PEN 538

121.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,525

$540 PEN 1,838

91.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,136

$386 PEN 1,315

62.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,056

$1,956 PEN 6,655

21.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,881

$993 PEN 3,380

44.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 PEN 2,131

$650 PEN 2,212

-3.63%

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 Lima: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $606 in Lima versus $240 in Arequipa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Lima versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 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

Lima vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima costs about 52% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,477 per month in Lima and $974 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, 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 $33.00 in Lima 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 29% more in Lima, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $649, than in Lima at $985. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $985 in Lima. 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 Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.