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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,016 per month in Lima vs $726 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,623 per month in Lima vs $1,150 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,229 per month in Lima vs $1,573 in Arequipa, rent included.

Lima costs about 40% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lima and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Lima 26% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 PEN 14.63

$3.59 PEN 12.08

21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.17 PEN 108

$29.83 PEN 100

7.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.65

$5.85 PEN 19.69

20.17%

Cappuccino

$3.23 PEN 10.87

$2.61 PEN 8.78

23.75%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.81

$0.83 PEN 2.80

36.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.36 PEN 1.23

72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 PEN 9.02

$2.21 PEN 7.43

21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.24

$4.34 PEN 14.60

4.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PEN 5.51

$1.37 PEN 4.60

19.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.75

$1.45 PEN 4.87

79.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.51

$1.53 PEN 5.15

-12.42%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.27

$2.36 PEN 7.93

29.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 PEN 30.31

$6.46 PEN 21.73

39.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.93

$4.47 PEN 15.03

32.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 PEN 32.97

$7.44 PEN 25.02

31.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$1.83 PEN 6.16

14.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.54

$1.25 PEN 4.22

-16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.89

$1.16 PEN 3.92

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.04

$1.02 PEN 3.44

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.11

$0.67 PEN 2.27

38.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.17

$0.72 PEN 2.43

30.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.01

$0.56 PEN 1.90

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$0.77 PEN 2.58

23.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 PEN 19.56

$5.22 PEN 17.57

11.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 PEN 30.35

$5.29 PEN 17.79

70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 PEN 6.52

$2.89 PEN 9.72

-32.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.85

$2.40 PEN 8.06

34.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

$0.29 PEN 0.97

137.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 PEN 13.11

$2.10 PEN 7.07

85.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.83

$2.05 PEN 6.88

-0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 PEN 25.05

$12.85 PEN 43.21

-42.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.77

$1.52 PEN 5.10

12.50%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.6K

$18.6K PEN 62.5K

19.51%

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

$26.7K PEN 89.9K

$26.0K PEN 87.6K

2.64%

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

$71.1 PEN 239

$24.42 PEN 82.1

191.03%

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

$16.93 PEN 56.9

$10.19 PEN 34.27

66.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 PEN 95.2

$23.41 PEN 78.8

20.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 114

$25.53 PEN 85.9

32.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 67.2

$8.36 PEN 28.12

138.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 PEN 24.30

$7.50 PEN 25.24

-3.60%

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

$181 PEN 608

$75.6 PEN 254

139.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.2K

$6,836 PEN 23.0K

96.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 PEN 182

$49.44 PEN 166

9.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 PEN 120

$26.25 PEN 88.3

35.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 PEN 289

$69.3 PEN 233

23.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 PEN 273

$59.7 PEN 201

35.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 PEN 2,551

$362 PEN 1,218

109.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,165

$240 PEN 807

44.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 PEN 4,218

$731 PEN 2,460

71.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,172

$421 PEN 1,416

53.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,338

$1,995 PEN 6,708

24.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,678

$1,016 PEN 3,416

36.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 PEN 2,249

$656 PEN 2,205

2.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

-40.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $759 in Lima versus $362 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 2% higher in Lima, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Lima versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $179 – 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 40% 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 $1,524 per month in Lima and $1,089 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 $32.00 in Lima and $30.00 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 $726, than in Lima at $1,016. 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 $726 versus $1,016 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.