Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $652 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,071 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,490 in Arequipa, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 124% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Arequipa is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.07 PEN 13.78

221.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$27.88 PEN 94.5

92.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.47 PEN 18.52

76.97%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.58 PEN 8.73

44.96%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.82 PEN 2.76

97.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.37 PEN 1.25

213.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.24 PEN 7.59

44.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$6.11 PEN 20.70

-22.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.55 PEN 5.25

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.27 PEN 4.29

116.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.29 PEN 4.36

44.96%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.07 PEN 7.00

20.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.57 PEN 18.87

83.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.27 PEN 17.87

56.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$7.58 PEN 25.68

55.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.46 PEN 4.96

106.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.18 PEN 3.99

53.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.22 PEN 4.14

63.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.78 PEN 2.63

156.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.59 PEN 2.01

252.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.58 PEN 1.97

291.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.45 PEN 1.52

224.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.72 PEN 2.44

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$5.05 PEN 17.10

-13.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.21 PEN 17.65

226.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$2.48 PEN 8.39

-30.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.20 PEN 7.47

62.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.27 PEN 0.91

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$2.09 PEN 7.08

-36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$2.04 PEN 6.92

-86.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$12.92 PEN 43.79

-59.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.62 PEN 5.48

-17.28%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

3.66%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

-5.99%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$39.23 PEN 133

3.72%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$10.33 PEN 34.99

160.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$30.48 PEN 103

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$21.96 PEN 74.4

140.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$8.17 PEN 27.70

226.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.46 PEN 15.11

45.96%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$59.9 PEN 203

614.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

64.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$37.74 PEN 128

51.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$22.29 PEN 75.5

104.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$63.2 PEN 214

64.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$56.5 PEN 191

90.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$244 PEN 826

311.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$157 PEN 533

296.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$546 PEN 1,851

286.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$390 PEN 1,322

212.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,023 PEN 6,856

92.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$994 PEN 3,369

104.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$649 PEN 2,198

59.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-24.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $244 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 60% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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

Mexico City vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 124% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $977 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 $54.0 in Mexico City 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 71% more in Mexico City, 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 $652, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.