Cost of Living Comparison Between Moquegua and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Moquegua and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $468 per month in Moquegua vs $721 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $784 per month in Moquegua vs $1,148 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,099 per month in Moquegua vs $1,575 in Arequipa, rent included.

Moquegua is about 35% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Moquegua and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Moquegua 66% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 PEN 12.37

$3.77 PEN 12.65

-2.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.34 PEN 98.4

$29.65 PEN 99.4

-1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 PEN 20.28

$5.89 PEN 19.75

2.72%

Cappuccino

$2.47 PEN 8.26

$2.46 PEN 8.24

0.41%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.68

$0.88 PEN 2.94

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 PEN 1.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 PEN 7.80

$2.44 PEN 8.19

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.21

$5.83 PEN 19.56

3.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.60

$1.33 PEN 4.44

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 PEN 4.77

$1.45 PEN 4.86

-2.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.06

$1.54 PEN 5.15

-1.95%

Eggs

$2.32 PEN 7.78

$2.40 PEN 8.05

-3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 PEN 21.81

$6.35 PEN 21.29

2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 PEN 15.66

$4.65 PEN 15.60

0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 PEN 24.98

$7.55 PEN 25.30

-1.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 PEN 6.07

$1.83 PEN 6.13

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.26

$1.25 PEN 4.20

1.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.93

$1.21 PEN 4.07

-3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$1.06 PEN 3.57

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$0.69 PEN 2.32

-1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

$0.70 PEN 2.33

-1.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.88

$0.53 PEN 1.76

5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.55

$0.81 PEN 2.73

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 PEN 16.98

$5.28 PEN 17.70

-4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 PEN 17.79

$5.23 PEN 17.53

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.28

$3.25 PEN 10.88

-5.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.00

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$2.06 PEN 6.90

2.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.84

$2.09 PEN 7.01

-2.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.04 PEN 43.72

$13.02 PEN 43.64

0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.18

$1.52 PEN 5.09

1.97%

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

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

$18.8K PEN 63.1K

2.22%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

0.10%

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

$24.11 PEN 80.8

$23.84 PEN 79.9

1.13%

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

$10.20 PEN 34.20

$10.25 PEN 34.35

-0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.71 PEN 79.5

$24.13 PEN 80.9

-1.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.26 PEN 27.69

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 PEN 24.35

$7.60 PEN 25.49

-4.47%

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

$77.3 PEN 259

$76.9 PEN 258

0.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

$6,718 PEN 22.5K

1.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 PEN 166

$50.1 PEN 168

-1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.22 PEN 91.3

$26.80 PEN 89.9

1.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 PEN 233

$67.3 PEN 226

3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 PEN 202

$59.4 PEN 199

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 PEN 1,234

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 818

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 PEN 2,444

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,444

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,041 PEN 6,841

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,376

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 PEN 2,201

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Moquegua versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $182 – making Moquegua 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

Moquegua vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 54% more than Moquegua, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $701 per month in Moquegua and $1,082 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 $29.00 in Moquegua 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 1% more in Arequipa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $468 in Moquegua and $721 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moquegua costs $468 versus $721 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 Moquegua. 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.