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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $453 per month in Moquegua vs $719 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $751 per month in Moquegua vs $1,114 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Moquegua vs $1,510 in Arequipa, rent included.

Moquegua is about 37% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Moquegua and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Moquegua 66% lower, Arequipa 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 PEN 11.93

$3.41 PEN 11.74

1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.61 PEN 95.1

$27.27 PEN 93.9

1.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 PEN 20.03

$5.68 PEN 19.55

2.46%

Cappuccino

$2.56 PEN 8.82

$2.47 PEN 8.49

3.64%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.82

$0.82 PEN 2.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.27

$0.38 PEN 1.32

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.44

$2.07 PEN 7.13

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 PEN 15.05

$4.40 PEN 15.15

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.59

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 PEN 4.73

$1.36 PEN 4.70

0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 PEN 5.31

$1.52 PEN 5.23

1.32%

Eggs

$2.33 PEN 8.01

$2.25 PEN 7.76

3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 PEN 21.50

$6.39 PEN 21.99

-2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 PEN 15.95

$4.37 PEN 15.05

5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 PEN 25.38

$7.48 PEN 25.77

-1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 PEN 6.22

$1.77 PEN 6.09

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.17

$1.22 PEN 4.20

-0.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.13

$1.13 PEN 3.90

6.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.63

$1.03 PEN 3.54

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.38

$0.64 PEN 2.20

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.39

$0.67 PEN 2.31

2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 PEN 1.89

$0.54 PEN 1.87

1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.56

$0.76 PEN 2.61

-2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 PEN 18.19

$5.18 PEN 17.84

1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 PEN 17.58

$5.04 PEN 17.34

1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 PEN 7.75

$2.20 PEN 7.59

2.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PEN 0.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 PEN 7.06

$2.01 PEN 6.91

1.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 PEN 6.97

$1.97 PEN 6.79

2.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.02 PEN 44.83

$13.00 PEN 44.76

0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.25

$1.53 PEN 5.29

-0.65%

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

$18.5K PEN 63.8K

$19.2K PEN 66.0K

-3.34%

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

$25.2K PEN 86.9K

$25.0K PEN 86.2K

0.82%

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

$23.82 PEN 82.0

$24.05 PEN 82.8

-0.96%

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

$10.37 PEN 35.73

$10.15 PEN 34.96

2.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.27 PEN 80.2

$23.01 PEN 79.3

1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.05 PEN 86.3

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 28.01

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 PEN 25.26

$7.41 PEN 25.51

-1.08%

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

$74.5 PEN 257

$74.8 PEN 257

-0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,749 PEN 23.2K

$6,596 PEN 22.7K

2.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.42 PEN 167

$48.85 PEN 168

-0.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.56 PEN 91.5

$26.46 PEN 91.1

0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 PEN 234

0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 PEN 201

$57.3 PEN 197

1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 PEN 1,219

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 PEN 813

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 PEN 2,461

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 PEN 1,438

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 PEN 6,856

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$974 PEN 3,355

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 PEN 2,124

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Moquegua: October 5, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Moquegua versus $27.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $174 – 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

Moquegua vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 59% 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 $680 per month in Moquegua and $1,078 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 $28.00 in Moquegua and $27.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $453 in Moquegua and $719 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moquegua costs $453 versus $719 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.