Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $903 per month in Trujillo vs $719 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Trujillo vs $1,136 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Trujillo vs $1,553 in Arequipa, rent included.

Trujillo costs about 26% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Trujillo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Trujillo 34% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 PEN 12.29

$3.53 PEN 11.92

3.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.04 PEN 81.1

$28.40 PEN 95.8

-15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 PEN 23.93

$6.06 PEN 20.45

17.00%

Cappuccino

$3.30 PEN 11.13

$2.59 PEN 8.75

27.41%

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

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$0.85 PEN 2.86

12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.37 PEN 1.25

78.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PEN 6.86

$2.10 PEN 7.07

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 PEN 12.16

$4.39 PEN 14.81

-17.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 PEN 4.81

$1.36 PEN 4.60

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 PEN 6.89

$1.39 PEN 4.69

46.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.90

$1.48 PEN 5.01

-21.62%

Eggs

$4.31 PEN 14.54

$2.35 PEN 7.93

83.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 PEN 25.99

$6.51 PEN 21.97

18.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 PEN 23.00

$4.58 PEN 15.44

48.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 PEN 31.89

$7.68 PEN 25.91

23.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 PEN 5.77

$1.77 PEN 5.98

-3.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.93

$1.26 PEN 4.26

-54.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$1.18 PEN 3.96

-48.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$1.06 PEN 3.59

-19.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.35

$0.68 PEN 2.30

45.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.05

$0.68 PEN 2.29

76.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$0.56 PEN 1.90

126.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 PEN 3.89

$0.76 PEN 2.56

51.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 PEN 14.69

$5.09 PEN 17.18

-14.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 PEN 20.12

$5.12 PEN 17.27

16.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 PEN 6.10

$2.76 PEN 9.30

-34.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 PEN 5.60

$2.32 PEN 7.82

-28.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$0.31 PEN 1.05

90.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.89 PEN 60.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 PEN 8.69

$2.09 PEN 7.06

23.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 PEN 7.61

$2.12 PEN 7.14

6.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 PEN 20.23

$13.12 PEN 44.25

-54.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.79

$1.56 PEN 5.26

10.26%

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

$17.9K PEN 60.3K

$19.1K PEN 64.5K

-6.59%

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

$27.8K PEN 93.7K

$25.8K PEN 87.0K

7.72%

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

$99.5 PEN 335

$24.60 PEN 83.0

304.31%

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

$13.36 PEN 45.07

$10.35 PEN 34.93

29.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.44 PEN 92.5

$23.49 PEN 79.2

16.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.22 PEN 136

$24.85 PEN 83.8

61.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 PEN 20.45

$8.04 PEN 27.12

-24.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 PEN 15.49

$7.34 PEN 24.76

-37.47%

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

$111 PEN 374

$76.7 PEN 259

44.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,129 PEN 7,180

$6,936 PEN 23.4K

-69.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 PEN 252

$49.48 PEN 167

50.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.59 PEN 49.20

$27.26 PEN 91.9

-46.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.30 PEN 160

$67.3 PEN 227

-29.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.83 PEN 151

$60.6 PEN 204

-26.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 PEN 1,324

$358 PEN 1,207

9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 857

$238 PEN 803

6.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 PEN 2,532

$746 PEN 2,517

0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 PEN 1,723

$431 PEN 1,454

18.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,186 PEN 4,001

$2,005 PEN 6,764

-40.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,396

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$549 PEN 1,853

$630 PEN 2,124

-12.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.7

-22.00%

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

Last update for Trujillo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Trujillo versus $358 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 15% 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 $24.00 in Trujillo versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Trujillo vs $178 in Arequipa – so Arequipa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Trujillo vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trujillo costs about 26% 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 $1,355 per month in Trujillo and $1,079 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 $24.00 in Trujillo 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 18% more in Trujillo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $903 in Trujillo and $719 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $719 versus $903 in Trujillo. 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, Trujillo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.