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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $784 per month in Trujillo vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,170 per month in Trujillo vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Trujillo vs $1,482 in Arequipa, rent included.

Trujillo costs about 21% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Trujillo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Trujillo 41% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 PEN 10.91

$4.13 PEN 14.06

-22.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.85 PEN 47.14

$28.09 PEN 95.6

-50.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 PEN 22.96

$5.64 PEN 19.19

19.68%

Cappuccino

$2.88 PEN 9.81

$2.54 PEN 8.63

13.39%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.04

$0.82 PEN 2.78

8.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 PEN 1.95

$0.37 PEN 1.25

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PEN 6.77

$2.16 PEN 7.33

-7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 PEN 11.37

$5.85 PEN 19.91

-42.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PEN 3.42

$1.61 PEN 5.49

-37.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 PEN 6.24

$1.28 PEN 4.35

42.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$1.23 PEN 4.19

-7.32%

Eggs

$3.85 PEN 13.11

$2.15 PEN 7.30

79.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.76

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 PEN 22.22

$5.17 PEN 17.60

26.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 PEN 25.94

$7.76 PEN 26.40

-1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$1.49 PEN 5.07

-24.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.17 PEN 3.98

-50.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-51.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 PEN 2.58

$0.77 PEN 2.61

-1.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$0.55 PEN 1.86

69.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$0.54 PEN 1.84

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.03

$0.45 PEN 1.51

97.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$0.72 PEN 2.44

19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 PEN 13.77

$4.87 PEN 16.57

-16.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 PEN 19.63

$5.04 PEN 17.13

14.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$2.46 PEN 8.39

-42.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.80

$2.31 PEN 7.87

-26.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.29 PEN 0.99

103.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.72 PEN 56.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 PEN 9.35

$2.06 PEN 7.02

33.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.97

$2.06 PEN 7.01

-0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 PEN 18.79

$12.77 PEN 43.46

-56.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.54 PEN 5.25

-11.69%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.7K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

-8.78%

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

$26.6K PEN 90.4K

$25.5K PEN 86.7K

4.25%

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

$74.4 PEN 253

$39.14 PEN 133

89.98%

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

$8.19 PEN 27.85

$10.57 PEN 35.96

-22.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 PEN 71.4

$31.04 PEN 106

-32.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 PEN 120

$21.22 PEN 72.2

66.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 PEN 19.21

$8.34 PEN 28.38

-32.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 PEN 13.84

$4.49 PEN 15.27

-9.35%

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

$106 PEN 360

$60.0 PEN 204

76.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,029 PEN 6,902

$6,277 PEN 21.4K

-67.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 PEN 237

$37.00 PEN 126

88.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.96 PEN 47.48

$22.10 PEN 75.2

-36.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.78 PEN 115

$62.8 PEN 214

-46.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.69 PEN 111

$56.3 PEN 191

-41.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 PEN 1,246

$240 PEN 817

52.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 865

$158 PEN 538

60.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,047

$540 PEN 1,838

11.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 PEN 1,624

$386 PEN 1,315

23.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,872

$1,956 PEN 6,654

-41.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$834 PEN 2,837

$993 PEN 3,379

-16.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$539 PEN 1,834

$650 PEN 2,211

-17.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.7

-15.33%

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

Last update for Trujillo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $366 in Trujillo versus $240 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 21% 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 $14.00 in Trujillo versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $171 – making Trujillo 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

Trujillo vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trujillo costs about 21% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,176 per month in Trujillo and $974 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 $14.00 in Trujillo and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Trujillo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $784 in Trujillo and $649 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $784 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.