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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Trujillo vs $652 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,173 per month in Trujillo vs $1,071 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Trujillo vs $1,490 in Arequipa, rent included.

Trujillo costs about 20% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Trujillo and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Trujillo 42% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 PEN 11.00

$4.07 PEN 13.80

-20.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.70 PEN 46.48

$27.88 PEN 94.6

-50.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 PEN 22.82

$5.47 PEN 18.54

23.03%

Cappuccino

$2.98 PEN 10.10

$2.58 PEN 8.74

15.50%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.02

$0.82 PEN 2.77

8.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.37 PEN 1.25

59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 PEN 6.52

$2.24 PEN 7.59

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.19

$6.11 PEN 20.72

-45.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$1.55 PEN 5.26

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 PEN 6.02

$1.27 PEN 4.30

39.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.82

$1.29 PEN 4.36

-12.40%

Eggs

$3.88 PEN 13.15

$2.07 PEN 7.01

87.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.89

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 PEN 21.96

$5.27 PEN 17.89

22.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 PEN 25.50

$7.58 PEN 25.71

-0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.98

$1.46 PEN 4.97

-19.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.18 PEN 4.00

-50.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.95

$1.22 PEN 4.14

-52.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.40

$0.78 PEN 2.63

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$0.59 PEN 2.02

55.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$0.58 PEN 1.98

41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.09

$0.45 PEN 1.52

102.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.11

$0.72 PEN 2.44

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 PEN 14.49

$5.05 PEN 17.12

-15.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 PEN 19.63

$5.21 PEN 17.67

11.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 PEN 4.77

$2.48 PEN 8.40

-43.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 PEN 5.59

$2.20 PEN 7.47

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 PEN 2.16

$0.27 PEN 0.91

137.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 PEN 9.49

$2.09 PEN 7.08

33.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 PEN 6.75

$2.04 PEN 6.92

-2.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 PEN 19.22

$12.92 PEN 43.84

-56.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.62 PEN 5.49

-16.05%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.3K

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

-9.79%

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

$26.2K PEN 88.9K

$25.4K PEN 86.0K

3.34%

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

$76.6 PEN 260

$39.23 PEN 133

95.16%

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

$8.48 PEN 28.78

$10.33 PEN 35.03

-17.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 PEN 72.0

$30.48 PEN 103

-30.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.00 PEN 122

$21.96 PEN 74.5

63.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 PEN 18.30

$8.17 PEN 27.73

-34.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 PEN 14.11

$4.46 PEN 15.12

-6.73%

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

$102 PEN 346

$59.9 PEN 203

70.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,963 PEN 6,660

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

-69.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 PEN 240

$37.74 PEN 128

87.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.00 PEN 47.48

$22.29 PEN 75.6

-37.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.71 PEN 111

$63.2 PEN 214

-48.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.74 PEN 111

$56.5 PEN 192

-42.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 PEN 1,238

$244 PEN 827

49.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 PEN 871

$157 PEN 533

63.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,043

$546 PEN 1,853

10.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 PEN 1,659

$390 PEN 1,324

25.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,860

$2,023 PEN 6,863

-43.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$821 PEN 2,786

$994 PEN 3,373

-17.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 PEN 1,779

$649 PEN 2,201

-19.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Trujillo 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 24% 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: $159 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 20% 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 $1,169 per month in Trujillo 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 $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 $779 in Trujillo and $652 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $779 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.