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Arequipa vs Oaxaca cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ช Arequipa
๐ฒ๐ฝ Oaxaca
At a glance
- Where Oaxaca is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (58%โ), Laundry (17%โ)
- Where Arequipa is clearly cheaper: Transit (50%โ), Massage (41%โ), Hotel night (41%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: getting around โ Arequipa 2 vs Oaxaca 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Arequipa | Oaxaca | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | S/ 15$4.05 | MX$ 120$6.45 | Arequipa โ37% |
| Street food1 item | S/ 8$2.16 | MX$ 60$3.23 | Arequipa โ33% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | S/ 50$13.5 | MX$ 300$16.1 | Arequipa โ16% |
| Coffeeone cup | S/ 12$3.24 | MX$ 60$3.23 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | S/ 8$2.16 | MX$ 50$2.69 | Arequipa โ20% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | S/ 22$5.95 | MX$ 130$6.99 | Arequipa โ15% |
| Bottled water | S/ 2$0.54 | MX$ 15$0.81 | Arequipa โ33% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | S/ 3$0.81 | MX$ 22$1.18 | Arequipa โ31% |
| Taxi5 km in town | S/ 15$4.05 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Oaxaca โ7% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | S/ 8$2.16 | MX$ 45$2.42 | Arequipa โ11% |
| Transitone ride | S/ 1$0.27 | MX$ 10$0.54 | Arequipa โ50% |
| Scooter rentalper day | S/ 45$12.2 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Oaxaca โ12% |
| Hotel night3-star | S/ 200$54.1 | MX$ 1,700$91.4 | Arequipa โ41% |
| Studio rent (month) | S/ 900$243 | MX$ 7,500$403 | Arequipa โ40% |
| Laundry | S/ 6$1.62 | MX$ 25$1.34 | Oaxaca โ17% |
| SIM card1 week data | S/ 20$5.41 | MX$ 150$8.06 | Arequipa โ33% |
| Haircutcut | S/ 15$4.05 | MX$ 120$6.45 | Arequipa โ37% |
| Massage1 hour | S/ 70$18.9 | MX$ 600$32.3 | Arequipa โ41% |
| Half-day tourper person | S/ 50$13.5 | MX$ 400$21.5 | Arequipa โ37% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | S/ 45$12.2 | MX$ 95$5.11 | Oaxaca โ58% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Arequipa or Oaxaca?
Arequipa is 29% cheaper than Oaxaca. Daily budget $98.1 vs $145; a month $1,311 vs $1,751.
Which is easier to travel, Arequipa or Oaxaca?
About the same: Arequipa 2.6/5, Oaxaca 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Arequipa and Oaxaca?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Arequipa is about $1,311 and Oaxaca about $1,751 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.