Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Iquitos Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Iquitos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $650 per month in Arequipa vs $641 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Arequipa vs $1,154 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,485 per month in Arequipa vs $1,666 in Iquitos, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 1% more than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Iquitos are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Iquitos 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 14.32

$4.08 PEN 14.36

-0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.21 PEN 99.3

$36.24 PEN 128

-22.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 PEN 20.00

$6.84 PEN 24.08

-16.96%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 9.18

$3.36 PEN 11.82

-22.32%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.88

$0.81 PEN 2.87

1.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.30

$1.00 PEN 3.54

-63.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.70

$2.84 PEN 10.00

-22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 PEN 20.69

$7.13 PEN 25.09

-17.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.40

$1.71 PEN 6.04

-10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.46

$2.25 PEN 7.91

-43.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.28

Eggs

$2.06 PEN 7.24

$2.37 PEN 8.36

-13.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 PEN 18.93

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 PEN 18.51

$3.05 PEN 10.72

72.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 PEN 26.22

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 5.15

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.28

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.17

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.71

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.95

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.66

$0.87 PEN 3.06

-12.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 PEN 17.41

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 PEN 17.14

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PEN 8.15

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.03

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.33

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.82 PEN 45.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 PEN 5.64

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

$18.7K PEN 65.9K

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

$25.0K PEN 88.0K

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

$39.83 PEN 140

$33.44 PEN 118

19.11%

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

$10.73 PEN 37.77

$10.80 PEN 38.01

-0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 PEN 108

$8.32 PEN 29.28

268.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 PEN 75.6

$28.27 PEN 99.5

-24.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 PEN 28.93

$8.16 PEN 28.71

0.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 15.44

$5.48 PEN 19.30

-19.89%

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

$59.9 PEN 211

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,271 PEN 22.1K

$2,667 PEN 9,389

135.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.93 PEN 130

$81.7 PEN 288

-54.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.01 PEN 77.5

$33.05 PEN 116

-33.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 217

$50.8 PEN 179

21.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 PEN 194

$25.37 PEN 89.3

117.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 PEN 861

$329 PEN 1,159

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 549

$248 PEN 873

-37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,908

$828 PEN 2,916

-34.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 PEN 1,350

$701 PEN 2,466

-45.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 7,023

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 PEN 3,526

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 PEN 2,222

$575 PEN 2,026

9.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Arequipa versus $329 in Iquitos. 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 10% higher in Arequipa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa versus $36.00 in Iquitos. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Arequipa vs $75.0 in Iquitos – so Iquitos 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

Arequipa vs Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 1% more than Iquitos, 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 $975 per month in Arequipa and $962 in Iquitos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iquitos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $650 in Arequipa and $641 in Iquitos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 126% more in Arequipa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $650 in Arequipa and $641 in Iquitos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iquitos costs $641 versus $650 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 Iquitos. 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.