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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Arequipa vs $633 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Arequipa vs $1,133 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,518 per month in Arequipa vs $1,633 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 52% lower, Iquitos 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 PEN 13.94

$4.21 PEN 14.30

-2.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.33 PEN 92.9

$36.32 PEN 123

-24.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 PEN 19.37

$6.96 PEN 23.65

-18.10%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.77

$3.29 PEN 11.18

-21.58%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$0.86 PEN 2.92

-6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.33

$0.94 PEN 3.20

-58.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$2.84 PEN 9.67

-24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 PEN 20.23

$6.84 PEN 23.27

-13.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.63 PEN 5.55

-1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 PEN 4.13

$2.15 PEN 7.32

-43.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.04

$2.41 PEN 8.20

-14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 PEN 18.42

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 PEN 17.83

$3.11 PEN 10.56

68.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 PEN 26.36

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.15

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.13

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.82

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 PEN 2.64

$0.85 PEN 2.87

-8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 PEN 16.61

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 PEN 17.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 PEN 7.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.90 PEN 43.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

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

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

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

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

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

$40.46 PEN 138

$33.11 PEN 113

22.20%

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

$10.61 PEN 36.07

$10.73 PEN 36.48

-1.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.57 PEN 104

$8.29 PEN 28.18

268.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

$27.82 PEN 94.6

-21.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

$8.46 PEN 28.77

-1.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 PEN 15.42

$5.61 PEN 19.07

-19.07%

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

$59.3 PEN 202

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

$2,698 PEN 9,171

139.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 PEN 128

$83.5 PEN 284

-54.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 PEN 74.2

$33.64 PEN 114

-35.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 PEN 208

$49.23 PEN 167

24.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 PEN 188

$24.79 PEN 84.3

122.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 PEN 820

$337 PEN 1,147

-28.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

$254 PEN 864

-38.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,844

$842 PEN 2,862

-35.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 PEN 1,343

$700 PEN 2,381

-43.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 PEN 6,646

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$644 PEN 2,188

$579 PEN 1,967

11.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Arequipa versus $337 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 11% 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 $27.00 in Arequipa versus $36.00 in Iquitos. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Arequipa vs $73.0 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 $958 per month in Arequipa and $950 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 $639 in Arequipa and $633 in Iquitos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 134% 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 $639 in Arequipa and $633 in Iquitos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iquitos costs $633 versus $639 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.