Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Iquitos

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $656 a month against $696 in Arequipa, rent and utilities included – about $480 less a year. The total is higher in Arequipa despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Arequipa
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Arequipa Living Index

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Arequipa

🇵🇪 Peru

$696

/mo nomad

Iquitos

🇵🇪 Peru

$656

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arequipa and in Iquitos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Arequipa and in Iquitos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $696 per month in Arequipa vs $656 in Iquitos, rent included.

Arequipa $696
Iquitos $656

A couple spends around $1,094 per month in Arequipa vs $1,177 in Iquitos, rent included.

Arequipa $1,094
Iquitos $1,177

A family of three spends $1,492 per month in Arequipa vs $1,697 in Iquitos, rent included.

Arequipa $1,492
Iquitos $1,697

Arequipa costs about 6% more than Iquitos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Arequipa and Iquitos are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 49% lower, Iquitos 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 PEN 11.67

$4.23 PEN 14.56

-19.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.99 PEN 89.5

$37.33 PEN 128

-30.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 PEN 19.71

$7.07 PEN 24.34

-18.95%

Cappuccino

$2.50 PEN 8.61

$3.41 PEN 11.75

-26.69%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.81

$0.83 PEN 2.85

-1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 PEN 1.32

$0.59 PEN 2.05

-35.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 PEN 7.04

$2.92 PEN 10.06

-30.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 PEN 9.99

$7.19 PEN 24.74

-59.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 PEN 4.36

$1.69 PEN 5.82

-24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 PEN 4.84

$2.26 PEN 7.78

-37.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.19

Eggs

$2.34 PEN 8.04

$2.60 PEN 8.95

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 PEN 21.55

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 PEN 15.15

$3.21 PEN 11.03

37.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.17 PEN 24.67

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 PEN 5.90

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.25

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.91

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.43

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 PEN 2.14

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 PEN 1.77

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.62

$0.91 PEN 3.14

-16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 PEN 17.68

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 PEN 17.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 PEN 9.15

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 PEN 7.69

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PEN 0.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 PEN 6.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 7.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.72 PEN 43.77

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 PEN 5.45

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

$19.0K PEN 65.2K

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

$25.3K PEN 87.2K

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

$23.50 PEN 80.9

$35.08 PEN 121

-33.01%

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

$10.28 PEN 35.37

$11.15 PEN 38.36

-7.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.79 PEN 78.4

$8.58 PEN 29.54

165.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.35 PEN 83.8

$29.56 PEN 102

-17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 PEN 26.73

$8.89 PEN 30.60

-12.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 PEN 24.19

$5.63 PEN 19.37

24.87%

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

$73.9 PEN 254

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,686 PEN 23.0K

$2,760 PEN 9,499

142.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.91 PEN 165

$87.4 PEN 301

-45.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 PEN 88.7

$34.33 PEN 118

-24.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 PEN 226

$52.4 PEN 180

25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 PEN 201

$26.33 PEN 90.6

121.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 PEN 1,199

$347 PEN 1,195

0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 PEN 796

$262 PEN 902

-11.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 PEN 2,473

$858 PEN 2,952

-16.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 PEN 1,414

$718 PEN 2,471

-42.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 PEN 6,589

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 PEN 3,348

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 PEN 2,082

$580 PEN 1,994

4.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: November 3, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Arequipa

$231 33.3%

Iquitos

–

Groceries & Markets

Arequipa

$172 24.7%

Iquitos

–

Eating Out

Arequipa

$95 13.7%

Iquitos

–

Clothing & Footwear

Arequipa

$89 12.8%

Iquitos

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arequipa

$57 8.1%

Iquitos

–

Sport & Entertainment

Arequipa

$38 5.5%

Iquitos

–

Getting Around

Arequipa

$13 * 1.9%

Iquitos

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Arequipa versus $347 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 4% 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 $26 in Arequipa versus $37 in Iquitos. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Arequipa vs $77 in Iquitos – so Iquitos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Arequipa

🇵🇪 Iquitos

🕒 Local time

00:07 12:07 AM

Same time as Arequipa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,062

32,853

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Arequipa Iquitos 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Arequipa
Iquitos

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 6% more than Iquitos, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,044 per month in Arequipa and $983 in Iquitos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $348 in Arequipa and $347 in Iquitos. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $696 in Arequipa and $656 in Iquitos. That makes Iquitos about 6% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 124% more in Arequipa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $696 in Arequipa and $656 in Iquitos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Arequipa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $656 in Iquitos to $696 in Arequipa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Iquitos. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arequipa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.