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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Arequipa vs $678 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,136 per month in Arequipa vs $1,210 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,553 per month in Arequipa vs $1,741 in Iquitos, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 6% more than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Iquitos are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Iquitos 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 PEN 11.92

$4.44 PEN 14.98

-20.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.40 PEN 95.8

$38.60 PEN 130

-26.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 PEN 20.46

$7.46 PEN 25.17

-18.77%

Cappuccino

$2.59 PEN 8.75

$3.48 PEN 11.73

-25.57%

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

$0.85 PEN 2.86

$0.88 PEN 2.96

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.62 PEN 2.09

-40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 PEN 7.07

$3.03 PEN 10.23

-30.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PEN 14.82

$7.28 PEN 24.55

-39.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.60

$1.82 PEN 6.13

-25.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 PEN 4.69

$2.43 PEN 8.20

-42.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.01

Eggs

$2.35 PEN 7.93

$2.66 PEN 8.96

-11.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 PEN 21.97

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 PEN 15.44

$3.31 PEN 11.16

38.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 PEN 25.92

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 PEN 5.98

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.97

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.59

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.90

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.56

$0.87 PEN 2.94

-12.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 PEN 17.19

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 PEN 17.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 PEN 9.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PEN 7.82

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 PEN 44.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.27

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

$19.1K PEN 64.6K

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

$25.8K PEN 87.0K

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

$24.60 PEN 83.0

$35.89 PEN 121

-31.46%

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

$10.35 PEN 34.94

$11.42 PEN 38.54

-9.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.49 PEN 79.3

$8.74 PEN 29.48

168.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.85 PEN 83.9

$29.65 PEN 100

-16.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 PEN 27.13

$8.68 PEN 29.29

-7.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 PEN 24.77

$6.00 PEN 20.23

22.33%

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

$76.7 PEN 259

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,936 PEN 23.4K

$2,904 PEN 9,798

138.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.48 PEN 167

$87.5 PEN 295

-43.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.26 PEN 92.0

$36.35 PEN 123

-25.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 PEN 227

$53.0 PEN 179

26.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 PEN 204

$27.22 PEN 91.9

122.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 PEN 1,207

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 PEN 803

$270 PEN 911

-11.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 PEN 2,517

$899 PEN 3,035

-17.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,455

$748 PEN 2,524

-42.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 PEN 6,765

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,397

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 PEN 2,124

$585 PEN 1,974

7.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Arequipa versus $358 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 8% 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 $39.00 in Iquitos. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Arequipa vs $80.0 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 6% 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 $1,079 per month in Arequipa and $1,018 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 $719 in Arequipa and $678 in Iquitos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 123% 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 $719 in Arequipa and $678 in Iquitos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iquitos costs $678 versus $719 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.