Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Miraflores Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Miraflores

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Arequipa vs $1,161 in Miraflores, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,150 per month in Arequipa vs $1,257 in Miraflores, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Arequipa vs $1,353 in Miraflores, rent included.

Arequipa is about 37% cheaper than Miraflores, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Miraflores are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Miraflores 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PEN 12.04

$4.38 PEN 14.67

-18.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 PEN 100

$32.55 PEN 109

-8.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.63

$5.49 PEN 18.40

6.56%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 8.75

$3.25 PEN 10.90

-19.69%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.79

$1.12 PEN 3.76

-25.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 PEN 1.22

$0.66 PEN 2.23

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.40

$2.69 PEN 9.01

-17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PEN 14.56

$4.53 PEN 15.19

-4.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$1.33 PEN 4.46

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.85

$1.17 PEN 3.92

23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.34 PEN 4.51

14.18%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$2.91 PEN 9.76

-18.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 PEN 21.66

$9.09 PEN 30.48

-28.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 PEN 14.98

$5.93 PEN 19.89

-24.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 PEN 24.95

$9.84 PEN 32.99

-24.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

$2.07 PEN 6.93

-11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

$1.10 PEN 3.70

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.91

$1.45 PEN 4.85

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$1.22 PEN 4.10

-16.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.91 PEN 3.04

-26.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.42

$0.85 PEN 2.85

-15.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$0.85 PEN 2.85

-34.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.57

$0.62 PEN 2.06

24.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 PEN 17.51

$6.08 PEN 20.38

-14.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 PEN 17.74

$8.71 PEN 29.21

-39.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 PEN 9.69

$1.73 PEN 5.79

67.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.04

$2.92 PEN 9.79

-17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$3.93 PEN 13.19

-46.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.86

$2.04 PEN 6.83

0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 PEN 43.08

$7.55 PEN 25.32

70.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.08

$1.37 PEN 4.59

10.95%

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

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

$22.3K PEN 74.9K

-16.88%

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

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

$26.8K PEN 89.9K

-2.83%

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

$24.42 PEN 81.9

$58.8 PEN 197

-58.44%

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

$10.19 PEN 34.16

$8.87 PEN 29.74

14.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 PEN 78.5

$27.83 PEN 93.3

-15.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

$35.76 PEN 120

-28.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 PEN 28.04

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 PEN 25.16

$7.31 PEN 24.50

2.60%

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

$75.6 PEN 253

$182 PEN 609

-58.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

$13.2K PEN 44.2K

-48.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 PEN 166

$54.2 PEN 182

-8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 PEN 88.0

$36.05 PEN 121

-27.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 PEN 232

$87.1 PEN 292

-20.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 PEN 200

$79.3 PEN 266

-24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,214

$678 PEN 2,275

-46.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 804

$525 PEN 1,762

-54.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 PEN 2,452

$1,613 PEN 5,409

-54.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 6,688

$2,534 PEN 8,498

-21.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,198

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

67.79%

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

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Miraflores: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Arequipa versus $678 in Miraflores. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Arequipa versus $33.00 in Miraflores. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $204 – making Arequipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Miraflores: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miraflores costs about 60% more than Arequipa, 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 $1,089 per month in Arequipa and $1,742 in Miraflores. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Arequipa and $33.00 in Miraflores. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Miraflores, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Miraflores at $1,161. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Miraflores it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $726 versus $1,161 in Miraflores. 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 Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Miraflores makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.