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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Arequipa vs $1,044 in Miraflores, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Arequipa vs $1,161 in Miraflores, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Arequipa vs $1,279 in Miraflores, rent included.

Arequipa is about 38% cheaper than Miraflores, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arequipa and Miraflores are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Miraflores 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.80

$4.19 PEN 14.23

-2.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 PEN 94.6

$32.90 PEN 112

-15.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.54

$5.02 PEN 17.03

8.96%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.74

$2.53 PEN 8.57

1.98%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.92 PEN 3.13

-10.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.65 PEN 2.19

-43.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$2.24 PEN 7.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.72

$3.77 PEN 12.80

62.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.26

$1.28 PEN 4.34

21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.30

$1.13 PEN 3.84

12.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.35 PEN 4.56

-4.44%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.01

$2.93 PEN 9.95

-29.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.89

$8.18 PEN 27.74

-31.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 PEN 17.89

$5.73 PEN 19.45

-8.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 25.71

$8.93 PEN 30.29

-15.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.97

$2.06 PEN 7.00

-29.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 4.00

$1.08 PEN 3.66

9.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$1.15 PEN 3.91

6.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$1.09 PEN 3.71

-28.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.02

$1.04 PEN 3.52

-43.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.98

$0.84 PEN 2.85

-30.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.52

$0.80 PEN 2.71

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.59 PEN 1.99

22.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 PEN 17.12

$5.54 PEN 18.79

-8.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 PEN 17.67

$8.59 PEN 29.13

-39.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.40

$1.68 PEN 5.70

47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$2.81 PEN 9.52

-21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.29 PEN 0.99

-6.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.08

$3.41 PEN 11.58

-38.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.92

$2.22 PEN 7.52

-8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 PEN 43.84

$8.13 PEN 27.56

58.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.49

$1.23 PEN 4.18

31.71%

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

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

-3.40%

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

$25.4K PEN 86.0K

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

2.28%

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

$39.23 PEN 133

$54.9 PEN 186

-28.58%

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

$10.33 PEN 35.03

$8.10 PEN 27.48

27.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 PEN 103

$23.46 PEN 79.6

29.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 PEN 74.5

$32.98 PEN 112

-33.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.73

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PEN 15.12

$7.14 PEN 24.22

-37.54%

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

$59.9 PEN 203

$220 PEN 746

-72.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

$7,866 PEN 26.7K

-18.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 PEN 128

$50.2 PEN 170

-24.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 PEN 75.6

$36.04 PEN 122

-38.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 PEN 214

$90.9 PEN 308

-30.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 PEN 192

$82.4 PEN 279

-31.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 827

$666 PEN 2,259

-63.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 533

$503 PEN 1,706

-68.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 PEN 1,853

$1,600 PEN 5,427

-65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,324

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 PEN 6,863

$2,513 PEN 8,524

-19.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 PEN 3,373

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,201

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

48.37%

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

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Miraflores: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Arequipa versus $666 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 $28.00 in Arequipa versus $33.00 in Miraflores. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $194 – 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 Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Arequipa and $1,565 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 $28.00 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 $652, than in Miraflores at $1,044. 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 $652 versus $1,044 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.