Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Pisco Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Pisco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Arequipa vs $683 in Pisco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,136 per month in Arequipa vs $1,046 in Pisco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,553 per month in Arequipa vs $1,409 in Pisco, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 5% more than Pisco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 PEN 11.92

$4.40 PEN 14.85

-19.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.40 PEN 95.8

$35.60 PEN 120

-20.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 PEN 20.46

$6.93 PEN 23.38

-12.55%

Cappuccino

$2.59 PEN 8.75

$3.42 PEN 11.53

-24.27%

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

$0.85 PEN 2.86

$1.13 PEN 3.82

-24.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.62 PEN 2.10

-40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 PEN 7.07

$2.60 PEN 8.78

-19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PEN 14.82

$4.40 PEN 14.86

-0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.60

$1.63 PEN 5.49

-16.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 PEN 4.69

$2.33 PEN 7.87

-40.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.01

$1.24 PEN 4.18

19.35%

Eggs

$2.35 PEN 7.93

$1.32 PEN 4.45

78.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 PEN 21.97

$6.52 PEN 22.01

-0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 PEN 15.44

$4.80 PEN 16.18

-4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 PEN 25.92

$6.56 PEN 22.15

17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 PEN 5.98

$1.35 PEN 4.56

31.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.26

$1.02 PEN 3.43

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.97

$1.46 PEN 4.93

-19.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.59

$0.58 PEN 1.96

82.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.43 PEN 1.46

58.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.89 PEN 2.99

-23.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.90

$0.86 PEN 2.89

-34.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.56

$0.93 PEN 3.15

-18.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 PEN 17.19

$6.02 PEN 20.30

-15.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 PEN 17.27

$8.94 PEN 30.18

-42.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 PEN 9.30

$1.96 PEN 6.62

40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PEN 7.82

$2.47 PEN 8.34

-6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.86 PEN 2.91

-63.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.37 PEN 123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.06

$3.99 PEN 13.47

-47.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.14

$2.12 PEN 7.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 PEN 44.26

$7.23 PEN 24.41

81.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.27

$1.72 PEN 5.81

-9.30%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.6K

$21.8K PEN 73.4K

-12.09%

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

$25.8K PEN 87.0K

$26.7K PEN 90.2K

-3.62%

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

$24.60 PEN 83.0

$43.76 PEN 148

-43.78%

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

$10.35 PEN 34.93

$17.39 PEN 58.7

-40.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.49 PEN 79.3

$11.74 PEN 39.62

100.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.85 PEN 83.9

$21.17 PEN 71.4

17.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 PEN 27.13

$8.70 PEN 29.34

-7.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 PEN 24.77

$7.55 PEN 25.47

-2.78%

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

$76.7 PEN 259

$183 PEN 619

-58.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,936 PEN 23.4K

$13.2K PEN 44.4K

-47.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.48 PEN 167

$53.4 PEN 180

-7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.26 PEN 92.0

$13.38 PEN 45.14

103.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 PEN 227

$48.28 PEN 163

39.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 PEN 204

$35.84 PEN 121

69.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 PEN 1,207

$162 PEN 548

120.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 PEN 803

$136 PEN 460

74.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 PEN 2,517

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,455

$146 PEN 493

194.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 PEN 6,765

$1,846 PEN 6,227

8.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,397

$1,358 PEN 4,582

-25.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 PEN 2,124

$587 PEN 1,980

7.29%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pisco: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Arequipa versus $162 in Pisco. 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 7% 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 $36.00 in Pisco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $185 – 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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 5% more than Pisco, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $1,025 in Pisco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pisco, 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 $36.00 in Pisco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $719 in Arequipa and $683 in Pisco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pisco costs $683 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 Pisco. 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.