Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Piura Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Piura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $641 per month in Arequipa vs $619 in Piura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,058 per month in Arequipa vs $1,023 in Piura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Arequipa vs $1,427 in Piura, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 4% more than Piura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Piura are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Piura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 PEN 14.09

$2.81 PEN 9.56

47.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.18 PEN 95.8

$10.89 PEN 37.05

158.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PEN 18.72

$5.61 PEN 19.07

-1.78%

Cappuccino

$2.49 PEN 8.48

$3.28 PEN 11.15

-24.09%

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

$0.76 PEN 2.58

$1.71 PEN 5.83

-55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.34

$0.53 PEN 1.80

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$2.29 PEN 7.78

-2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 PEN 20.34

$2.73 PEN 9.29

119.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.18

$1.13 PEN 3.84

34.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 PEN 4.20

$3.01 PEN 10.24

-58.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.36 PEN 4.63

-6.62%

Eggs

$2.14 PEN 7.26

$2.04 PEN 6.94

4.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 PEN 18.24

$8.18 PEN 27.82

-34.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 PEN 17.87

$7.19 PEN 24.46

-26.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 PEN 26.26

$9.26 PEN 31.49

-16.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.94

$1.30 PEN 4.40

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$0.85 PEN 2.88

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$0.79 PEN 2.70

50.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.77

$1.09 PEN 3.72

-25.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.02

$1.23 PEN 4.17

-52.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.55 PEN 1.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.50

$0.53 PEN 1.81

-16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.59

$0.80 PEN 2.71

-5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 PEN 17.24

$8.28 PEN 28.17

-38.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 PEN 17.88

$11.24 PEN 38.23

-53.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.34

$1.83 PEN 6.21

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 PEN 7.60

$2.76 PEN 9.40

-18.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.43 PEN 1.48

-32.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.08

$1.72 PEN 5.84

20.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 PEN 7.03

$1.60 PEN 5.43

29.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.84 PEN 43.65

$5.62 PEN 19.11

128.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.53

$1.39 PEN 4.73

17.27%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

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

$25.2K PEN 85.7K

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

$39.89 PEN 136

$38.69 PEN 132

3.10%

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

$10.74 PEN 36.51

$8.21 PEN 27.92

30.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.30 PEN 103

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 PEN 73.5

$28.18 PEN 95.9

-23.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 27.64

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PEN 14.73

$2.26 PEN 7.68

91.59%

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

$59.5 PEN 202

$189 PEN 643

-68.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,278 PEN 21.4K

$2,217 PEN 7,538

183.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.91 PEN 126

$40.92 PEN 139

-9.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 PEN 74.2

$12.39 PEN 42.13

76.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 PEN 212

$56.4 PEN 192

10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 PEN 187

$70.5 PEN 240

-22.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 PEN 806

$140 PEN 477

68.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

$127 PEN 433

22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 PEN 1,830

$331 PEN 1,127

62.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,299

$385 PEN 1,308

-0.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 PEN 6,849

$3,745 PEN 12.7K

-46.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 PEN 3,359

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 PEN 2,192

$540 PEN 1,837

19.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: July 26, 2026

Last update for Piura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Arequipa versus $140 in Piura. 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 19% 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 $11.00 in Piura. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Arequipa vs $217 in Piura – so Arequipa 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 Piura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 4% more than Piura, 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 $961 per month in Arequipa and $928 in Piura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piura, 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 $11.00 in Piura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% 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 $641 in Arequipa and $619 in Piura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piura costs $619 versus $641 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 Piura. 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.