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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $635 per month in Arequipa vs $613 in Piura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $1,028 in Piura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,496 per month in Arequipa vs $1,443 in Piura, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 3% more than Piura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Piura are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 53% lower, Piura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 PEN 14.30

$2.82 PEN 9.71

47.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.81 PEN 95.7

$11.01 PEN 37.86

152.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 PEN 18.63

$5.47 PEN 18.82

-0.91%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 9.03

$3.36 PEN 11.55

-22.02%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.83

$1.63 PEN 5.60

-49.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.34

$0.53 PEN 1.81

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 PEN 7.75

$2.21 PEN 7.60

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 PEN 20.70

$2.83 PEN 9.75

112.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.48

$1.12 PEN 3.87

41.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 PEN 4.26

$3.14 PEN 10.80

-60.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PEN 4.39

$1.41 PEN 4.86

-9.22%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.12

$2.11 PEN 7.26

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.49 PEN 18.88

$8.28 PEN 28.48

-33.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 PEN 18.47

$7.04 PEN 24.21

-23.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 PEN 25.51

$9.39 PEN 32.32

-20.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.24

$1.35 PEN 4.66

12.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.22

$0.81 PEN 2.80

51.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.19

$0.81 PEN 2.78

50.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.59

$1.14 PEN 3.93

-34.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.89

$1.27 PEN 4.37

-56.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.87

$0.57 PEN 1.97

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PEN 1.64

$0.57 PEN 1.97

-15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.64

$0.81 PEN 2.77

-4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.97 PEN 17.09

$8.17 PEN 28.09

-39.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 PEN 17.06

$11.04 PEN 37.99

-55.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 PEN 8.20

$1.83 PEN 6.30

30.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 PEN 7.74

$2.83 PEN 9.73

-20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

$0.41 PEN 1.39

-29.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 PEN 7.11

$1.65 PEN 5.68

25.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 PEN 7.13

$1.61 PEN 5.53

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.91 PEN 44.41

$5.50 PEN 18.92

134.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.57

$1.40 PEN 4.82

15.71%

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

$18.9K PEN 65.2K

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

$24.6K PEN 84.7K

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

$40.37 PEN 139

$39.62 PEN 136

1.89%

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

$10.52 PEN 36.18

$8.40 PEN 28.89

25.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.08 PEN 107

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.29 PEN 73.2

$27.66 PEN 95.1

-23.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.58 PEN 29.50

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 PEN 15.12

$2.27 PEN 7.79

93.83%

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

$58.8 PEN 202

$188 PEN 645

-68.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,456 PEN 22.2K

$2,219 PEN 7,634

190.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.82 PEN 127

$42.46 PEN 146

-13.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.78 PEN 74.9

$12.62 PEN 43.40

72.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.0 PEN 217

$55.6 PEN 191

13.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 194

$69.3 PEN 238

-18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 824

$138 PEN 476

73.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 539

$126 PEN 434

24.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 PEN 1,883

$334 PEN 1,149

63.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 PEN 1,351

$386 PEN 1,327

1.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,979 PEN 6,808

$3,692 PEN 12.7K

-46.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$999 PEN 3,436

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 PEN 2,195

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: April 20, 2026

Last update for Piura: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $138 in Piura. 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 in Arequipa versus $11 in Piura. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Arequipa vs $219 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 3% 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 $952 per month in Arequipa and $920 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 28% 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 $635 in Arequipa and $613 in Piura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piura costs $613 versus $635 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.