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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $724 per month in Arequipa vs $735 in Piura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,146 per month in Arequipa vs $1,256 in Piura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,568 per month in Arequipa vs $1,778 in Piura, rent included.

Arequipa is about 1% cheaper than Piura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Piura are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 48% lower, Piura 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 PEN 12.06

$3.67 PEN 12.31

-1.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 PEN 100

$25.34 PEN 85.0

18.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 PEN 20.50

$7.27 PEN 24.36

-15.96%

Cappuccino

$2.60 PEN 8.73

$3.35 PEN 11.23

-22.39%

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

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$1.12 PEN 3.74

-30.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.32

$0.72 PEN 2.41

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 PEN 7.04

$2.34 PEN 7.84

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 PEN 14.88

$3.00 PEN 10.06

48.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.39

$1.46 PEN 4.89

-10.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 PEN 4.80

$2.64 PEN 8.85

-45.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.05

$1.62 PEN 5.43

-6.79%

Eggs

$2.40 PEN 8.04

$2.87 PEN 9.61

-16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 PEN 21.47

$10.80 PEN 36.19

-40.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 PEN 15.33

$8.86 PEN 29.69

-48.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 PEN 25.20

$10.86 PEN 36.40

-30.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 PEN 5.97

$1.43 PEN 4.78

24.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.05

$1.30 PEN 4.36

-6.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.09

$1.51 PEN 5.07

-19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.54

$1.36 PEN 4.57

-22.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 PEN 2.17

$1.28 PEN 4.29

-49.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.30

$0.73 PEN 2.46

-5.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.81

$0.91 PEN 3.04

-40.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.74

$1.37 PEN 4.59

-40.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 PEN 17.75

$8.05 PEN 26.99

-34.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.37 PEN 17.99

$11.37 PEN 38.13

-52.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 PEN 9.32

$1.91 PEN 6.41

45.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.75

$2.91 PEN 9.74

-20.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.70 PEN 2.34

-55.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.26 PEN 71.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 6.91

$3.16 PEN 10.58

-34.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$2.36 PEN 7.91

-10.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 PEN 44.26

$7.58 PEN 25.42

74.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 PEN 5.03

$1.49 PEN 4.98

0.67%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.1K

$22.3K PEN 74.8K

-15.58%

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

$25.7K PEN 86.2K

$23.9K PEN 80.2K

7.58%

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

$24.24 PEN 81.3

$42.21 PEN 142

-42.57%

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

$10.50 PEN 35.19

$8.82 PEN 29.55

19.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.97 PEN 80.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.89 PEN 83.4

$29.64 PEN 99.4

-16.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.28 PEN 27.75

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 PEN 25.30

$2.46 PEN 8.25

206.91%

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

$76.0 PEN 255

$200 PEN 670

-61.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,810 PEN 22.8K

$2,379 PEN 7,976

186.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 PEN 165

$44.11 PEN 148

11.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.31 PEN 91.5

$13.58 PEN 45.52

101.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 PEN 226

$60.7 PEN 203

11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.5 PEN 203

$75.7 PEN 254

-20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,214

$236 PEN 790

53.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 819

$132 PEN 444

84.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 PEN 2,528

$407 PEN 1,364

85.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 PEN 1,452

$401 PEN 1,343

8.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,036 PEN 6,826

$3,896 PEN 13.1K

-47.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,013 PEN 3,395

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$668 PEN 2,239

$554 PEN 1,856

20.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: September 7, 2026

Last update for Piura: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Arequipa versus $236 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 21% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Arequipa versus $25.00 in Piura. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Arequipa vs $259 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

Piura costs about 2% 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 $1,086 per month in Arequipa and $1,102 in Piura. 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 $25.00 in Piura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Piura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $724 in Arequipa and $735 in Piura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $724 versus $735 in Piura. 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, Piura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.