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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Arequipa vs $630 in Piura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Arequipa vs $1,056 in Piura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,518 per month in Arequipa vs $1,482 in Piura, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 1% more than Piura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Piura are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Piura 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 PEN 13.94

$2.70 PEN 9.18

51.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.33 PEN 92.9

$11.22 PEN 38.13

143.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 PEN 19.37

$5.53 PEN 18.82

3.07%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.77

$3.40 PEN 11.56

-24.12%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$1.71 PEN 5.81

-53.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.33

$0.53 PEN 1.79

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$2.19 PEN 7.45

-1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 PEN 20.23

$2.86 PEN 9.73

108.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.14 PEN 3.89

41.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 PEN 4.13

$3.12 PEN 10.61

-60.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.42 PEN 4.84

-13.38%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.04

$2.11 PEN 7.16

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 PEN 18.42

$8.29 PEN 28.18

-34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 PEN 17.83

$7.27 PEN 24.71

-27.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 PEN 26.36

$9.70 PEN 32.96

-20.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.93

$1.30 PEN 4.43

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.15

$0.82 PEN 2.77

48.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.13

$0.86 PEN 2.94

40.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.82

$1.12 PEN 3.81

-25.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$1.27 PEN 4.31

-56.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.51

$0.58 PEN 1.98

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 PEN 2.64

$0.79 PEN 2.68

-1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 PEN 16.61

$8.41 PEN 28.60

-41.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 PEN 17.21

$10.88 PEN 37.00

-53.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.33

$1.76 PEN 5.97

39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$2.72 PEN 9.25

-18.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.40 PEN 1.37

-27.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.08

$1.71 PEN 5.81

21.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 PEN 7.14

$1.66 PEN 5.65

26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.90 PEN 43.87

$5.54 PEN 18.82

132.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.44 PEN 4.89

11.81%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

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

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

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

$40.46 PEN 138

$39.79 PEN 135

1.68%

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

$10.61 PEN 36.07

$8.43 PEN 28.64

25.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.57 PEN 104

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

$27.53 PEN 93.6

-20.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 PEN 15.42

$2.19 PEN 7.44

107.31%

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

$59.3 PEN 202

$187 PEN 635

-68.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

$2,195 PEN 7,462

194.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 PEN 128

$40.97 PEN 139

-7.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 PEN 74.2

$12.56 PEN 42.70

73.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 PEN 208

$55.1 PEN 187

11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 PEN 188

$68.3 PEN 232

-19.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 PEN 820

$138 PEN 469

74.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

$124 PEN 420

25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,844

$331 PEN 1,124

64.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 PEN 1,343

$390 PEN 1,327

1.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 PEN 6,646

$3,667 PEN 12.5K

-46.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$644 PEN 2,188

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Piura: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 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 $27.00 in Arequipa versus $11.00 in Piura. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Arequipa vs $220 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 1% 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 $958 per month in Arequipa and $944 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 $27.00 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 $639 in Arequipa and $630 in Piura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piura costs $630 versus $639 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.