Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Pucallpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Pucallpa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $650 per month in Arequipa vs $453 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Arequipa vs $745 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,485 per month in Arequipa vs $1,036 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 43% more than Pucallpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arequipa and Pucallpa are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Pucallpa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 14.32

$2.25 PEN 7.91

80.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.21 PEN 99.3

$11.32 PEN 39.83

149.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 PEN 20.00

$5.01 PEN 17.65

13.37%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 9.18

$1.98 PEN 6.96

31.82%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.88

$0.95 PEN 3.33

-13.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.30

$0.27 PEN 0.94

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.70

$1.72 PEN 6.05

27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 PEN 20.69

$2.27 PEN 7.99

159.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.40

$0.98 PEN 3.46

56.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.46

$3.56 PEN 12.54

-64.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.28

$1.08 PEN 3.80

12.96%

Eggs

$2.06 PEN 7.24

$1.65 PEN 5.81

24.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 PEN 18.93

$1.89 PEN 6.65

184.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 PEN 18.51

$3.98 PEN 14.01

32.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 PEN 26.22

$3.41 PEN 12.01

118.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 5.15

$2.18 PEN 7.66

-33.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.28

$1.41 PEN 4.98

-13.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.17

$1.42 PEN 5.01

-16.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.71

$2.45 PEN 8.64

-68.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.95

$0.95 PEN 3.34

-42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.90

$1.90 PEN 6.67

-71.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.55

$0.76 PEN 2.67

-42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.66

$0.94 PEN 3.30

-19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 PEN 17.41

$4.38 PEN 15.42

13.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 PEN 17.14

$7.70 PEN 27.11

-36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.43

$2.26 PEN 7.94

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PEN 8.15

$3.35 PEN 11.79

-30.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.03

$1.13 PEN 3.98

-74.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.33

$1.35 PEN 4.77

54.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.44

$0.52 PEN 1.82

305.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.82 PEN 45.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 PEN 5.64

$1.18 PEN 4.14

35.59%

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

$18.7K PEN 65.9K

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

$25.0K PEN 88.0K

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

$39.83 PEN 140

$49.63 PEN 175

-19.75%

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

$10.73 PEN 37.77

$15.10 PEN 53.2

-28.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 PEN 108

$41.63 PEN 147

-26.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 PEN 75.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 PEN 28.93

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 15.44

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

$59.9 PEN 211

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,271 PEN 22.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.93 PEN 130

$50.8 PEN 179

-27.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.01 PEN 77.5

$33.11 PEN 117

-33.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 217

$33.65 PEN 118

82.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 PEN 194

$63.7 PEN 224

-13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 PEN 861

$111 PEN 392

119.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 549

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,908

$222 PEN 781

144.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 PEN 1,350

$119 PEN 419

222.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 7,023

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 PEN 3,526

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 PEN 2,222

$405 PEN 1,426

55.84%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Arequipa versus $111 in Pucallpa. 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 56% 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 Pucallpa. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Arequipa vs $184 in Pucallpa – 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 Pucallpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 43% more than Pucallpa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $975 per month in Arequipa and $680 in Pucallpa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pucallpa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $650 in Arequipa and $453 in Pucallpa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $650 in Arequipa and $453 in Pucallpa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pucallpa costs $453 versus $650 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 Pucallpa. 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.