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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Arequipa vs $450 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Arequipa vs $756 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,518 per month in Arequipa vs $1,062 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 42% more than Pucallpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arequipa and Pucallpa are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Pucallpa 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 PEN 13.94

$2.20 PEN 7.47

86.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.33 PEN 92.9

$11.18 PEN 38.01

144.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 PEN 19.37

$4.87 PEN 16.55

17.04%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.77

$1.92 PEN 6.52

34.38%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$1.00 PEN 3.39

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PEN 1.33

$0.29 PEN 0.99

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$1.71 PEN 5.80

25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 PEN 20.23

$2.20 PEN 7.47

170.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.01 PEN 3.45

59.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 PEN 4.13

$3.41 PEN 11.59

-64.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.10 PEN 3.73

11.82%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.04

$1.69 PEN 5.75

22.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 PEN 18.42

$1.89 PEN 6.43

186.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 PEN 17.83

$4.00 PEN 13.59

31.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 PEN 26.36

$3.27 PEN 11.10

137.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.93

$2.24 PEN 7.63

-35.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.15

$1.41 PEN 4.80

-13.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.13

$1.43 PEN 4.87

-15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.82

$2.54 PEN 8.63

-67.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$0.95 PEN 3.23

-42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$1.92 PEN 6.53

-70.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.51

$0.71 PEN 2.42

-38.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 PEN 2.64

$1.01 PEN 3.43

-22.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 PEN 16.61

$4.55 PEN 15.48

7.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 PEN 17.21

$7.87 PEN 26.74

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.33

$2.27 PEN 7.70

7.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$3.38 PEN 11.48

-34.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.09 PEN 3.70

-73.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.08

$1.41 PEN 4.80

47.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 PEN 7.14

$0.55 PEN 1.88

281.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.90 PEN 43.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.21 PEN 4.10

33.06%

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

$50.1 PEN 170

-19.26%

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

$10.61 PEN 36.07

$15.00 PEN 51.0

-29.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.57 PEN 104

$41.85 PEN 142

-26.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 PEN 15.42

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

$59.3 PEN 202

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 PEN 128

$49.79 PEN 169

-24.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 PEN 74.2

$33.24 PEN 113

-34.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 PEN 208

$33.51 PEN 114

82.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 PEN 188

$63.1 PEN 215

-12.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 PEN 820

$111 PEN 377

117.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,844

$221 PEN 751

145.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 PEN 1,343

$118 PEN 401

235.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 PEN 6,646

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$644 PEN 2,188

$411 PEN 1,397

56.65%

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 Pucallpa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 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 57% 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 $27.00 in Arequipa versus $11.00 in Pucallpa. Groceries tell a different story – $172 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 42% 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 $958 per month in Arequipa and $675 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 $639 in Arequipa and $450 in Pucallpa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% 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 $639 in Arequipa and $450 in Pucallpa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pucallpa costs $450 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 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.