Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Tacna

For one person, living is cheaper in Tacna: $433 a month against $696 in Arequipa, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Arequipa
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Arequipa Living Index

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Arequipa

🇵🇪 Peru

$696

/mo nomad

Tacna

🇵🇪 Peru

$433

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arequipa and in Tacna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Arequipa and in Tacna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $696 per month in Arequipa vs $433 in Tacna, rent included.

Arequipa $696
Tacna $433

A couple spends around $1,094 per month in Arequipa vs $621 in Tacna, rent included.

Arequipa $1,094
Tacna $621

A family of three spends $1,492 per month in Arequipa vs $810 in Tacna, rent included.

Arequipa $1,492
Tacna $810

Arequipa costs about 61% more than Tacna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Arequipa and Tacna are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 49% lower, Tacna 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 PEN 11.67

$2.84 PEN 9.77

19.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.99 PEN 89.5

$14.47 PEN 49.80

79.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 PEN 19.71

$4.94 PEN 16.99

15.99%

Cappuccino

$2.50 PEN 8.61

$3.42 PEN 11.77

-26.90%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.81

$1.13 PEN 3.89

-27.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 PEN 1.32

$0.41 PEN 1.41

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 PEN 7.04

$2.83 PEN 9.73

-27.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 PEN 9.99

$3.36 PEN 11.55

-13.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 PEN 4.36

$1.16 PEN 4.00

9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 PEN 4.84

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.19

$0.83 PEN 2.86

81.93%

Eggs

$2.34 PEN 8.04

$1.76 PEN 6.05

32.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 PEN 21.55

$4.34 PEN 14.94

44.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 PEN 15.15

$4.65 PEN 16.01

-5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.17 PEN 24.67

$8.61 PEN 29.62

-16.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 PEN 5.90

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.25

$1.41 PEN 4.85

-12.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.91

$0.90 PEN 3.11

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.43

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 PEN 2.14

$0.74 PEN 2.56

-16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 PEN 1.77

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.62

$0.70 PEN 2.40

8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 PEN 17.68

$4.36 PEN 15.02

17.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 PEN 17.04

$6.42 PEN 22.10

-22.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 PEN 9.15

$2.59 PEN 8.90

2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 PEN 7.69

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PEN 0.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 PEN 6.77

$1.90 PEN 6.54

3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 7.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.72 PEN 43.77

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 PEN 5.45

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

$19.0K PEN 65.2K

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

$25.3K PEN 87.2K

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

$23.50 PEN 80.9

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

$10.28 PEN 35.37

$18.59 PEN 64.0

-44.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.79 PEN 78.4

$25.48 PEN 87.7

-10.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.35 PEN 83.8

$29.16 PEN 100

-16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 PEN 26.73

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 PEN 24.19

$2.58 PEN 8.88

172.48%

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

$73.9 PEN 254

$57.3 PEN 197

28.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,686 PEN 23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.91 PEN 165

$20.45 PEN 70.4

134.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 PEN 88.7

$20.55 PEN 70.7

25.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 PEN 226

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 PEN 201

$26.26 PEN 90.4

121.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 PEN 1,199

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 PEN 796

$68.7 PEN 237

236.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 PEN 2,473

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 PEN 1,414

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 PEN 6,589

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 PEN 3,348

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 PEN 2,082

$465 PEN 1,600

30.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: November 3, 2026

Last update for Tacna: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Arequipa

$231 33.3%

Tacna

–

Groceries & Markets

Arequipa

$172 24.7%

Tacna

–

Eating Out

Arequipa

$95 13.7%

Tacna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Arequipa

$89 12.8%

Tacna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arequipa

$57 8.1%

Tacna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Arequipa

$38 5.5%

Tacna

–

Getting Around

Arequipa

$13 * 1.9%

Tacna

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 30% 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 $26 in Arequipa versus $14 in Tacna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $147 – making Tacna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Arequipa

🇵🇪 Tacna

🕒 Local time

00:07 12:07 AM

Same time as Arequipa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,062

92,972

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Arequipa Tacna 230 km

From you

Arequipa
Tacna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tacna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 61% more than Tacna, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,044 per month in Arequipa and $649 in Tacna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Arequipa and $14 in Tacna. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Arequipa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $696 in Arequipa and $433 in Tacna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Arequipa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $433 in Tacna to $696 in Arequipa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Tacna. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arequipa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.