Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Tarapoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Tarapoto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Arequipa vs $105 in Tarapoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,114 per month in Arequipa vs $226 in Tarapoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,510 per month in Arequipa vs $347 in Tarapoto, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 587% more than Tarapoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Tarapoto are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 46% lower, Tarapoto 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 PEN 11.74

$2.84 PEN 9.78

20.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.27 PEN 93.9

$29.08 PEN 100

-6.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 PEN 19.55

$7.23 PEN 24.89

-21.44%

Cappuccino

$2.47 PEN 8.49

$2.94 PEN 10.14

-15.99%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.83

$0.75 PEN 2.60

9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 PEN 1.32

$0.56 PEN 1.93

-32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 PEN 7.13

$2.92 PEN 10.06

-29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 PEN 15.15

$3.20 PEN 11.03

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.59

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 PEN 4.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.23

Eggs

$2.25 PEN 7.76

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 PEN 21.99

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 PEN 15.05

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 PEN 25.77

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 PEN 6.09

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.90

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.54

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 PEN 2.20

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.87

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 PEN 17.84

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.34

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PEN 0.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 PEN 6.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 PEN 6.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.00 PEN 44.76

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.29

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

$19.2K PEN 66.0K

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

$25.0K PEN 86.2K

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

$24.05 PEN 82.8

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

$10.15 PEN 34.96

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 PEN 79.3

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.05 PEN 86.3

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 28.01

Cinema Ticket

$7.41 PEN 25.51

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

$74.8 PEN 257

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,596 PEN 22.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.85 PEN 168

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.46 PEN 91.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 PEN 234

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.3 PEN 197

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 PEN 1,219

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 PEN 813

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 PEN 2,461

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 PEN 1,438

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 PEN 6,856

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$974 PEN 3,355

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 PEN 2,124

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: October 5, 2026

Last update for Tarapoto: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Arequipa versus $29.00 in Tarapoto. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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 Tarapoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 587% more than Tarapoto, 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 $1,078 per month in Arequipa and $157 in Tarapoto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $719 in Arequipa and $105 in Tarapoto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Arequipa and $29.00 in Tarapoto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $719 in Arequipa and $105 in Tarapoto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tarapoto costs $105 versus $719 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 Tarapoto. 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.