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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $721 per month in Arequipa vs $108 in Tarapoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in Arequipa vs $233 in Tarapoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,575 per month in Arequipa vs $359 in Tarapoto, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 570% more than Tarapoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Tarapoto are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Tarapoto 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 PEN 12.65

$3.05 PEN 10.21

23.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.65 PEN 99.4

$30.24 PEN 101

-1.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PEN 19.75

$7.45 PEN 24.96

-20.94%

Cappuccino

$2.46 PEN 8.24

$3.03 PEN 10.14

-18.81%

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

$0.88 PEN 2.94

$0.76 PEN 2.54

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 PEN 1.40

$0.61 PEN 2.05

-31.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 PEN 8.19

$3.06 PEN 10.25

-20.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.56

$3.35 PEN 11.22

74.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.44

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.86

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 PEN 5.15

Eggs

$2.40 PEN 8.05

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.35 PEN 21.29

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 PEN 15.60

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 PEN 25.30

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.13

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.07

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.57

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.32

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.33

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 PEN 2.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 PEN 17.70

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 PEN 17.53

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 PEN 10.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.00

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 6.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 PEN 7.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.02 PEN 43.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.09

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

$18.8K PEN 63.1K

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

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

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

$23.84 PEN 79.9

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

$10.25 PEN 34.35

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.13 PEN 80.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.26 PEN 27.69

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 PEN 25.49

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

$76.9 PEN 258

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,718 PEN 22.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 PEN 168

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.80 PEN 89.9

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 PEN 226

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 PEN 199

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 PEN 1,234

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 818

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 PEN 2,444

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,444

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,041 PEN 6,841

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,376

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 PEN 2,201

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arequipa: August 15, 2026

Last update for Tarapoto: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Arequipa versus $30.00 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 570% 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 $1,082 per month in Arequipa and $161 in Tarapoto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $721 in Arequipa and $108 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 $30.00 in Arequipa and $30.00 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 $721 in Arequipa and $108 in Tarapoto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tarapoto costs $108 versus $721 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.