Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $641 per month in Iquitos vs $650 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,154 per month in Iquitos vs $1,067 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,666 per month in Iquitos vs $1,485 in Arequipa, rent included.

Iquitos is about 1% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iquitos and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Iquitos 52% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 PEN 14.32

$4.07 PEN 14.28

0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.24 PEN 127

$28.21 PEN 99.0

28.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 24.01

$5.68 PEN 19.95

20.42%

Cappuccino

$3.36 PEN 11.78

$2.61 PEN 9.15

28.74%

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

$0.81 PEN 2.86

$0.82 PEN 2.87

-1.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 PEN 3.53

$0.37 PEN 1.30

170.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 PEN 9.97

$2.19 PEN 7.67

29.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 PEN 25.02

$5.88 PEN 20.63

21.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 6.02

$1.53 PEN 5.38

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 PEN 7.89

$1.27 PEN 4.45

77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.27

Eggs

$2.37 PEN 8.34

$2.06 PEN 7.22

15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 PEN 18.88

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PEN 10.69

$5.26 PEN 18.46

-42.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 PEN 26.14

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 5.13

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.27

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.16

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.70

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.95

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 3.06

$0.76 PEN 2.66

14.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 PEN 17.36

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 PEN 17.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PEN 8.13

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.03

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.31

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.82 PEN 44.99

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 PEN 5.62

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

$18.7K PEN 65.7K

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

$25.0K PEN 87.8K

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

$33.44 PEN 117

$39.83 PEN 140

-16.04%

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

$10.80 PEN 37.90

$10.73 PEN 37.66

0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.32 PEN 29.20

$30.64 PEN 108

-72.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.27 PEN 99.2

$21.47 PEN 75.4

31.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 PEN 28.63

$8.22 PEN 28.85

-0.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 PEN 19.24

$4.39 PEN 15.40

24.83%

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

$59.9 PEN 210

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,667 PEN 9,363

$6,271 PEN 22.0K

-57.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.7 PEN 287

$36.93 PEN 130

121.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.05 PEN 116

$22.01 PEN 77.3

50.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 PEN 178

$61.6 PEN 216

-17.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.37 PEN 89.1

$55.1 PEN 194

-53.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 PEN 1,155

$245 PEN 858

34.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 PEN 870

$156 PEN 547

59.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 PEN 2,908

$542 PEN 1,902

52.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 PEN 2,459

$384 PEN 1,346

82.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 7,003

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 PEN 3,516

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 PEN 2,020

$631 PEN 2,216

-8.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Iquitos: April 25, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Iquitos versus $245 in Arequipa. 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 10% 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 $36.00 in Iquitos versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $75.0 in Iquitos vs $169 in Arequipa – so Iquitos 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

Iquitos vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 1% more than Iquitos, 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 $962 per month in Iquitos and $975 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iquitos, 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 $641 in Iquitos and $650 in Arequipa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 126% more in Arequipa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $641 in Iquitos and $650 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iquitos costs $641 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 Iquitos. 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.