Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Arequipa

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $656 a month against $696 in Arequipa, rent and utilities included – about $480 less a year. The total is higher in Arequipa despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Arequipa
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Arequipa Living Index

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Iquitos

🇵🇪 Peru

$656

/mo nomad

Arequipa

🇵🇪 Peru

$696

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iquitos and in Arequipa

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

A single person spends $656 per month in Iquitos vs $696 in Arequipa, rent included.

Iquitos $656
Arequipa $696

A couple spends around $1,177 per month in Iquitos vs $1,094 in Arequipa, rent included.

Iquitos $1,177
Arequipa $1,094

A family of three spends $1,697 per month in Iquitos vs $1,492 in Arequipa, rent included.

Iquitos $1,697
Arequipa $1,492

Iquitos is about 6% cheaper than Arequipa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Iquitos and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Iquitos 52% lower, Arequipa 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.23 PEN 14.56

$3.39 PEN 11.68

24.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.33 PEN 129

$25.99 PEN 89.5

43.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 PEN 24.35

$5.73 PEN 19.71

23.39%

Cappuccino

$3.41 PEN 11.75

$2.50 PEN 8.61

36.40%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.85

$0.82 PEN 2.81

1.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.05

$0.38 PEN 1.32

55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 PEN 10.06

$2.04 PEN 7.04

43.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 PEN 24.75

$2.90 PEN 9.99

147.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 PEN 5.82

$1.27 PEN 4.36

33.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PEN 7.78

$1.41 PEN 4.84

60.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.19

Eggs

$2.60 PEN 8.95

$2.34 PEN 8.05

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 PEN 21.56

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 PEN 11.03

$4.40 PEN 15.15

-27.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.17 PEN 24.67

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 PEN 5.90

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.25

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.91

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.43

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 PEN 2.14

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 PEN 1.77

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.14

$0.76 PEN 2.62

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 PEN 17.69

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 PEN 17.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 PEN 9.16

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 7.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.72 PEN 43.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 PEN 5.45

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

$19.0K PEN 65.3K

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)

$35.08 PEN 121

$23.50 PEN 80.9

49.28%

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

$11.15 PEN 38.37

$10.28 PEN 35.38

8.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.58 PEN 29.55

$22.79 PEN 78.5

-62.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.56 PEN 102

$24.35 PEN 83.8

21.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 PEN 30.61

$7.77 PEN 26.74

14.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 PEN 19.38

$7.03 PEN 24.20

-19.91%

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

$73.9 PEN 254

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,760 PEN 9,502

$6,686 PEN 23.0K

-58.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 PEN 301

$47.91 PEN 165

82.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 PEN 118

$25.78 PEN 88.8

33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.4 PEN 180

$65.6 PEN 226

-20.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.33 PEN 90.6

$58.3 PEN 201

-54.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 PEN 1,195

$348 PEN 1,199

-0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 PEN 902

$231 PEN 796

13.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 PEN 2,953

$719 PEN 2,473

19.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 PEN 2,471

$411 PEN 1,414

74.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 PEN 6,591

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 PEN 3,349

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 PEN 1,995

$605 PEN 2,083

-4.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Iquitos: October 31, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Iquitos

–

Arequipa

$231 33.3%

Groceries & Markets

Iquitos

–

Arequipa

$172 24.7%

Eating Out

Iquitos

–

Arequipa

$95 13.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Iquitos

–

Arequipa

$89 12.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iquitos

–

Arequipa

$57 8.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Iquitos

–

Arequipa

$38 5.5%

Getting Around

Iquitos

–

Arequipa

$13 * 1.9%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Iquitos versus $348 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 4% 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 $37 in Iquitos versus $26 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $77 in Iquitos vs $172 in Arequipa – so Iquitos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Iquitos

🇵🇪 Arequipa

🕒 Local time

00:59 12:59 AM

Same time as Iquitos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,853

17,062

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Iquitos Arequipa 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Iquitos
Arequipa

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

Iquitos vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 6% more than Iquitos, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $983 per month in Iquitos and $1,044 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $347 in Iquitos and $348 in Arequipa. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $656 in Iquitos and $696 in Arequipa. That makes Iquitos about 6% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 124% more in Arequipa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $656 in Iquitos and $696 in Arequipa, 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 $656 in Iquitos to $696 in Arequipa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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