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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $633 per month in Iquitos vs $639 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Iquitos vs $1,078 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Iquitos vs $1,518 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 53% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 PEN 14.30

$4.10 PEN 13.94

2.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.32 PEN 123

$27.33 PEN 92.9

32.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 PEN 23.65

$5.70 PEN 19.37

22.11%

Cappuccino

$3.29 PEN 11.18

$2.58 PEN 8.77

27.52%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$0.80 PEN 2.73

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$0.39 PEN 1.33

141.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 PEN 9.67

$2.15 PEN 7.32

32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 PEN 23.27

$5.95 PEN 20.23

14.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.55

$1.61 PEN 5.48

1.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$1.22 PEN 4.13

76.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

Eggs

$2.41 PEN 8.20

$2.07 PEN 7.04

16.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 PEN 18.42

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 PEN 10.56

$5.24 PEN 17.83

-40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 PEN 26.36

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.15

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.13

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.82

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PEN 1.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PEN 2.87

$0.78 PEN 2.64

8.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 PEN 16.61

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 PEN 17.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 PEN 7.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 PEN 7.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.90 PEN 43.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

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

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

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

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

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

$33.11 PEN 113

$40.46 PEN 138

-18.17%

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

$10.73 PEN 36.48

$10.61 PEN 36.07

1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.29 PEN 28.18

$30.57 PEN 104

-72.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.82 PEN 94.6

$21.94 PEN 74.6

26.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.46 PEN 28.77

$8.35 PEN 28.38

1.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 PEN 19.07

$4.54 PEN 15.42

23.57%

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

$59.3 PEN 202

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,698 PEN 9,171

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

-58.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 PEN 284

$37.77 PEN 128

121.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.64 PEN 114

$21.81 PEN 74.2

54.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.23 PEN 167

$61.3 PEN 208

-19.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.79 PEN 84.3

$55.3 PEN 188

-55.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 PEN 1,147

$241 PEN 820

39.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 864

$156 PEN 529

63.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 PEN 2,862

$542 PEN 1,844

55.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 PEN 2,381

$395 PEN 1,343

77.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 PEN 6,646

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 PEN 1,967

$644 PEN 2,188

-10.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Iquitos: June 6, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Iquitos versus $241 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 11% 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 $27.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $73.0 in Iquitos vs $172 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 $950 per month in Iquitos and $958 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 $633 in Iquitos and $639 in Arequipa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 134% 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 $633 in Iquitos and $639 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iquitos costs $633 versus $639 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.