Cost of Living Comparison Between Miraflores and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Miraflores and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,161 per month in Miraflores vs $726 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,257 per month in Miraflores vs $1,150 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,353 per month in Miraflores vs $1,573 in Arequipa, rent included.

Miraflores costs about 60% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Miraflores and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Miraflores 15% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 PEN 14.67

$3.59 PEN 12.04

22.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.55 PEN 109

$29.83 PEN 100

9.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 PEN 18.40

$5.85 PEN 19.63

-6.15%

Cappuccino

$3.25 PEN 10.90

$2.61 PEN 8.75

24.52%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.76

$0.83 PEN 2.79

34.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.36 PEN 1.22

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 PEN 9.01

$2.21 PEN 7.40

21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.19

$4.34 PEN 14.56

4.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.46

$1.37 PEN 4.59

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 PEN 3.92

$1.45 PEN 4.85

-19.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.51

$1.53 PEN 5.13

-12.42%

Eggs

$2.91 PEN 9.76

$2.36 PEN 7.91

23.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 PEN 30.48

$6.46 PEN 21.66

40.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.89

$4.47 PEN 14.98

32.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 PEN 32.99

$7.44 PEN 24.95

32.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 PEN 6.93

$1.83 PEN 6.14

13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.70

$1.25 PEN 4.20

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.85

$1.16 PEN 3.91

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.10

$1.02 PEN 3.43

19.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.04

$0.67 PEN 2.26

35.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.85

$0.72 PEN 2.42

18.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 PEN 2.85

$0.56 PEN 1.89

51.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.06

$0.77 PEN 2.57

-19.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 PEN 20.38

$5.22 PEN 17.51

16.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.71 PEN 29.21

$5.29 PEN 17.74

64.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 PEN 5.79

$2.89 PEN 9.69

-40.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 PEN 9.79

$2.40 PEN 8.04

21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 PEN 13.19

$2.10 PEN 7.05

87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.83

$2.05 PEN 6.86

-0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 PEN 25.32

$12.85 PEN 43.08

-41.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$1.52 PEN 5.08

-9.87%

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

$22.3K PEN 74.9K

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

20.31%

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

$26.8K PEN 89.9K

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

2.91%

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

$58.8 PEN 197

$24.42 PEN 81.9

140.62%

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

$8.87 PEN 29.74

$10.19 PEN 34.16

-12.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.83 PEN 93.3

$23.41 PEN 78.5

18.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.76 PEN 120

$25.53 PEN 85.6

40.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 PEN 28.04

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 PEN 24.50

$7.50 PEN 25.16

-2.53%

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

$182 PEN 609

$75.6 PEN 253

140.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K PEN 44.2K

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

92.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 PEN 182

$49.44 PEN 166

9.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 PEN 121

$26.25 PEN 88.0

37.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 PEN 292

$69.3 PEN 232

25.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 PEN 266

$59.7 PEN 200

32.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 PEN 2,275

$362 PEN 1,214

87.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 PEN 1,762

$240 PEN 804

119.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 PEN 5,409

$731 PEN 2,452

120.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,534 PEN 8,498

$1,995 PEN 6,688

27.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,198

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

-40.40%

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

Last update for Miraflores: August 29, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $678 in Miraflores versus $362 in Arequipa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Miraflores versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $179 – making Arequipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Miraflores vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miraflores costs about 60% more than Arequipa, 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 $1,742 per month in Miraflores and $1,089 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Miraflores and $30.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Miraflores, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Miraflores at $1,161. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Miraflores it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $726 versus $1,161 in Miraflores. 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 Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Miraflores makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.