Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $683 per month in Pisco vs $719 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,046 per month in Pisco vs $1,136 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,409 per month in Pisco vs $1,553 in Arequipa, rent included.

Pisco is about 5% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pisco and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Pisco 50% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 PEN 14.85

$3.53 PEN 11.92

24.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.60 PEN 120

$28.40 PEN 95.8

25.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 PEN 23.38

$6.06 PEN 20.46

14.36%

Cappuccino

$3.42 PEN 11.53

$2.59 PEN 8.75

32.05%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.82

$0.85 PEN 2.86

32.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$0.37 PEN 1.25

67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PEN 8.78

$2.10 PEN 7.07

23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 PEN 14.86

$4.39 PEN 14.82

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.49

$1.36 PEN 4.60

19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 PEN 7.87

$1.39 PEN 4.69

67.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.18

$1.48 PEN 5.01

-16.22%

Eggs

$1.32 PEN 4.45

$2.35 PEN 7.93

-43.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 PEN 22.01

$6.51 PEN 21.97

0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 PEN 16.18

$4.58 PEN 15.44

4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 PEN 22.15

$7.68 PEN 25.92

-14.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.56

$1.77 PEN 5.98

-23.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$1.26 PEN 4.26

-19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.93

$1.18 PEN 3.97

23.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.06 PEN 3.59

-45.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.46

$0.68 PEN 2.30

-36.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 2.99

$0.68 PEN 2.30

30.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$0.56 PEN 1.90

53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$0.76 PEN 2.56

22.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 PEN 20.30

$5.09 PEN 17.19

18.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 PEN 30.18

$5.12 PEN 17.27

74.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 PEN 6.62

$2.76 PEN 9.30

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PEN 8.34

$2.32 PEN 7.82

6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 PEN 2.91

$0.31 PEN 1.05

177.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.37 PEN 123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 PEN 13.47

$2.09 PEN 7.06

90.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.16

$2.12 PEN 7.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 PEN 24.41

$13.12 PEN 44.26

-44.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.81

$1.56 PEN 5.27

10.26%

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

$21.8K PEN 73.4K

$19.1K PEN 64.6K

13.75%

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

$26.7K PEN 90.2K

$25.8K PEN 87.0K

3.76%

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

$43.76 PEN 148

$24.60 PEN 83.0

77.89%

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

$17.39 PEN 58.7

$10.35 PEN 34.93

68.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 PEN 39.62

$23.49 PEN 79.3

-50.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.17 PEN 71.4

$24.85 PEN 83.9

-14.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.70 PEN 29.34

$8.04 PEN 27.13

8.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 PEN 25.47

$7.34 PEN 24.77

2.86%

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

$183 PEN 619

$76.7 PEN 259

139.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K PEN 44.4K

$6,936 PEN 23.4K

89.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 PEN 180

$49.48 PEN 167

7.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 PEN 45.14

$27.26 PEN 92.0

-50.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.28 PEN 163

$67.3 PEN 227

-28.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.84 PEN 121

$60.6 PEN 204

-40.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 PEN 548

$358 PEN 1,207

-54.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 PEN 460

$238 PEN 803

-42.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 PEN 2,517

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 PEN 493

$431 PEN 1,455

-66.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,846 PEN 6,227

$2,005 PEN 6,765

-7.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,358 PEN 4,582

$1,007 PEN 3,397

34.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 PEN 1,980

$630 PEN 2,124

-6.80%

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 Pisco: September 12, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $162 in Pisco versus $358 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 7% 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 Pisco versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $178 – 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

Pisco vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 5% more than Pisco, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,025 per month in Pisco and $1,079 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pisco, 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 $36.00 in Pisco and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $683 in Pisco and $719 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pisco costs $683 versus $719 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 Pisco. 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.