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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Pisco vs $650 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $831 per month in Pisco vs $1,067 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,136 per month in Pisco vs $1,485 in Arequipa, rent included.

Pisco is about 19% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pisco and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Pisco 61% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 PEN 7.87

$4.07 PEN 14.32

-44.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.26 PEN 39.64

$28.21 PEN 99.3

-60.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 PEN 12.02

$5.68 PEN 20.00

-39.79%

Cappuccino

$1.38 PEN 4.85

$2.61 PEN 9.18

-47.13%

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

$0.72 PEN 2.52

$0.82 PEN 2.88

-12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

$0.37 PEN 1.30

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 PEN 6.91

$2.19 PEN 7.70

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PEN 14.08

$5.88 PEN 20.69

-31.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.99

$1.53 PEN 5.40

-7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 PEN 9.42

$1.27 PEN 4.46

111.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.61

$1.22 PEN 4.28

7.38%

Eggs

$2.85 PEN 10.02

$2.06 PEN 7.24

38.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 PEN 28.78

$5.38 PEN 18.93

52.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 PEN 19.33

$5.26 PEN 18.51

4.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.63 PEN 37.43

$7.45 PEN 26.22

42.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 PEN 7.16

$1.46 PEN 5.15

39.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.83

$1.22 PEN 4.28

-10.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 4.02

$1.19 PEN 4.17

-4.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.37

$0.77 PEN 2.71

61.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.48

$0.55 PEN 1.95

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.48

$0.54 PEN 1.90

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.09

$0.44 PEN 1.55

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.22

$0.76 PEN 2.66

21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 PEN 19.17

$4.95 PEN 17.41

10.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 PEN 29.91

$4.87 PEN 17.14

74.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 PEN 6.20

$2.40 PEN 8.43

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 PEN 10.87

$2.32 PEN 8.15

33.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.03

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 PEN 11.40

$2.08 PEN 7.33

55.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.42

$2.11 PEN 7.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 PEN 29.70

$12.82 PEN 45.12

-34.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.61

$1.60 PEN 5.64

-18.13%

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

$19.5K PEN 68.7K

$18.7K PEN 65.9K

4.27%

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

$24.8K PEN 87.4K

$25.0K PEN 88.0K

-0.76%

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

$57.5 PEN 202

$39.83 PEN 140

44.36%

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

$12.55 PEN 44.16

$10.73 PEN 37.77

16.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 PEN 82.4

$30.64 PEN 108

-23.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 PEN 75.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 PEN 28.93

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 PEN 24.73

$4.39 PEN 15.44

59.91%

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

$219 PEN 771

$59.9 PEN 211

265.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,134 PEN 28.6K

$6,271 PEN 22.1K

29.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 PEN 174

$36.93 PEN 130

33.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.19 PEN 127

$22.01 PEN 77.5

64.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 PEN 319

$61.6 PEN 217

47.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 PEN 311

$55.1 PEN 194

60.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 PEN 861

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 549

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,908

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 PEN 1,350

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,814 PEN 6,386

$1,995 PEN 7,023

-9.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,330 PEN 4,681

$1,002 PEN 3,526

32.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$558 PEN 1,965

$631 PEN 2,222

-11.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-32.60%

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

Last update for Pisco: April 26, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 13% 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 $11.00 in Pisco versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Pisco vs $169 in Arequipa – so Arequipa 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

Pisco vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 24% more than Pisco, 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 $789 per month in Pisco and $975 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 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 30% 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 $526 in Pisco and $650 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pisco costs $526 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 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.