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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Pisco vs $641 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $819 per month in Pisco vs $1,058 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Pisco vs $1,475 in Arequipa, rent included.

Pisco is about 18% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pisco and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Pisco 61% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 PEN 7.63

$4.14 PEN 14.06

-45.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.30 PEN 38.36

$28.18 PEN 95.7

-59.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 PEN 11.25

$5.51 PEN 18.69

-39.93%

Cappuccino

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$2.49 PEN 8.47

-43.37%

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

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$0.76 PEN 2.58

-6.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.39 PEN 1.33

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 PEN 6.44

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PEN 13.35

$5.98 PEN 20.31

-34.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.80

$1.52 PEN 5.17

-7.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 PEN 9.30

$1.24 PEN 4.19

120.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.57

$1.27 PEN 4.31

6.30%

Eggs

$2.97 PEN 10.07

$2.14 PEN 7.25

38.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 PEN 27.58

$5.36 PEN 18.21

51.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 PEN 19.52

$5.26 PEN 17.84

9.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 PEN 36.51

$7.72 PEN 26.22

39.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 PEN 6.98

$1.45 PEN 4.94

42.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.80

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.73

$1.19 PEN 4.03

-7.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.09

$0.81 PEN 2.76

48.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.53

$0.59 PEN 2.01

76.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.19

$0.55 PEN 1.86

70.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.79

$0.44 PEN 1.50

86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.19

$0.76 PEN 2.59

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 PEN 18.80

$5.07 PEN 17.21

9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 PEN 30.69

$5.26 PEN 17.85

71.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.94

$2.45 PEN 8.33

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 PEN 10.30

$2.24 PEN 7.59

35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 PEN 11.04

$2.08 PEN 7.07

56.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 PEN 7.32

$2.07 PEN 7.02

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.91

$12.84 PEN 43.58

-35.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.44

$1.63 PEN 5.52

-19.63%

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

$19.5K PEN 66.1K

$18.6K PEN 63.1K

4.74%

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

$24.9K PEN 84.6K

$25.2K PEN 85.5K

-1.04%

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

$56.9 PEN 193

$39.89 PEN 135

42.54%

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

$12.44 PEN 42.25

$10.74 PEN 36.45

15.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.93 PEN 81.3

$30.30 PEN 103

-21.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 PEN 73.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 27.60

Cinema Ticket

$6.89 PEN 23.40

$4.33 PEN 14.70

59.12%

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

$218 PEN 738

$59.5 PEN 202

265.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,940 PEN 27.0K

$6,278 PEN 21.3K

26.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 PEN 169

$36.91 PEN 125

34.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.63 PEN 121

$21.81 PEN 74.0

63.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PEN 307

$62.3 PEN 211

44.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 PEN 306

$54.9 PEN 186

64.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 PEN 804

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 528

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 PEN 1,827

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,297

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,810 PEN 6,145

$2,014 PEN 6,838

-10.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,363 PEN 4,628

$988 PEN 3,353

38.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 PEN 1,970

$645 PEN 2,189

-10.00%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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 $11.00 in Pisco versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Pisco vs $171 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 23% 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 $784 per month in Pisco and $961 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 31% 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 $523 in Pisco and $641 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pisco costs $523 versus $641 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.