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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $522 per month in Pisco vs $639 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $819 per month in Pisco vs $1,078 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,117 per month in Pisco vs $1,518 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

$2.17 PEN 7.38

$4.10 PEN 13.94

-47.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.02 PEN 37.48

$27.33 PEN 92.9

-59.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 PEN 11.37

$5.70 PEN 19.37

-41.23%

Cappuccino

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$2.58 PEN 8.77

-44.96%

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

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.80 PEN 2.73

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.92

$0.39 PEN 1.33

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 PEN 6.47

$2.15 PEN 7.32

-11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PEN 12.93

$5.95 PEN 20.23

-36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.04

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-8.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.84

$1.22 PEN 4.13

113.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.58

$1.23 PEN 4.19

9.76%

Eggs

$2.83 PEN 9.61

$2.07 PEN 7.04

36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 PEN 27.48

$5.42 PEN 18.42

49.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 PEN 19.45

$5.24 PEN 17.83

9.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 PEN 36.21

$7.75 PEN 26.36

37.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 PEN 6.64

$1.45 PEN 4.93

34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.68

$1.22 PEN 4.15

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.76

$1.21 PEN 4.13

-8.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.29

$0.83 PEN 2.82

51.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.51

$0.55 PEN 1.87

87.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.16

$0.57 PEN 1.94

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 PEN 2.93

$0.44 PEN 1.51

95.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$0.78 PEN 2.64

20.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 PEN 18.80

$4.89 PEN 16.61

13.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.42 PEN 28.62

$5.06 PEN 17.21

66.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.78

$2.45 PEN 8.33

-30.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 PEN 10.31

$2.23 PEN 7.58

35.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 PEN 11.16

$2.08 PEN 7.08

57.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.21

$2.10 PEN 7.14

0.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 PEN 28.79

$12.90 PEN 43.87

-34.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.41

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-19.25%

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

$19.6K PEN 66.7K

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

5.41%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.3K

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

-1.02%

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

$57.2 PEN 195

$40.46 PEN 138

41.45%

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

$12.81 PEN 43.54

$10.61 PEN 36.07

20.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.45 PEN 79.7

$30.57 PEN 104

-23.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 PEN 74.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 PEN 23.37

$4.54 PEN 15.42

51.32%

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

$216 PEN 734

$59.3 PEN 202

263.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,003 PEN 27.2K

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

23.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 PEN 173

$37.77 PEN 128

34.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.62 PEN 124

$21.81 PEN 74.2

67.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 PEN 308

$61.3 PEN 208

47.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 PEN 298

$55.3 PEN 188

58.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 PEN 820

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 PEN 529

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,844

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 PEN 1,343

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,782 PEN 6,057

$1,955 PEN 6,646

-8.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 PEN 4,514

$969 PEN 3,295

37.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$557 PEN 1,893

$644 PEN 2,188

-13.49%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 16% 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 $27.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Pisco vs $172 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 22% 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 $783 per month in Pisco and $958 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 $27.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% 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 $522 in Pisco and $639 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pisco costs $522 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 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.