Cost of Living Comparison Between Piura and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Piura and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $630 per month in Piura vs $639 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,056 per month in Piura vs $1,078 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Piura vs $1,518 in Arequipa, rent included.

Piura is about 1% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Piura and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Piura 53% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 PEN 9.18

$4.10 PEN 13.94

-34.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.22 PEN 38.13

$27.33 PEN 92.9

-58.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PEN 18.82

$5.70 PEN 19.37

-2.98%

Cappuccino

$3.40 PEN 11.56

$2.58 PEN 8.77

31.78%

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

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$0.80 PEN 2.73

113.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.79

$0.39 PEN 1.33

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.45

$2.15 PEN 7.32

1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 PEN 9.73

$5.95 PEN 20.23

-51.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.89

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-29.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 PEN 10.61

$1.22 PEN 4.13

155.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.84

$1.23 PEN 4.19

15.45%

Eggs

$2.11 PEN 7.16

$2.07 PEN 7.04

1.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 PEN 28.18

$5.42 PEN 18.42

52.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 PEN 24.71

$5.24 PEN 17.83

38.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 PEN 32.96

$7.75 PEN 26.36

25.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.43

$1.45 PEN 4.93

-10.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$1.22 PEN 4.15

-32.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$1.21 PEN 4.13

-28.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.81

$0.83 PEN 2.82

34.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$0.55 PEN 1.87

130.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.98

$0.44 PEN 1.51

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.68

$0.78 PEN 2.64

1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 PEN 28.60

$4.89 PEN 16.61

71.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 PEN 37.00

$5.06 PEN 17.21

115.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 PEN 5.97

$2.45 PEN 8.33

-28.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.25

$2.23 PEN 7.58

21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 PEN 1.37

$0.29 PEN 0.99

37.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$2.08 PEN 7.08

-17.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.65

$2.10 PEN 7.14

-20.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 PEN 18.82

$12.90 PEN 43.87

-57.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 PEN 4.89

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-10.56%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

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

$25.1K PEN 85.2K

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

$39.79 PEN 135

$40.46 PEN 138

-1.66%

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

$8.43 PEN 28.64

$10.61 PEN 36.07

-20.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.57 PEN 104

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 PEN 93.6

$21.94 PEN 74.6

25.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.35 PEN 28.38

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$4.54 PEN 15.42

-51.76%

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

$187 PEN 635

$59.3 PEN 202

214.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,195 PEN 7,462

$6,474 PEN 22.0K

-66.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.97 PEN 139

$37.77 PEN 128

8.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.56 PEN 42.70

$21.81 PEN 74.2

-42.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 PEN 187

$61.3 PEN 208

-10.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 PEN 232

$55.3 PEN 188

23.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 PEN 469

$241 PEN 820

-42.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 PEN 420

$156 PEN 529

-20.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,124

$542 PEN 1,844

-39.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,327

$395 PEN 1,343

-1.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,667 PEN 12.5K

$1,955 PEN 6,646

87.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 PEN 3,295

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$644 PEN 2,188

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Piura: June 7, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $138 in Piura versus $241 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 $11.00 in Piura versus $27.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Piura 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

Piura vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 1% more than Piura, 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 $944 per month in Piura and $958 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piura, 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 $11.00 in Piura 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 $630 in Piura and $639 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piura costs $630 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 Piura. 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.