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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $613 per month in Piura vs $635 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,028 per month in Piura vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,443 per month in Piura vs $1,496 in Arequipa, rent included.

Piura is about 3% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Piura and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Piura 54% lower, Arequipa 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 PEN 9.71

$4.16 PEN 14.30

-32.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.01 PEN 37.86

$27.81 PEN 95.7

-60.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.82

$5.42 PEN 18.63

0.92%

Cappuccino

$3.36 PEN 11.55

$2.62 PEN 9.03

28.24%

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

$1.63 PEN 5.60

$0.82 PEN 2.83

98.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.39 PEN 1.34

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.60

$2.25 PEN 7.75

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 PEN 9.75

$6.02 PEN 20.70

-52.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 PEN 3.87

$1.59 PEN 5.48

-29.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 PEN 10.80

$1.24 PEN 4.26

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PEN 4.86

$1.28 PEN 4.39

10.16%

Eggs

$2.11 PEN 7.26

$2.07 PEN 7.12

1.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 PEN 28.48

$5.49 PEN 18.88

50.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 PEN 24.21

$5.37 PEN 18.47

31.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 PEN 32.32

$7.42 PEN 25.51

26.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.66

$1.52 PEN 5.24

-11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.80

$1.23 PEN 4.22

-34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.78

$1.22 PEN 4.19

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.93

$0.75 PEN 2.59

52.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.37

$0.55 PEN 1.89

130.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.97

$0.54 PEN 1.87

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PEN 1.97

$0.48 PEN 1.64

18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 PEN 2.77

$0.77 PEN 2.64

5.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.17 PEN 28.09

$4.97 PEN 17.09

64.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 PEN 37.99

$4.96 PEN 17.06

122.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 PEN 6.30

$2.38 PEN 8.20

-23.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 PEN 9.73

$2.25 PEN 7.74

25.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 PEN 1.39

$0.29 PEN 1.00

41.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PEN 5.68

$2.07 PEN 7.11

-20.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.53

$2.07 PEN 7.13

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 PEN 18.92

$12.91 PEN 44.41

-57.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 PEN 4.82

$1.62 PEN 5.57

-13.58%

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

$18.9K PEN 65.2K

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

$24.6K PEN 84.7K

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

$39.62 PEN 136

$40.37 PEN 139

-1.86%

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

$8.40 PEN 28.89

$10.52 PEN 36.18

-20.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.08 PEN 107

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.66 PEN 95.1

$21.29 PEN 73.2

29.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.58 PEN 29.50

Cinema Ticket

$2.27 PEN 7.79

$4.40 PEN 15.12

-48.41%

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

$188 PEN 645

$58.8 PEN 202

219.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,219 PEN 7,634

$6,456 PEN 22.2K

-65.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.46 PEN 146

$36.82 PEN 127

15.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.62 PEN 43.40

$21.78 PEN 74.9

-42.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.6 PEN 191

$63.0 PEN 217

-11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 PEN 238

$56.3 PEN 194

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 PEN 476

$240 PEN 824

-42.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 PEN 434

$157 PEN 539

-19.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PEN 1,149

$547 PEN 1,883

-38.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,327

$393 PEN 1,351

-1.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,692 PEN 12.7K

$1,979 PEN 6,808

86.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$999 PEN 3,436

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 PEN 2,195

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Piura: April 20, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $138 in Piura versus $240 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 in Piura versus $28 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Piura 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

Piura vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 3% 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 $920 per month in Piura and $952 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 $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 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 $613 in Piura and $635 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piura costs $613 versus $635 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.