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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $735 per month in Piura vs $724 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Piura vs $1,146 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Piura vs $1,568 in Arequipa, rent included.

Piura costs about 2% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Piura and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Piura 47% lower, Arequipa 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 PEN 12.31

$3.60 PEN 12.06

1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 PEN 85.0

$29.91 PEN 100

-15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PEN 24.36

$6.11 PEN 20.50

18.99%

Cappuccino

$3.35 PEN 11.23

$2.60 PEN 8.73

28.85%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.74

$0.78 PEN 2.63

43.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.41

$0.39 PEN 1.32

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 PEN 7.84

$2.10 PEN 7.04

11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.06

$4.44 PEN 14.88

-32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.89

$1.31 PEN 4.39

11.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 PEN 8.85

$1.43 PEN 4.80

84.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 PEN 5.43

$1.51 PEN 5.05

7.28%

Eggs

$2.87 PEN 9.61

$2.40 PEN 8.04

19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 PEN 36.19

$6.41 PEN 21.47

68.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 PEN 29.69

$4.57 PEN 15.33

93.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 PEN 36.40

$7.52 PEN 25.20

44.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 PEN 4.78

$1.78 PEN 5.97

-19.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$1.21 PEN 4.05

7.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.07

$1.22 PEN 4.09

23.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.57

$1.05 PEN 3.54

29.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 PEN 4.29

$0.65 PEN 2.17

96.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 PEN 2.46

$0.69 PEN 2.30

5.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.04

$0.54 PEN 1.81

68.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$0.82 PEN 2.74

67.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.05 PEN 26.99

$5.29 PEN 17.75

52.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 PEN 38.13

$5.37 PEN 17.99

111.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 PEN 6.41

$2.78 PEN 9.32

-31.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 PEN 9.74

$2.31 PEN 7.75

25.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 PEN 2.34

$0.31 PEN 1.05

125.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.26 PEN 71.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PEN 10.58

$2.06 PEN 6.91

53.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$2.11 PEN 7.08

11.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 PEN 25.42

$13.20 PEN 44.26

-42.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 4.98

$1.50 PEN 5.03

-0.67%

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

$22.3K PEN 74.8K

$18.8K PEN 63.1K

18.45%

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

$23.9K PEN 80.2K

$25.7K PEN 86.2K

-7.04%

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

$42.21 PEN 142

$24.24 PEN 81.3

74.13%

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

$8.82 PEN 29.55

$10.50 PEN 35.19

-16.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.97 PEN 80.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.64 PEN 99.4

$24.89 PEN 83.4

19.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.28 PEN 27.75

Cinema Ticket

$2.46 PEN 8.25

$7.55 PEN 25.30

-67.42%

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

$200 PEN 670

$76.0 PEN 255

163.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,379 PEN 7,976

$6,810 PEN 22.8K

-65.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.11 PEN 148

$49.19 PEN 165

-10.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.58 PEN 45.52

$27.31 PEN 91.5

-50.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 PEN 203

$67.5 PEN 226

-10.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 PEN 254

$60.5 PEN 203

25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 PEN 790

$362 PEN 1,214

-34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 PEN 444

$244 PEN 819

-45.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 PEN 1,364

$754 PEN 2,528

-46.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 PEN 1,343

$433 PEN 1,452

-7.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,896 PEN 13.1K

$2,036 PEN 6,826

91.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,013 PEN 3,395

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 PEN 1,856

$668 PEN 2,239

-17.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Piura: September 5, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Piura versus $362 in Arequipa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Piura versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Piura vs $179 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

Piura costs about 2% more than Arequipa, 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 $1,102 per month in Piura and $1,086 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, 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 $25.00 in Piura and $30.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Piura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $735 in Piura and $724 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $724 versus $735 in Piura. 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 Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Piura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.