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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Piura vs $641 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,023 per month in Piura vs $1,058 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,427 per month in Piura vs $1,475 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 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$4.14 PEN 14.09

-32.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.89 PEN 37.05

$28.18 PEN 95.8

-61.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 PEN 19.07

$5.51 PEN 18.72

1.81%

Cappuccino

$3.28 PEN 11.15

$2.49 PEN 8.48

31.73%

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

$1.71 PEN 5.83

$0.76 PEN 2.58

125.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.80

$0.39 PEN 1.34

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.78

$2.23 PEN 7.58

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PEN 9.29

$5.98 PEN 20.34

-54.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$1.52 PEN 5.18

-25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$1.24 PEN 4.20

142.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.63

$1.27 PEN 4.32

7.09%

Eggs

$2.04 PEN 6.94

$2.14 PEN 7.26

-4.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 PEN 27.82

$5.36 PEN 18.24

52.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 PEN 24.46

$5.26 PEN 17.87

36.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 PEN 31.49

$7.72 PEN 26.26

19.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.40

$1.45 PEN 4.94

-10.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.72

$0.81 PEN 2.77

34.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.59 PEN 2.02

108.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$0.55 PEN 1.86

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.44 PEN 1.50

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 PEN 2.71

$0.76 PEN 2.59

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.28 PEN 28.17

$5.07 PEN 17.24

63.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 PEN 38.23

$5.26 PEN 17.88

113.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 PEN 6.21

$2.45 PEN 8.34

-25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PEN 9.40

$2.24 PEN 7.60

23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$0.29 PEN 0.99

48.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 PEN 5.84

$2.08 PEN 7.08

-17.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 PEN 5.43

$2.07 PEN 7.03

-22.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 PEN 19.11

$12.84 PEN 43.65

-56.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 PEN 4.73

$1.63 PEN 5.53

-14.72%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

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

$25.2K PEN 85.7K

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

$38.69 PEN 132

$39.89 PEN 136

-3.01%

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

$8.21 PEN 27.92

$10.74 PEN 36.51

-23.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.30 PEN 103

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.18 PEN 95.9

$21.61 PEN 73.5

30.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 PEN 27.64

Cinema Ticket

$2.26 PEN 7.68

$4.33 PEN 14.73

-47.81%

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

$189 PEN 643

$59.5 PEN 202

218.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,217 PEN 7,538

$6,278 PEN 21.4K

-64.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.92 PEN 139

$36.91 PEN 126

10.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.39 PEN 42.13

$21.81 PEN 74.2

-43.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 PEN 192

$62.3 PEN 212

-9.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 PEN 240

$54.9 PEN 187

28.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 PEN 477

$237 PEN 806

-40.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 PEN 433

$156 PEN 529

-18.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,127

$538 PEN 1,830

-38.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 PEN 1,308

$382 PEN 1,299

0.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 PEN 12.7K

$2,014 PEN 6,849

85.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 PEN 3,359

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 PEN 1,837

$645 PEN 2,192

-16.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Piura: July 26, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $140 in Piura versus $237 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 19% 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 Piura versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $217 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 4% 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 $928 per month in Piura and $961 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 27% 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 $619 in Piura and $641 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piura costs $619 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 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.