Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pucallpa and Arequipa

For one person, living is cheaper in Pucallpa: $502 a month against $696 in Arequipa, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Arequipa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Arequipa
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Arequipa Living Index

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Pucallpa

🇵🇪 Peru

$502

/mo nomad

Arequipa

🇵🇪 Peru

$696

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pucallpa and in Arequipa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pucallpa and in Arequipa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $502 per month in Pucallpa vs $696 in Arequipa, rent included.

Pucallpa $502
Arequipa $696

A couple spends around $826 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,094 in Arequipa, rent included.

Pucallpa $826
Arequipa $1,094

A family of three spends $1,149 per month in Pucallpa vs $1,492 in Arequipa, rent included.

Pucallpa $1,149
Arequipa $1,492

Pucallpa is about 28% cheaper than Arequipa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Pucallpa and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Pucallpa 63% lower, Arequipa 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 PEN 7.93

$3.39 PEN 11.70

-32.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.70 PEN 40.35

$25.99 PEN 89.7

-54.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 PEN 18.36

$5.73 PEN 19.75

-7.16%

Cappuccino

$1.99 PEN 6.87

$2.50 PEN 8.63

-20.40%

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

$1.03 PEN 3.56

$0.82 PEN 2.81

25.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PEN 0.96

$0.38 PEN 1.33

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 PEN 6.15

$2.04 PEN 7.05

-12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 PEN 7.91

$2.90 PEN 10.01

-21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 PEN 3.62

$1.27 PEN 4.37

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 PEN 12.25

$1.41 PEN 4.85

151.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.89

$1.51 PEN 5.20

-25.17%

Eggs

$1.71 PEN 5.90

$2.34 PEN 8.06

-26.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.06 PEN 7.12

$6.26 PEN 21.60

-67.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 PEN 13.76

$4.40 PEN 15.18

-9.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.42 PEN 11.79

$7.17 PEN 24.72

-52.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 PEN 7.82

$1.71 PEN 5.91

32.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 PEN 4.94

$1.24 PEN 4.26

15.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.14

$1.14 PEN 3.92

30.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 PEN 8.95

$1.00 PEN 3.44

160.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 PEN 10.12

$0.62 PEN 2.15

372.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.84

$0.67 PEN 2.31

195.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 PEN 7.83

$0.51 PEN 1.77

345.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 PEN 3.55

$0.76 PEN 2.62

35.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 PEN 15.92

$5.14 PEN 17.73

-10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 PEN 26.44

$4.95 PEN 17.08

54.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 PEN 8.04

$2.66 PEN 9.18

-12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PEN 12.29

$2.23 PEN 7.71

59.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 PEN 3.92

$0.28 PEN 0.96

307.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 PEN 4.95

$1.97 PEN 6.79

-26.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 PEN 1.94

$2.05 PEN 7.08

-72.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.72 PEN 43.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 PEN 4.37

$1.58 PEN 5.46

-19.62%

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

$19.0K PEN 65.4K

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

$25.3K PEN 87.4K

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

$51.2 PEN 177

$23.50 PEN 81.1

117.87%

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

$34.95 PEN 121

$10.28 PEN 35.46

239.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.29 PEN 153

$22.79 PEN 78.6

94.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.35 PEN 84.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 PEN 26.80

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 PEN 24.25

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

$73.9 PEN 255

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,686 PEN 23.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 PEN 181

$47.91 PEN 165

9.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 PEN 119

$25.78 PEN 88.9

34.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.53 PEN 119

$65.6 PEN 226

-47.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.5 PEN 233

$58.3 PEN 201

15.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 PEN 393

$348 PEN 1,201

-67.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 PEN 798

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 PEN 808

$719 PEN 2,479

-67.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 PEN 428

$411 PEN 1,417

-69.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 PEN 6,605

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 PEN 3,356

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$407 PEN 1,404

$605 PEN 2,087

-32.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Pucallpa: October 31, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Pucallpa

–

Arequipa

$231 33.3%

Groceries & Markets

Pucallpa

–

Arequipa

$172 24.7%

Eating Out

Pucallpa

–

Arequipa

$95 13.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Pucallpa

–

Arequipa

$89 12.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pucallpa

–

Arequipa

$57 8.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Pucallpa

–

Arequipa

$38 5.5%

Getting Around

Pucallpa

–

Arequipa

$13 * 1.9%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Pucallpa versus $348 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 49% higher in Arequipa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12 in Pucallpa versus $26 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Pucallpa vs $172 in Arequipa – so Arequipa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Pucallpa

🇵🇪 Arequipa

🕒 Local time

09:25 9:25 AM

Same time as Pucallpa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

326,040

17,062

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pucallpa Arequipa 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Pucallpa
Arequipa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Pucallpa vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 39% more than Pucallpa, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $753 per month in Pucallpa and $1,044 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pucallpa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $114 there versus $348 in Arequipa.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $502 in Pucallpa and $696 in Arequipa. That makes Pucallpa about 28% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $502 in Pucallpa and $696 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Arequipa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $502 in Pucallpa to $696 in Arequipa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Pucallpa. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arequipa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.