Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacna and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacna and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $453 per month in Tacna vs $719 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $653 per month in Tacna vs $1,136 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $853 per month in Tacna vs $1,553 in Arequipa, rent included.

Tacna is about 37% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tacna and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Tacna 67% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 PEN 10.24

$3.53 PEN 11.85

-13.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.86 PEN 49.88

$28.40 PEN 95.3

-47.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 PEN 16.59

$6.06 PEN 20.35

-18.48%

Cappuccino

$3.49 PEN 11.70

$2.59 PEN 8.70

34.75%

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

$1.22 PEN 4.11

$0.85 PEN 2.85

43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 PEN 1.56

$0.37 PEN 1.24

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PEN 9.74

$2.10 PEN 7.03

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PEN 11.93

$4.39 PEN 14.74

-18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 PEN 3.88

$1.36 PEN 4.58

-14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 PEN 5.06

$1.39 PEN 4.66

8.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 PEN 2.90

$1.48 PEN 4.98

-41.22%

Eggs

$1.75 PEN 5.88

$2.35 PEN 7.89

-25.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 PEN 15.07

$6.51 PEN 21.85

-31.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 PEN 15.73

$4.58 PEN 15.36

2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.14 PEN 30.67

$7.68 PEN 25.78

19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 PEN 5.95

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.12

$1.26 PEN 4.24

21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.85

$1.18 PEN 3.94

-27.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.57

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.60

$0.68 PEN 2.29

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.28

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.58

$0.76 PEN 2.55

1.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 PEN 15.29

$5.09 PEN 17.09

-10.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 PEN 21.79

$5.12 PEN 17.18

26.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 PEN 9.03

$2.76 PEN 9.25

-2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PEN 7.78

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.96

$0.31 PEN 1.04

-6.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.54

$2.09 PEN 7.02

-6.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 PEN 44.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.24

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

$19.1K PEN 64.2K

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

$25.8K PEN 86.5K

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

$24.60 PEN 82.6

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

$18.95 PEN 63.6

$10.35 PEN 34.75

83.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.84 PEN 90.1

$23.49 PEN 78.8

14.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.96 PEN 101

$24.85 PEN 83.4

20.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 PEN 26.98

Cinema Ticket

$2.74 PEN 9.20

$7.34 PEN 24.63

-62.67%

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

$59.2 PEN 199

$76.7 PEN 257

-22.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,936 PEN 23.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.06 PEN 70.7

$49.48 PEN 166

-57.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.66 PEN 69.3

$27.26 PEN 91.5

-24.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 PEN 226

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.68 PEN 89.5

$60.6 PEN 203

-55.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 PEN 1,201

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.5 PEN 240

$238 PEN 799

-69.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 PEN 2,504

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 PEN 1,447

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 PEN 6,729

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 PEN 3,379

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 PEN 1,620

$630 PEN 2,113

-23.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Tacna: September 14, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 30% 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 $15.00 in Tacna versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $178 – making Tacna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Tacna vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 59% more than Tacna, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $680 per month in Tacna and $1,079 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Tacna and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Arequipa, 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 $453 in Tacna and $719 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tacna costs $453 versus $719 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 Tacna. 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.