Arequipa vs Córdoba
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Rent
✓in Córdoba cheaper — −38%
Private school
✓in Arequipa cheaper — −44%
Ready-made house
✓in Córdoba cheaper — −29%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
House or apartment rent
per monthArequipa≈ $585–1,290S/ 2,000–4,420✓Córdoba≈ $511–647ARS 790k – 1Mcheaper by 38%Private school
per month✓Arequipa≈ $219–519S/ 750–1,775cheaper by 44%Córdoba≈ $520–802ARS 804,069–1,239,033Winter
averageArequipa6–21 °C6–21 °CCórdoba11 °C11 °CPrecipitation
per yearArequipa94.6 mm94.6 mmCórdoba855 mm855 mmReady-made house
purchaseArequipa$157–490k$157–490k✓Córdoba$163,500–296,250$163,500–296,250cheaper by 29%
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Housing
Arequipa
A three-bedroom apartment in Yanahuara or Cayma is 2000–4400 soles a month, most often 2500–3000 (about 700–900 dollars). Building maintenance fees on top.
SpecialistUrbania: apartments for rent in Yanahuara · checked 29 Sep 2026
A three-bedroom apartment in Cayma by listings: 157–490k dollars, median about 225k. Sellers quote prices in dollars.
SpecialistUrbania: apartments for sale in Cayma · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
A two-bedroom apartment: Centro about 790k pesos a month, General Paz 950k, Nueva Córdoba 1 million (520–660 dollars). Building fees on top.
SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent, city of Córdoba · checked 6 Oct 2026
A three-bedroom house in the city by listings is most often 165–295k dollars, median about 208k. Sellers quote prices in dollars.
SpecialistMercado Libre: three-bedroom houses for sale, city of Córdoba · checked 6 Oct 2026
Money and prices
Arequipa
The average resident of the region spends 876 soles a month, which for a family of four is about 3500. Rent alone for a three-bedroom apartment in Cayma is 2500–3000.
OfficialINEI: Arequipa, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026
A rough guide is about 830 soles a month for a family of four: food accounts for 23.7% of the urban price basket, and average spending per person is 876 soles.
OfficialINEI: Arequipa, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
The minimum food basket for a family of four in the Pampas region (INDEC) is about 678k pesos a month, June 2026. There is no separate figure for Córdoba.
OfficialIPEC Santa Fe, INDEC series: basic food basket (extreme poverty line) per adult equivalent, Pampas region, 2017 to June 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
The poverty line for a family of four in the Pampas region is 1.51 million pesos a month (June 2026), without rent. With a rented two-bedroom: 2.3–2.5 million.
OfficialIPEC Santa Fe, INDEC series: total basic basket (poverty line) per adult equivalent, Pampas region, 2017 to June 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Family and kids
Arequipa
Almost every second pupil in Arequipa attends a private school: 47% across the two city education authorities, 54% in the northern one (2024 census).
OfficialINEI: Arequipa, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026
The most expensive schools in the city charged 750–1775 soles a month in 2024. In 80% of private schools the fee is below 400 soles a month.
SpecialistEncuentro: 80% of private schools in Arequipa charge under 400 soles, table of monthly fees 2023-2024 from Identicole · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Córdoba's most expensive schools in March 2026: primary 0.8–1.08 million pesos a month, secondary 0.9–1.24 million. Subsidised private schools are cheaper.
SpecialistInfoNegocios: a map of fees and enrolment charges at Córdoba's most expensive schools, 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Healthcare
Arequipa
The city is at 2335 m, just below the CDC altitude sickness threshold (2450 m). For children the CDC sees no particular risk, and it advises caution with infants under 6 weeks.
OfficialCDC Yellow Book: high-altitude travel and altitude sickness · checked 29 Sep 2026
The level III public hospital Honorio Delgado: paediatrics, neonatology, intensive care, neurosurgery, oncology. The social insurer EsSalud has 29 facilities in the region.
OfficialHospital Regional III Honorio Delgado: website and list of services · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Córdoba's provincial hospitals do not charge foreigners without residence. Only two national hospitals charge them: Hospital de Clínicas and Maternidad Nacional.
SpecialistLa Voz de San Justo: in Córdoba, foreigners without residence will be charged only in two hospitals · checked 6 Oct 2026
Transport
Arequipa
The airport is 8 km from the centre and is open between 5 and 22 hours. The departures board on 29 September 2026 showed 22 departures: 20 to Lima and 2 to Cusco, with no international ones.
SpecialistAeropuertos Andinos del Perú: Arequipa airport and departures board · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
In 2025 Córdoba had direct flights to Madrid, Panama, Santiago, Lima, Rio and São Paulo. Buenos Aires (Aeroparque) carried 1.44 million passengers a year.
OfficialArgentina's Ministry of Tourism, “Conectividad Aérea”: main air routes by year (flights and passengers) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Climate
Arequipa
In winter it is about 5.5 degrees at night and 21–22 during the day. Daytime temperature is almost the same all year round, with a day-night difference of 13–16 degrees.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Arequipa · checked 29 Sep 2026
About 95 mm a year, and almost all of it in January–March. From April to November, 0 to 2 mm a month falls.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Arequipa · checked 29 Sep 2026
Even in July, SENAMHI forecast an ultraviolet index of 8–12 for Arequipa, from “very high” to “extreme”. The weather service advises staying out of the sun from 9 to 16.
SpecialistInfobae: SENAMHI warns of extreme ultraviolet in the southern sierra, 4-6 July 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
The average July temperature is 10.7 degrees: about 18 by day and 4 at night. Cold nights reach -4, snow is rare. Winter is dry; the north wind can bring 30.
SpecialistClimates to Travel: climate of Córdoba, normals 1991–2020 · checked 6 Oct 2026
January averages 23.7 degrees, about 30 by day and 17 at night. From September to February there are heat waves up to 38–40, the record is 40.8 in January 2012.
SpecialistClimates to Travel: climate of Córdoba, normals 1991–2020 · checked 6 Oct 2026
About 855 mm a year, almost all of it from October to April, often in thunderstorms. May to September is dry: 6–8 mm a month in June–August.
SpecialistClimates to Travel: climate of Córdoba, normals 1991–2020 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Safety
Arequipa
IGP calls Misti the most dangerous volcano in Peru: more than a million people live on its slopes and around it. The last eruption was in the fifteenth century.
OfficialIGP: volcanic Arequipa, 5 facts about active volcanoes · checked 29 Sep 2026
The 2001 earthquake of magnitude 8.2 caused shaking of intensity VIII on the Mercalli scale in Arequipa. According to IGP, about 30% of the energy off the southern coast has still not been released.
OfficialIGP: memories of the earthquake that will happen again (Arequipa, 2001) · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Córdoba province, 2025: 96 victims of intentional homicide, 2.4 per 100k residents; in 2024 there were 117 and 3.0. There is no separate figure for the city.
OfficialSNIC: victims of intentional homicide and rate per 100,000 residents, Córdoba province · checked 6 Oct 2026
Internet and phone
Arequipa
Movistar sells home fibre at 400 Mbit/s for 89.90 soles a month, 79.90 for the first two months. Arequipa is on Movistar's list of fibre zones.
SpecialistMovistar Perú: “Solo internet” plans · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Nothing yet
Services
Arequipa
For consumption above 140 kWh, electricity costs 0.66 soles per kWh plus 3.60 soles a month, without IGV tax. 200 kWh is about 136 soles before tax.
OfficialSEAL: tariff schedule No. 003-2026 for end users, from 4 February 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Water and sewerage: the first 10 m³ at 1.65 soles, then 2.96 and 6.00. A bill for 15 m³ is about 41 soles with tax; this is a calculation based on the SEDAPAR tariff.
OfficialSunass: resolution 00146-2025-SUNASS-CD, SEDAPAR tariff structure for year 5 of the 2021-2026 period · checked 30 Sep 2026
There is no piped gas concessionaire in Arequipa; the network is being built under the state Bonogas programme in five districts. The rest cook on cylinders, and we did not find their price.
OfficialMINEM: first stage of gas network construction in Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna (Sur Oeste concession) · checked 30 Sep 2026
Córdoba
EPEC electricity without subsidy from 1 October 2026: 250 pesos per kWh up to 120 kWh, 301 pesos beyond, plus 2.9k a month. 300 kWh is about 87k pesos (57 dollars).
OfficialEPEC: summary tariff schedule, in force from 1 October 2026 (published 29 September 2026) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Ecogas gas in Córdoba without subsidy: 329 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge from 4.8k (R1), before taxes. 100 m³ in winter is about 37.7k pesos (25 dollars).
OfficialENReGE (formerly ENARGAS): natural gas tariffs of all distributors from 1 September 2026 (Excel), Distribuidora de Gas del Centro, Córdoba · checked 6 Oct 2026

