Arequipa vs Cusco

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

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

A family of four in highland cities counts as poor with spending below 1,620 soles a month (INEI line, 2025). In the Cusco department 18.8% are poor.

OfficialINEI: Peru, evolution of monetary poverty 2016-2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

The INEI minimum food basket for highland cities is 235 soles per person a month, 940 soles for a family of four. Figures for 2025.

OfficialINEI: Peru, evolution of monetary poverty 2016-2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

In the Cusco department about 18% of children attend private schools: 27 thousand of 152 thousand in primary school and 22 of 122 thousand in secondary (2024).

OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

The Cusco department has 24 hospitals, including private clinics, and 2,504 hospital beds (2024). The social insurer EsSalud has 5 hospitals in the region.

OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

In 2025 Cusco airport handled 4.57 million domestic passengers and only 203 thousand international ones, 22 times fewer.

OfficialCORPAC: passenger movement at network airports, domestic flights, 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

About 710 mm a year, almost three quarters of it from December to March. From May to August it is dry: 1.5-9 mm a month.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cusco · checked 6 Oct 2026

In June-July it averages about 0 degrees at night and 19-20 during the day. Daytime temperature is almost the same all year, but winter nights are 6 degrees colder than summer ones.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cusco · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

The city stands at 3,414 m above sea level. Even in winter SENAMHI forecasts an ultraviolet index of 8-12 for Cusco, from "very high" to "extremely high".

OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

Movistar sells home fibre at 400 Mbit/s for 89.90 soles a month, 79.90 for the first two months. The Cusco department is on the list of fibre coverage areas.

SpecialistMovistar Perú: "Solo internet" plans and fibre coverage areas · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

For consumption above 140 kWh, electricity costs 0.82 soles per kWh plus 4 soles a month, without IGV. 300 kWh comes to about 250 soles before tax, about 295 with IGV.

OfficialElectro Sur Este: tariff schedule for end users from 4 August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026