Arequipa vs São Paulo

By the IBGE estimate São Paulo has 11.9 million residents in 2026, the largest city in Brazil. The 2022 census counted 11.45 million.

OfficialIBGE: population estimate for São Paulo, 2024-2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

An apartment averages 12,206 reais per m² (September 2026), a two-bedroom 10,770. A 50-105 m² two-bedroom in Vila Mariana is listed at 0.9-1.75 million reais.

SpecialistFipeZAP Index: historical series of sale and rent prices, São Paulo sheet · checked 6 Oct 2026

By listings, a two-bedroom is about 2,550 reais a month in Santana, 2,800 in Tatuapé, 4,200 in Vila Mariana, 5,200 in Pinheiros, 6,100 in Moema. Fees and tax extra.

SpecialistQuintoAndar: rentals with two or more bedrooms, Santana · checked 6 Oct 2026

65.36 reais per m² a month in August 2026, the most expensive rent among 22 state capitals. Pinheiros 99.6 per m², Santana 49.1.

SpecialistFipeZAP Index: residential rent, August 2026 report, São Paulo page · checked 6 Oct 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

The DIEESE basic basket in August 2026 was 900.59 reais per adult, the most expensive of 27 capitals. For a family of two adults and two children, about 2,700.

SpecialistDIEESE: national survey of the basic food basket, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

DIEESE estimates a family of four needed 7,566 reais a month in August 2026. The figure is national, built from the São Paulo basket and already includes housing.

SpecialistDIEESE: nominal and necessary minimum wage by month · 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 2025 there were 2,967 schools with grades 1-9; 27% of pupils attend private schools. Nurseries (creche): 4,156 facilities, per the census almost all private.

OfficialIBGE Cidades from the INEP school census: schools and pupils in São Paulo, 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

A private school averages about 2,480 reais a month on a scholarship platform, range 180-4,780. These are participating schools at a discount; the market is pricier.

SpecialistMelhor Escola: monthly fees of private schools in São Paulo (scholarship platform) · 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 largest SUS hospital is Hospital das Clínicas (about 1,600 beds). Public maternity hospital: Leonor Mendes de Barros; private: Pro Matre Paulista.

OfficialBrazil Ministry of Health, open data "Hospitals and beds": Hospital das Clínicas FMUSP record · 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

Regular gasoline in São Paulo in the week of 27 September - 3 October 2026 averaged 6.35 reais per liter (5.49 to 8.97), per the ANP survey of 210 stations.

OfficialANP: weekly survey of fuel and bottled gas prices by municipality, 27 September - 3 October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Bus 5.30 reais, metro and train 5.40, combined with a transfer 9.38. On Sundays municipal buses are free.

OfficialSPTrans: current bus, metro and train fares, updated 6 January 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

The main international airport is Guarulhos (GRU), the largest in Brazil, in the neighboring city of Guarulhos. Since 2018 a CPTM train, line 13, runs there.

SpecialistWikipedia: São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) · 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 1,660 mm a year. Rains from December to March (230-290 mm a month), dry from June to August (32-60 mm).

OfficialINMET: climate normals 1991-2020, monthly and annual precipitation · checked 6 Oct 2026

February is the warmest month: on average from 19.6 at night to 29.0 in the day. Summer is the season of downpours, almost 300 mm in January.

OfficialINMET: climate normals 1991-2020, monthly minimum temperature · checked 6 Oct 2026

July is the coolest month: on average from 12.8 at night to 22.9 in the day. Winter is dry: August gets 32 mm on average.

OfficialINMET: climate normals 1991-2020, monthly minimum temperature · 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

In 2025 there were 530 homicide victims versus 498 in 2024, about 4.5 per 100,000 people. Robberies 98.3 thousand (down 15%), thefts 250 thousand.

SpecialistViva (Estadão Conteúdo): homicides and thefts in the city of São Paulo in 2025, SSP data · 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

Claro sells fiber in São Paulo up to 1 Gbps; the city page shows 600 Mbps plans bundled with streaming. No prices on the open page; coverage is checked by address.

SpecialistClaro: home fiber internet in São Paulo · 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

Sabesp from 1 January 2026: up to 10 m³ 40.42 reais a month, then 6.40 / 15.95 / 17.57 per m³. For 15 m³ water is 72.42, with sewage 144.84 reais.

OfficialArsesp Resolution 1,749 of 1 December 2025: Sabesp water and sewage tariffs from 1 January 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Comgás piped gas from 10 June 2026: at 30 m³ a month the bill is about 276 reais before ICMS. A 13 kg bottle averages 119.66 reais per ANP.

OfficialArsesp Resolution 1,809 of 9 June 2026: Comgás piped gas tariffs from 10 June 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Enel SP from 4 July 2026: 0.789 reais per kWh before taxes. For 300 kWh that is 236.81 reais before taxes, about 315 with taxes by the calculator site's estimate.

SpecialistEnergy calculator: Enel SP residential tariff from 4 July 2026 (based on ANEEL data) · checked 6 Oct 2026