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City comparison

Bogotá vs Arequipa

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Arequipa cheaper — −31%

  • Family groceries

    in Arequipa cheaper — −30%

  • Internet

    in Arequipa cheaper — −8%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Bogotá≈ $969–1,760COP 3.2–5.8M
    Arequipa≈ $585–1,290S/ 2,000–4,420
    cheaper by 31%
  • Family groceries

    per month
    Bogotá≈ $347COP 1,145,256
    Arequipa≈ $243S/ 830
    cheaper by 30%
  • Internet

    per month
    Bogotá≈ $26–31COP 84,900–102,990
    Arequipa≈ $26S/ 89.9
    cheaper by 8%
  • Private school

    per month
    Bogotá≈ $909–1,240COP 3–4.1M
    Arequipa≈ $219–519S/ 750–1,775
    cheaper by 66%
  • Winter

    average
    Bogotá6–16 °C6–16 °C
    Arequipa6–21 °C6–21 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Bogotá799 mm799 mm
    Arequipa94.6 mm94.6 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Bogotá≈ $246–258kCOP 813–850M
    cheaper by 22%
    Arequipa$157–490k$157–490k

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Daily life

Bogotá

Strata: everything depends on them

Every building in Bogotá is assigned a stratum from 1 to 6. A two-bedroom in stratum 3 costs about 2.2 million pesos, in stratum 6 about 6 million, and water in stratum 6 is twice as expensive as in 3.

SpecialistFincaraíz: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Chapinero · checked 29 Sep 2026

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Arequipa

Nothing yet

Housing

Bogotá

Two-bedroom rent by neighborhood

Two-bedroom apartment: Teusaquillo and Cedritos about 3.2 million pesos ($970), Usaquén 3.4 million, Chapinero 4.3 million, Chicó 5.8 million. The building maintenance fee is on top.

SpecialistFincaraíz: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Teusaquillo · checked 29 Sep 2026

Buying an apartment

Three-bedroom apartment in Teusaquillo or Usaquén, by listings: median 813–850 million pesos, about $250k. These are sellers’ prices, not transaction prices.

SpecialistFincaraíz: three-bedroom apartments for sale in Teusaquillo · checked 29 Sep 2026

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Arequipa

Rent: Yanahuara and Cayma

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

Buying an apartment in Cayma

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

Everything about housing in Arequipa →

Money and prices

Bogotá

Groceries for a family

The DANE minimum food basket for Bogotá is 286k pesos per person per month, about 1.15 million for a family of four ($350). Prices from 2024.

SpecialistProBogotá: bulletin on monetary poverty, DANE data for 2024 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Family monthly budget

The DANE poverty line for a family of four in Bogotá is 2.5 million pesos a month (2024). The digital nomad visa requires an income of at least 5.25 million pesos a month.

SpecialistProBogotá: bulletin on monetary poverty, DANE data for 2024 · checked 29 Sep 2026

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Arequipa

Family budget per month

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

Groceries for a family

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

Everything about money and prices in Arequipa →

Family and kids

Bogotá

Schools and kindergartens

Enrollment in city schools is online and free; for 2027 it runs until 23 December 2026. Children aged 3–5 are admitted to preschool classes at any time of the year.

OfficialBogotá City Hall: how to enroll in a public school for 2027 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Private schools: prices

Expensive private schools in Bogotá charge about 3–4.1 million pesos a month ($900–1,240). We did not find prices for mid-level schools.

SpecialistInfobae: tuition at Gimnasio Campestre and Colegio Marymount, February 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

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Arequipa

Private schools: prices

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

Private and public

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

Everything about family and kids in Arequipa →

Healthcare

Bogotá

Hospitals

Half of the top ten hospitals in Colombia in the Newsweek 2026 ranking are in Bogotá, including Fundación Santa Fe (2nd place) and Cardioinfantil (4th).

SpecialistNewsweek and Statista: World’s Best Hospitals 2026, Colombia · checked 29 Sep 2026

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Arequipa

Altitude and children

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

Hospitals in the city

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

Everything about healthcare in Arequipa →

Transport

Bogotá

Getting around the city

A ride on TransMilenio, TransMiZonal and the TransMiCable cable car costs 3,550 pesos (about a dollar). With a personalized card, transfers within 125 minutes are free.

OfficialTransMilenio: questions and answers about the 2026 fare · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about transport in Bogotá →

Arequipa

Airport and flights

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

Everything about transport in Arequipa →

Climate

Bogotá

No winter, always cool

There are no seasons by temperature: 15–17 degrees in the daytime all year round, 6–9 at night. The coldest nights are in January, 5.6 degrees on average.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

Rain: two seasons

About 800 mm a year and 185 rainy days. Two rainy seasons: April–May and October–November. Driest in December–February.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about climate in Bogotá →

Arequipa

Winter climate

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

Precipitation and seasonality

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

Ultraviolet

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

Everything about climate in Arequipa →

Safety

Bogotá

Murders and thefts

14.8 murders per 100k residents in 2025, 25.8 for the country. But for burglaries from homes, the well-off Chapinero and Teusaquillo are at the top.

SpecialistProBogotá: annual report on security in Bogotá for 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about safety in Bogotá →

Arequipa

Misti volcano

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

Earthquakes

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

Everything about safety in Arequipa →

Internet and phone

Bogotá

Home internet

Movistar fiber: 500 Mbit/s in both directions for 84,900 pesos a month ($26), 900 Mbit/s for 102,990 pesos; when ordered online, the first year is cheaper.

SpecialistMovistar: home fiber-optic internet plans in Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

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Arequipa

Fibre-optic internet

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

Everything about internet and phone service in Arequipa →

Services

Bogotá

Water and sewerage

At 11 m³ a month, water with sewerage costs about 107k pesos in stratum 4 ($32), 91k in stratum 3 and 197k in stratum 6. Electricity and gas are extra.

OfficialEAAB: water and sewerage tariffs in Bogotá by stratum, 2026 (Acuerdo JD 255) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Enel electricity by stratum

Enel electricity, September 2026: in stratum 4 - 875 pesos per kWh, in strata 5 and 6 - 1,050. For 300 kWh, stratum 4 comes to about 263k pesos ($79), stratum 6 about 315k.

OfficialEnel Colombia: electricity tariffs, September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

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Arequipa

Electricity at the SEAL tariff

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 SEDAPAR

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

Gas: networks and cylinders

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

Everything about services in Arequipa →

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