Arequipa: population and official figures
In depth
- Poverty and living standards in Arequipa: INEI's 2018 poverty map puts the monetary poverty rate of Arequipa province, which contains Arequipa, in a range of 5.5% to 7.4% (95% confidence interval; the midpoint is 6.5%), 4th lowest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site on that midpoint.
- Government budget and revenue in Arequipa: In 2025 the provincial municipality of Arequipa, which governs Arequipa and the surrounding province, had a modified budget (PIM) of S/ 242.48 million, up from an opening budget (PIA) of S/ 268.15 million; this ranks 9th largest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site and, nationally, 11th largest of 196 provincial municipal budgets, according to the MEF.
What is the population of Arequipa?
Arequipa province, whose capital is Arequipa, in Arequipa department, had a projected 1,319,077 residents on 30 June 2026 according to INEI, the national statistics office, 2nd largest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site; the projection, based on the 2017 census, put it at 1,114,721 in 2018. INEI's figures cover the whole province, not only the built-up city.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyHow fast is Arequipa growing?
Between 2018 and 2026 the projected population of Arequipa province, which contains Arequipa, changed by +18.3%, an addition of 204,356 people, ranking 4th highest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site for growth; Peru as a whole changed by +9.8% over the same period.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyHow many districts are in Arequipa province?
Arequipa province is divided into 29 districts. The most populous, Cerro Colorado, had a projected 265,275 residents in 2026, 20.1% of the province.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyHow many people live in the central district of Arequipa?
The capital district, Arequipa, had a projected 54,201 residents in 2026, 4.1% of Arequipa province, ranking 2nd lowest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site for share; in 2018 it had 55,496.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyIs the population of Arequipa growing?
In the year to mid-2026 the projected population of Arequipa province changed by +1.79%, from 1,295,925 to 1,319,077; Peru changed by +0.90%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyThe UN marks this figure as an estimate of lower reliability.
Who runs Arequipa?
In Peru, cities and towns are run by provincial municipalities: Mayor and councillors (regidores) directly elected for four years. Co-ordinate districts, land-use planning, transport; Lima has regional-style powers.
Cities of a similar size in Peru
- Lima 10,570,094
- Trujillo 1,244,099
- Piura 988,466
- Chiclayo 896,467
- Huancayo 630,005
- Iquitos 572,808
- Cuzco 554,027
- Ica 507,840
- Pucallpa 501,037
- Chimbote 497,471
- Cajamarca 397,960
- Tacna 381,995
- Juliaca 362,824
Up a level: all cities in Peru · Peru · government and power
Sources
- Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF): Consulta Amigable, consulta de ejecución del gasto, 2024, activities and projects: local governments by budget unit (export of 28 October 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81563427fdfd…)
- Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF): Consulta Amigable, consulta de ejecución del gasto, 2025, activities and projects: local governments by budget unit (export of 28 October 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d2996a391f8…)
- Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF): Consulta Amigable, consulta de ejecución del gasto, 2025: national government, regional governments and local governments (totals by level of government), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b44103ba441a…)
- Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF): Consulta Amigable, consulta de ejecución del gasto, 2025, investment projects only: local governments by budget unit (export of 28 October 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7e52d79db9c3…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI): Perú: población total proyectada al 30 de junio de cada año, según departamento, provincia y distrito, 2018-2026 (Cuadro 01), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9436df29b883…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI): Mapa de Pobreza Provincial y Distrital 2013, anexo estadístico (Anexo 2: population and total poverty 95% confidence interval by province and district), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb127c78a0f5…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI): Mapa de Pobreza Provincial y Distrital 2018, anexo estadístico (Anexo 2: population, total monetary poverty 95% confidence interval and rank by district; Anexo 4: the same by province), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fcc465d75abe…)
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