Poverty and living standards in Arequipa, Peru: official figures
12.8% of the people of Arequipa lived in monetary poverty in 2025, according to INEI's National Household Survey (4th lowest of 26 areas INEI reports; Peru 25.7%).
Is poverty falling in Arequipa?
Monetary poverty in Arequipa was 12.8% in 2025 against 15.8% in 2024, down 3.0 percentage points (not a statistically significant change by INEI's test); it was 6.0% in 2019, before the pandemic, and 8.3% in 2016.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHow precise is the poverty figure for Arequipa?
The 95% confidence interval of INEI's 2025 poverty estimate for Arequipa runs from 9.9% to 15.7% (coefficient of variation 11.5%). The highest rate in the 2016-2025 series was 18.6% in 2020.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHow does poverty in Arequipa compare with other departments?
INEI places Arequipa in group 4 of 5 groups of departments (group 1 is the poorest) whose 2025 poverty rates are statistically similar; INEI gives the group a 95% confidence range of 11.9% to 15.3%, together with Junin and Lambayeque.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHow much extreme poverty is there in Arequipa?
For extreme poverty (household spending below the cost of a basic food basket), INEI places Arequipa in group 4 of 5 for 2025 (group 1 is the poorest), with a 95% confidence range of 1.3% to 2.2% for the group.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyWhat is the average income in Arequipa?
Average real income per person in Arequipa was 1,697 soles a month in 2025, in constant 2025 soles at Lima Metropolitana prices (2nd highest of 26 areas INEI reports; Peru 1,252).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHas income recovered since the pandemic in Arequipa?
Real income per person in Arequipa was 1,697 soles a month in 2025 against 1,679 in 2019 and 1,586 in 2016 (constant 2025 soles), a change of +1.1% since 2019 (Peru -5.2%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copyHow Arequipa compares with other departments
People in monetary poverty (2025)
Arequipa ranks 21 of 24, highest first. Lima Metropolitana and the Lima region are reported separately by INEI and are not ranked here
| Rank | Region | People in monetary poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Tacna | 17.4% |
| 19 | Lambayeque | 14.5% |
| 20 | Junin | 13.5% |
| 21 | Arequipa | 12.8% |
| 22 | Moquegua | 7.8% |
| 23 | Madre de Dios | 7.3% |
| 24 | Ica | 4.5% |
Average real income per person a month (soles) (2025)
Arequipa ranks 2 of 24, highest first. Constant 2025 soles at Lima Metropolitana prices; Lima Metropolitana and the Lima region are reported separately by INEI and are not ranked here
| Rank | Region | Average real income per person a month (soles) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moquegua | 1,839 |
| 2 | Arequipa | 1,697 |
| 3 | Ica | 1,477 |
| 4 | Tacna | 1,312 |
| 5 | La Libertad | 1,300 |
| 6 | Madre de Dios | 1,292 |
| 7 | Junin | 1,284 |
More on Arequipa: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Peru
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI): Peru: Evolucion de la Pobreza Monetaria 2016-2025, Informe Tecnico (ENAHO): cuadros III.1 (poverty incidence by department), I.15 (real income per person by department), 4.2 and 4.4 (groups of departments with statistically similar total and extreme poverty), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 475cc9c6b9c3…)
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