Climate · Americas
Arequipa climate, year-round
Peru · High-altitude desert (Andes) · Updated May 2026
Best months
Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
Best for: Andean-altitude nomads who base in the austral autumn-winter dry season for predictable bright sunny days.
Year at a glance
Cells coloured by typical daytime average temperature. ★ = best months for nomads.
Jan
15°C
55%
4mm
Feb
15°C
58%
5mm
Mar
15°C
58%
4mm
Apr
15°C
52%
1mm
May
14°C
45%
0mm
Jun
13°C
42%
0mm
Jul
13°C
38%
0mm
Aug
13°C
40%
0mm
Sep
14°C
45%
1mm
Oct
15°C
48%
1mm
Nov
16°C
52%
1mm
Dec
15°C
55%
3mm
Summer peak
16°C
November · 52% humidity
Winter low
13°C
June · 42% humidity
Climate type
High-altitude desert (Andes)
Dry summers, Dry winters
Field notes
High-altitude desert (Andes) — at 2,335m altitude in the southern Peruvian Andes. Defined wet/dry seasonality: wet austral summer (December–March, 15°C average) brings afternoon thundershowers; bone-dry austral winter (May–October, 13–14°C average) is the postcard working window with cool nights occasionally below 5°C. UV is strong year-round at altitude. Annual rainfall is meaningfully lower than Cusco (~125mm vs Cusco's ~700mm).
Visa for nomads
Medium nomad-friendlyPathway
Long visa-free
Program
—
Typical max stay
6 months
Peru has no formal DNV; the standard 90-day visa-free entry covers most short-to-medium stays, extendable in-country to 183 days. Andean 'White City' at 2,335m altitude with Colca Canyon proximity.
Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with the relevant consulate before applying — visa programs change with little notice.
Cost of living in Arequipa: ~$1,300/mo
Mid-tier monthly across rent, food, transport, utilities, and coworking.
Cities with a similar climate
Useful while you’re in Arequipa
- Travel insuranceLong-term, nomad-friendly cover that travels with you to Arequipa
- Multi-currency bankingAvoid the 4% conversion fees foreign cards rack up in Peru
- eSIM data planDay-one connectivity in Peru without local-SIM friction
- Coworking & colivingDay passes, monthly memberships, and verified workspaces in Arequipa
- Flight dealsCheapest routes in and out of Arequipa
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Editorial estimates aggregated from public climatological summaries — typical monthly averages, not forecasts. Treat as order-of-magnitude. Microclimate, altitude, and recent extreme weather can swing these values significantly.