Of all the Tarapoto-related emails I receive, the number one question is about long term accommodation. Specifically, how to find apartments and houses for rent and how much they tend to cost per month.

So here’s a quick breakdown of how I see the rental scene and what I generally tell people. If you live in Tarapoto and have anything to add, feel free to leave a comment below.

Finding Long Term Accommodation in Tarapoto

I’ve had to find a place to rent in Tarapoto on three occasions, once when I arrived and two moves since then.

Each time, finding a place was a simple case of literal legwork. Yep, walking around looking for those se alquila (“for rent”) signs stuck on the front of apartments and houses. And while you’re walking, ask pretty much everyone you pass if they know of a place to rent. You might be surprised at the number of places available that aren’t advertised at all.

There are more estate agents (inmobiliarias) in Tarapoto these days, but they are generally for purchasing land and properties rather than finding places to rent.

One other option is to buy a few of the local papers. Diario Ahora always has a page or two of classified ads that include places to buy and rent (look for ads with “Se Alquila” or “Alquilo”).

You can read the newspaper for free on the Diario Ahora website.

Find apartments to rent in Tarapoto

Rental adverts in Diario Ahora

Rental Prices in Tarapoto

OK, here’s a very brief and approximate guide to rental prices (per month) in Tarapoto (and here’s a currency converter for you):

  • single room — you can rent a single room (cuarto) for as little as S/.100 a month, but that’s a small room, probably fairly bleak and without its own bathroom (there will be a shared bathroom somewhere, hopefully). These rooms are often rented to students and weird people.
  • single room with bathroom — a slightly more respectable single room with its own attached bathroom (con baño propio) costs between S/.150 and S/.300 per month.
  • mini-apartment — mini-apartments (let’s say one bedroom, a kitchen, one bathroom and a living room) differ greatly in quality, but consider S/.400 to S/.700 as a rough price range. That will obviously depend on size and location, as well as whether it is furnished or not. Many rentals in Tarapoto are unfurnished.
  • apartment — a larger apartment (let’s say two bedrooms, kitchen, one bathroom and a large living area) will set you back between S/.600 to S/.1000 per month
  • house — you can rent a proper house, maybe with a garden, from anywhere between S/.700 and S/.3,000. Finding houses to rent seems to be harder than finding apartments, but keep looking and you’ll find a few options. You might have more luck on the outskirts of town.

Again, consider all the prices above as a rough guideline.

Contracts are normally for one year, with the first month paid in advance. There’s a good chance you’ll also have to pay a guarantee — equivalent to one month’s rent — before moving in.

From my experience, landlords and landladies in Tarapoto range from quietly amiable citizens to shockingly petty bitches of appalling proportions. Try to avoid the latter.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below.