Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Pisco Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Pisco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $649 in Cajamarca versus $530 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Cajamarca versus $822 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,547 in Cajamarca versus $1,114 in Pisco.

Living in Cajamarca is roughly 22% more expensive than Pisco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 52% lower, Pisco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 PEN 10.20

$2.16 PEN 7.33

38.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 PEN 95.7

$11.16 PEN 37.98

151.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$3.31 PEN 11.27

76.74%

Cappuccino

$2.93 PEN 9.96

$1.40 PEN 4.76

109.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$0.66 PEN 2.24

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.27 PEN 0.91

118.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 PEN 7.41

$1.93 PEN 6.57

12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.99

$3.94 PEN 13.42

-18.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 PEN 4.22

$1.48 PEN 5.04

-16.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 PEN 10.60

$2.63 PEN 8.94

18.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.71

$1.34 PEN 4.56

-18.66%

Eggs

$2.17 PEN 7.39

$2.97 PEN 10.11

-26.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PEN 20.93

$7.76 PEN 26.39

-20.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 PEN 19.89

$5.77 PEN 19.64

1.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 PEN 40.88

$10.66 PEN 36.27

12.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$2.05 PEN 6.98

-54.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$1.11 PEN 3.78

-32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.83

$1.09 PEN 3.70

-23.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.58

$1.25 PEN 4.27

-16.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$1.04 PEN 3.53

-34.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$0.95 PEN 3.24

-1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.12

$0.82 PEN 2.79

-24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$0.86 PEN 2.92

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 PEN 28.00

$5.44 PEN 18.50

51.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 PEN 34.69

$8.94 PEN 30.43

14.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 PEN 8.52

$1.70 PEN 5.79

47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PEN 7.99

$3.04 PEN 10.35

-22.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 PEN 27.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.59

$3.38 PEN 11.50

-51.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$2.21 PEN 7.52

-44.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 PEN 16.68

$8.38 PEN 28.50

-41.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 PEN 5.12

$1.35 PEN 4.59

11.11%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.8K PEN 74.1K

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

10.20%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.8K PEN 81.0K

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

-3.96%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$46.05 PEN 157

$57.2 PEN 194

-19.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.02 PEN 30.68

$12.41 PEN 42.22

-27.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.75 PEN 91.0

$23.50 PEN 80.0

13.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 PEN 97.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 PEN 65.4

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 PEN 15.92

$6.91 PEN 23.50

-32.27%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$128 PEN 435

$215 PEN 731

-40.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,117 PEN 14.0K

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

-49.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.44 PEN 165

$49.79 PEN 169

-2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.69 PEN 94.2

$35.46 PEN 121

-21.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 PEN 256

$88.9 PEN 303

-15.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 PEN 262

$91.0 PEN 310

-15.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PEN 687

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.3 PEN 331

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 PEN 1,707

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 PEN 992

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,356 PEN 8,017

$1,809 PEN 6,154

30.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 PEN 4,542

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$707 PEN 2,407

$583 PEN 1,985

21.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

10.11

3.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cajamarca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pisco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cajamarca pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cajamarca vs $11.00 in Pisco. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $221, with Cajamarca cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cajamarca vs Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pisco is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cajamarca pays 21% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $128 in Cajamarca versus $215 in Pisco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pisco – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $28.00 in Cajamarca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pisco gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Pisco are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.