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 $528 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cajamarca versus $830 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,552 in Cajamarca versus $1,132 in Pisco.

Living in Cajamarca is roughly 23% more expensive than in Pisco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 51% lower, Pisco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 PEN 10.62

$2.20 PEN 7.46

42.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.42 PEN 93.0

$11.05 PEN 37.47

148.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 PEN 19.36

$3.38 PEN 11.47

68.93%

Cappuccino

$2.82 PEN 9.56

$1.43 PEN 4.83

97.20%

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

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$0.68 PEN 2.30

19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$0.29 PEN 0.98

103.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.34

$1.91 PEN 6.47

13.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.21

$3.83 PEN 13.00

-13.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 PEN 4.22

$1.47 PEN 4.98

-14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.20

$2.69 PEN 9.14

11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$1.30 PEN 4.43

-16.15%

Eggs

$2.17 PEN 7.36

$2.83 PEN 9.61

-23.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PEN 20.89

$8.08 PEN 27.41

-23.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 PEN 20.22

$5.53 PEN 18.75

7.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 PEN 41.05

$10.64 PEN 36.11

13.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$2.03 PEN 6.88

-50.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.35

$1.08 PEN 3.66

-36.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.15 PEN 3.90

-21.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$1.26 PEN 4.26

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.34

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-31.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.22

$1.00 PEN 3.39

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$0.88 PEN 2.98

-29.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.39

$0.92 PEN 3.12

-22.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 PEN 27.48

$5.53 PEN 18.76

46.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 PEN 34.97

$8.87 PEN 30.10

16.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 PEN 8.22

$1.77 PEN 6.02

36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.12

$2.99 PEN 10.14

-20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 PEN 27.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$3.41 PEN 11.56

-49.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 PEN 4.09

$2.13 PEN 7.23

-43.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 PEN 16.92

$8.17 PEN 27.70

-38.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.11

$1.30 PEN 4.39

16.15%

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

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

$19.6K PEN 66.6K

14.79%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

$24.9K PEN 84.4K

-0.42%

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

$46.02 PEN 156

$55.9 PEN 190

-17.67%

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

$9.05 PEN 30.71

$12.50 PEN 42.42

-27.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.71 PEN 90.6

$23.30 PEN 79.0

14.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 PEN 97.3

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 PEN 67.1

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 PEN 15.20

$7.03 PEN 23.86

-36.27%

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

$131 PEN 444

$220 PEN 748

-40.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,137 PEN 14.0K

$7,928 PEN 26.9K

-47.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.83 PEN 166

$49.98 PEN 170

-2.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.49 PEN 93.3

$36.79 PEN 125

-25.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 PEN 254

$89.8 PEN 305

-16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 PEN 264

$88.4 PEN 300

-12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 PEN 689

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.1 PEN 329

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 PEN 1,685

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 PEN 999

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 PEN 8,000

$1,787 PEN 6,061

31.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 PEN 4,502

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$704 PEN 2,390

$577 PEN 1,957

22.11%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Pisco: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cajamarca pays 22% 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: $27.00 in Cajamarca vs $11.00 in Pisco. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $222, 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Cajamarca, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $131 in Cajamarca versus $220 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 $27.00 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 23% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.