Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Pisco

For one person, living is cheaper in Pisco: $660 a month against $714 in Cajamarca, rent and utilities included – about $650 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Cajamarca
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Cajamarca Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Pisco
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Pisco Living Index

Jump to prices

Cajamarca

🇵🇪 Peru

$714

/mo nomad

Pisco

🇵🇪 Peru

$660

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cajamarca and in Pisco

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cajamarca and in Pisco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $714 in Cajamarca versus $660 in Pisco.

Cajamarca $714
Pisco $660

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,196 in Cajamarca versus $1,023 in Pisco.

Cajamarca $1,196
Pisco $1,023

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,679 in Cajamarca versus $1,386 in Pisco.

Cajamarca $1,679
Pisco $1,386

Living in Cajamarca is roughly 8% more expensive than in Pisco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 47% lower, Pisco 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 PEN 10.82

$4.25 PEN 14.59

-25.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.16 PEN 100

$35.07 PEN 120

-16.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 PEN 20.32

$7.09 PEN 24.37

-16.50%

Cappuccino

$2.82 PEN 9.67

$3.19 PEN 10.95

-11.60%

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

$0.70 PEN 2.40

$1.07 PEN 3.69

-34.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 PEN 1.92

$0.65 PEN 2.23

-13.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 PEN 9.04

$2.63 PEN 9.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 PEN 11.85

$4.43 PEN 15.21

-22.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.45

$1.65 PEN 5.66

-21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 PEN 11.23

$2.32 PEN 7.96

40.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.15

$1.25 PEN 4.30

-3.20%

Eggs

$2.26 PEN 7.76

$1.30 PEN 4.45

73.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.19 PEN 24.70

$6.55 PEN 22.50

9.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 PEN 26.20

$4.85 PEN 16.66

57.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 PEN 55.4

$6.35 PEN 21.81

153.86%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.04

$1.34 PEN 4.61

-34.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.93

$1.00 PEN 3.42

-15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.88

$1.42 PEN 4.86

-20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.12

$0.56 PEN 1.91

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.08

$0.45 PEN 1.55

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.57

$0.90 PEN 3.10

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 PEN 2.91

$0.90 PEN 3.09

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.47

$0.86 PEN 2.95

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.15 PEN 24.55

$5.74 PEN 19.71

24.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 PEN 40.02

$8.57 PEN 29.43

35.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 PEN 9.14

$1.95 PEN 6.70

36.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 PEN 9.04

$2.42 PEN 8.31

8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 PEN 1.92

$0.89 PEN 3.06

-37.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.69 PEN 29.86

$35.26 PEN 121

-75.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 PEN 8.73

$3.90 PEN 13.40

-34.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 PEN 6.09

$2.05 PEN 7.04

-13.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 PEN 19.76

$7.15 PEN 24.56

-19.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 PEN 4.79

$1.67 PEN 5.72

-16.17%

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

$23.5K PEN 80.6K

$21.7K PEN 74.7K

7.88%

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

$28.6K PEN 98.2K

$26.1K PEN 89.5K

9.77%

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

$58.8 PEN 202

$42.69 PEN 147

37.71%

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

$9.55 PEN 32.79

$16.08 PEN 55.2

-40.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.57 PEN 70.7

$11.50 PEN 39.51

78.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.79 PEN 116

$20.40 PEN 70.1

65.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 PEN 60.4

$8.49 PEN 29.15

107.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.79 PEN 13.01

$7.29 PEN 25.05

-48.01%

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

$148 PEN 507

$178 PEN 611

-17.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,314 PEN 14.8K

$12.9K PEN 44.2K

-66.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.94 PEN 147

$52.8 PEN 181

-18.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.55 PEN 98.1

$13.11 PEN 45.03

117.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 PEN 249

$46.22 PEN 159

56.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 PEN 251

$34.60 PEN 119

111.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 PEN 674

$161 PEN 553

21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 PEN 404

$130 PEN 448

-9.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 PEN 1,775

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 PEN 1,106

$147 PEN 504

119.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,788 PEN 6,141

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 PEN 4,642

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 PEN 1,882

$557 PEN 1,911

-1.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

23.04%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: October 17, 2026

Last update for Pisco: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Cajamarca

$244 34.2%

Pisco

$183 27.7% 25.2% $62

Accommodation & Living

Cajamarca

$118 16.5%

Pisco

$130 19.8% 10.8% $13

Eating Out

Cajamarca

$102 14.3%

Pisco

$122 18.6% 20.2% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Cajamarca

$98 13.7%

Pisco

$66 10% 32.4% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cajamarca

$89 12.5%

Pisco

$70 10.7% 21% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Cajamarca

$41 5.8%

Pisco

$35 5.3% 15.4% $6.4

Getting Around

Cajamarca

$22 3.1%

Pisco

$53 8% 137% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Cajamarca and $161 in Pisco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pisco pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cajamarca vs $35.00 in Pisco. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $183, with Pisco cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Cajamarca

🇵🇪 Pisco

🕒 Local time

09:53 9:53 AM

Same time as Cajamarca

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

218,741

14,917

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cajamarca Pisco 770 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Cajamarca
Pisco

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Pisco. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $196 in Cajamarca versus $161 in Pisco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pisco runs roughly 306% less than in Cajamarca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $148 in Cajamarca versus $178 in Pisco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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 8% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.