Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Piura Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Piura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $651 in Cajamarca versus $612 in Piura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,099 in Cajamarca versus $1,021 in Piura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,546 in Cajamarca versus $1,430 in Piura.

Living in Cajamarca is roughly 6% more expensive than in Piura, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 51% lower, Piura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 PEN 10.07

$2.70 PEN 9.14

10.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.04 PEN 94.8

$10.89 PEN 36.84

157.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 PEN 19.34

$5.69 PEN 19.24

0.53%

Cappuccino

$2.95 PEN 9.96

$3.36 PEN 11.38

-12.20%

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

$0.81 PEN 2.75

$1.65 PEN 5.59

-50.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 PEN 1.95

$0.53 PEN 1.80

9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 PEN 7.65

$2.23 PEN 7.54

1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 PEN 11.59

$2.79 PEN 9.44

22.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 PEN 4.24

$1.08 PEN 3.65

15.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 PEN 10.04

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.50

$1.42 PEN 4.80

-26.76%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.26

$2.11 PEN 7.12

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PEN 20.77

$7.82 PEN 26.46

-21.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 PEN 20.09

$7.28 PEN 24.63

-18.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.32 PEN 41.66

$9.70 PEN 32.82

27.01%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.35

$1.33 PEN 4.51

-25.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.53

$0.80 PEN 2.70

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.04

$0.86 PEN 2.92

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.42

$1.13 PEN 3.81

-10.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.52

$1.22 PEN 4.12

-38.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$0.59 PEN 1.98

61.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.53 PEN 1.80

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.42

$0.85 PEN 2.89

-15.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.49 PEN 28.70

$8.08 PEN 27.33

5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 PEN 34.73

$11.28 PEN 38.14

-8.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 PEN 8.23

$1.82 PEN 6.14

33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PEN 8.19

$2.70 PEN 9.13

-10.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.40 PEN 1.36

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.18 PEN 27.65

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 PEN 5.70

$1.63 PEN 5.52

3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 PEN 4.27

$1.65 PEN 5.57

-23.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 PEN 16.87

$5.47 PEN 18.51

-8.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.91

$1.44 PEN 4.86

0.69%

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

$22.5K PEN 76.1K

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

$24.2K PEN 81.9K

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

$46.05 PEN 156

$38.81 PEN 131

18.65%

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

$9.12 PEN 30.84

$8.37 PEN 28.32

8.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.46 PEN 89.5

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.69 PEN 97.0

$27.41 PEN 92.7

4.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.48 PEN 65.9

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 PEN 15.42

$2.28 PEN 7.71

100.00%

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

$129 PEN 435

$188 PEN 635

-31.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,108 PEN 13.9K

$2,263 PEN 7,652

81.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.50 PEN 164

$41.63 PEN 141

16.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.79 PEN 94.0

$12.74 PEN 43.07

118.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 PEN 261

$54.6 PEN 185

41.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 PEN 260

$69.5 PEN 235

10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 PEN 677

$141 PEN 477

41.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.9 PEN 328

$126 PEN 427

-23.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 PEN 1,677

$330 PEN 1,114

50.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 PEN 1,008

$388 PEN 1,313

-23.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,366 PEN 8,001

$3,854 PEN 13.0K

-38.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$710 PEN 2,402

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

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

Last update for Cajamarca: June 14, 2026

Last update for Piura: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $200 in Cajamarca and $141 in Piura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cajamarca vs $11.00 in Piura. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $218, 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 Piura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Piura is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $977 in Cajamarca and $919 in Piura to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $200 in Cajamarca versus $141 in Piura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $129 in Cajamarca versus $188 in Piura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Piura – 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 Piura 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 Piura 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 Piura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.