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: $701 in Cajamarca versus $732 in Piura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,192 in Cajamarca versus $1,231 in Piura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,683 in Cajamarca versus $1,729 in Piura.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 4% less than in Piura, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 49% lower, Piura 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 PEN 12.34

$3.74 PEN 12.62

-2.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 PEN 101

$25.40 PEN 85.7

17.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 PEN 20.27

$7.32 PEN 24.70

-17.90%

Cappuccino

$2.63 PEN 8.86

$3.38 PEN 11.41

-22.19%

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

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$1.11 PEN 3.75

-27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 PEN 1.93

$0.72 PEN 2.43

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 PEN 8.12

$2.41 PEN 8.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 PEN 12.39

$2.95 PEN 9.97

24.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.55

$1.50 PEN 5.08

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 PEN 11.18

$2.61 PEN 8.82

26.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.27

$1.69 PEN 5.69

-24.85%

Eggs

$2.31 PEN 7.78

$2.94 PEN 9.92

-21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 PEN 26.61

$10.51 PEN 35.45

-24.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 PEN 20.64

$8.41 PEN 28.36

-27.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 PEN 43.88

$10.75 PEN 36.25

21.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.76

$1.42 PEN 4.79

-21.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 PEN 2.65

$1.36 PEN 4.58

-41.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.09

$1.46 PEN 4.94

-17.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.77

$1.38 PEN 4.64

-18.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.72

$1.32 PEN 4.46

-38.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.40

$0.73 PEN 2.46

38.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 PEN 2.56

$0.88 PEN 2.96

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.57

$1.33 PEN 4.47

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 PEN 30.42

$8.02 PEN 27.06

12.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 PEN 35.51

$11.47 PEN 38.71

-8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 PEN 8.76

$1.81 PEN 6.12

43.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 PEN 8.57

$3.04 PEN 10.27

-16.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$0.64 PEN 2.15

-7.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.86 PEN 29.89

$20.46 PEN 69.0

-56.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.16

$3.17 PEN 10.69

-42.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 PEN 4.44

$2.43 PEN 8.20

-45.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 PEN 17.29

$7.57 PEN 25.52

-32.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 PEN 5.41

$1.46 PEN 4.93

9.59%

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

$23.6K PEN 79.7K

$22.0K PEN 74.1K

7.54%

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

$25.8K PEN 87.0K

$23.8K PEN 80.4K

8.16%

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

$49.68 PEN 168

$41.49 PEN 140

19.74%

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

$9.48 PEN 32.00

$9.03 PEN 30.46

4.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.30 PEN 98.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.19 PEN 105

$29.26 PEN 98.7

6.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.98 PEN 70.8

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 PEN 16.25

$2.45 PEN 8.26

96.73%

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

$140 PEN 472

$204 PEN 687

-31.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,389 PEN 14.8K

$2,357 PEN 7,952

86.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 PEN 176

$45.01 PEN 152

16.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 PEN 102

$13.32 PEN 44.94

127.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 PEN 280

$59.3 PEN 200

40.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 PEN 276

$75.7 PEN 255

8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 PEN 684

$239 PEN 807

-15.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 PEN 358

$136 PEN 459

-22.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 PEN 1,813

$402 PEN 1,357

33.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 PEN 1,090

$411 PEN 1,387

-21.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,337 PEN 7,884

$3,855 PEN 13.0K

-39.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$728 PEN 2,455

$550 PEN 1,856

32.24%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Piura: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Cajamarca and $239 in Piura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Cajamarca vs $25.00 in Piura. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $256, 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

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Cajamarca, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $203 in Cajamarca versus $239 in Piura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 131% less than in Piura. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $140 in Cajamarca versus $204 in Piura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Piura. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.