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: $654 in Cajamarca versus $619 in Piura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,105 in Cajamarca versus $1,023 in Piura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,555 in Cajamarca versus $1,427 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

$3.14 PEN 10.66

$2.81 PEN 9.54

11.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.99 PEN 95.0

$10.89 PEN 36.98

157.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 PEN 20.33

$5.61 PEN 19.03

6.77%

Cappuccino

$2.84 PEN 9.64

$3.28 PEN 11.14

-13.41%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.79

$1.71 PEN 5.82

-52.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$0.53 PEN 1.80

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 PEN 11.54

$2.73 PEN 9.28

24.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 PEN 4.28

$1.13 PEN 3.83

11.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 PEN 10.56

$3.01 PEN 10.22

3.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.54

$1.36 PEN 4.63

-23.53%

Eggs

$2.05 PEN 6.97

$2.04 PEN 6.93

0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 PEN 20.72

$8.18 PEN 27.77

-25.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 PEN 19.23

$7.19 PEN 24.42

-21.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.17 PEN 41.31

$9.26 PEN 31.44

31.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.42

$1.30 PEN 4.40

-22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.54

$0.85 PEN 2.88

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 3.01

$0.79 PEN 2.70

12.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.09 PEN 3.71

-8.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.40

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-42.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 PEN 3.32

$0.55 PEN 1.86

78.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 PEN 2.29

$0.53 PEN 1.81

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.60

$0.80 PEN 2.70

-3.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.12 PEN 27.55

$8.28 PEN 28.13

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 PEN 34.79

$11.24 PEN 38.17

-8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 PEN 8.29

$1.83 PEN 6.20

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 PEN 7.78

$2.76 PEN 9.38

-17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.43 PEN 1.47

27.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.12 PEN 27.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.75

$1.72 PEN 5.83

-1.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 PEN 4.08

$1.60 PEN 5.42

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 PEN 16.05

$5.62 PEN 19.08

-15.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.93

$1.39 PEN 4.72

4.32%

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

$22.3K PEN 75.6K

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

$23.9K PEN 81.0K

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

$45.45 PEN 154

$38.69 PEN 131

17.47%

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

$9.08 PEN 30.83

$8.21 PEN 27.88

10.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.76 PEN 90.8

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.45 PEN 96.6

$28.18 PEN 95.7

0.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 PEN 65.2

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 PEN 15.74

$2.26 PEN 7.66

105.31%

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

$130 PEN 442

$189 PEN 642

-31.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,123 PEN 14.0K

$2,217 PEN 7,525

85.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 PEN 165

$40.92 PEN 139

19.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.67 PEN 93.9

$12.39 PEN 42.06

123.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 PEN 262

$56.4 PEN 191

36.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 PEN 264

$70.5 PEN 239

10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PEN 682

$140 PEN 476

43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.8 PEN 335

$127 PEN 432

-22.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 PEN 1,720

$331 PEN 1,125

52.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 PEN 995

$385 PEN 1,306

-23.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,310 PEN 7,842

$3,745 PEN 12.7K

-38.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$721 PEN 2,449

$540 PEN 1,834

33.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Piura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Cajamarca and $140 in Piura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 34% 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 Piura. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $217, 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.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $201 in Cajamarca versus $140 in Piura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $130 in Cajamarca versus $189 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.