Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Cajamarca Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisco and Cajamarca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $682 in Pisco versus $706 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,055 in Pisco versus $1,178 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Pisco versus $1,649 in Cajamarca.

Living in Pisco costs roughly 3% less than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pisco 50% lower, Cajamarca 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 PEN 15.07

$3.47 PEN 11.63

29.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.63 PEN 109

$30.10 PEN 101

8.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 PEN 23.89

$6.04 PEN 20.25

18.05%

Cappuccino

$3.34 PEN 11.21

$2.74 PEN 9.20

21.90%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.77

$0.82 PEN 2.75

36.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.07

$0.61 PEN 2.03

1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PEN 9.21

$2.40 PEN 8.05

14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 PEN 15.31

$3.51 PEN 11.76

30.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 PEN 5.62

$1.38 PEN 4.62

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 PEN 7.81

$3.22 PEN 10.79

-27.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.24

$1.30 PEN 4.34

-2.31%

Eggs

$1.37 PEN 4.60

$2.23 PEN 7.47

-38.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 PEN 21.75

$7.80 PEN 26.16

-16.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 PEN 16.55

$6.35 PEN 21.28

-22.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 PEN 22.86

$12.95 PEN 43.42

-47.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.58

$1.13 PEN 3.78

21.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.40

$0.78 PEN 2.63

29.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 PEN 4.81

$1.29 PEN 4.31

11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.92

$1.11 PEN 3.72

-48.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.45

$0.75 PEN 2.51

-42.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$1.04 PEN 3.49

-17.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 PEN 2.83

$0.76 PEN 2.54

11.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.91

$0.76 PEN 2.56

14.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 PEN 19.45

$8.76 PEN 29.37

-33.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 PEN 30.92

$10.28 PEN 34.45

-10.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.36

$2.61 PEN 8.75

-27.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.32

$2.51 PEN 8.41

-1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 PEN 3.13

$0.60 PEN 2.01

55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.81 PEN 120

$8.74 PEN 29.29

309.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 PEN 13.34

$1.82 PEN 6.11

118.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 PEN 7.17

$1.33 PEN 4.46

60.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$5.32 PEN 17.83

37.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.76

$1.53 PEN 5.11

12.42%

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

$21.8K PEN 73.2K

$24.2K PEN 81.1K

-9.76%

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

$25.9K PEN 86.9K

$25.8K PEN 86.5K

0.47%

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

$45.42 PEN 152

$49.37 PEN 166

-8.00%

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

$16.85 PEN 56.5

$9.79 PEN 32.84

72.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.93 PEN 40.00

$29.16 PEN 97.8

-59.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.56 PEN 68.9

$30.10 PEN 101

-31.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 PEN 30.14

$21.17 PEN 71.0

-57.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 PEN 24.56

$4.76 PEN 15.97

53.78%

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

$181 PEN 605

$137 PEN 460

31.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K PEN 44.1K

$4,411 PEN 14.8K

198.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 PEN 182

$52.8 PEN 177

2.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.39 PEN 44.90

$29.83 PEN 100

-55.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.04 PEN 158

$81.1 PEN 272

-42.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.00 PEN 121

$81.5 PEN 273

-55.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PEN 551

$206 PEN 689

-20.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 PEN 444

$105 PEN 353

25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,816

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 PEN 488

$313 PEN 1,050

-53.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,813 PEN 6,079

$2,339 PEN 7,842

-22.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 PEN 1,957

$740 PEN 2,480

-21.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

10.5

-14.86%

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

Last update for Pisco: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $164 in Pisco and $206 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 27% 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: $33.00 in Pisco vs $30.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $230, with Pisco 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

Pisco vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pisco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Cajamarca. 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: $164 in Pisco versus $206 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pisco runs roughly 310% less than in Cajamarca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $181 in Pisco versus $137 in Cajamarca. 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, Pisco and Cajamarca 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 4% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.