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: $530 in Pisco versus $649 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $822 in Pisco versus $1,098 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,114 in Pisco versus $1,547 in Cajamarca.

Living in Pisco costs roughly 18% less than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pisco 60% lower, Cajamarca 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$3.00 PEN 10.20

-28.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.16 PEN 37.98

$28.12 PEN 95.7

-60.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 PEN 11.27

$5.85 PEN 19.90

-43.42%

Cappuccino

$1.40 PEN 4.76

$2.93 PEN 9.96

-52.22%

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

$0.66 PEN 2.24

$0.75 PEN 2.56

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.59 PEN 2.00

-54.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PEN 6.57

$2.18 PEN 7.41

-11.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PEN 13.42

$3.23 PEN 10.99

21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.04

$1.24 PEN 4.22

19.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PEN 8.94

$3.12 PEN 10.60

-15.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.56

$1.09 PEN 3.71

22.94%

Eggs

$2.97 PEN 10.11

$2.17 PEN 7.39

36.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.39

$6.15 PEN 20.93

26.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 PEN 19.64

$5.85 PEN 19.89

-1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 PEN 36.27

$12.02 PEN 40.88

-11.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 PEN 6.98

$0.93 PEN 3.15

120.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.78

$0.75 PEN 2.56

48.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$0.83 PEN 2.83

31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.27

$1.05 PEN 3.58

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.53

$0.68 PEN 2.33

52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.24

$0.94 PEN 3.20

1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.79

$0.62 PEN 2.12

32.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$0.72 PEN 2.45

19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 PEN 18.50

$8.23 PEN 28.00

-33.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 PEN 30.43

$10.20 PEN 34.69

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$2.50 PEN 8.52

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 PEN 10.35

$2.35 PEN 7.99

29.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 PEN 27.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.50

$1.64 PEN 5.59

106.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.52

$1.22 PEN 4.14

81.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 PEN 28.50

$4.90 PEN 16.68

71.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$1.50 PEN 5.12

-10.00%

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

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

$21.8K PEN 74.1K

-9.25%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

$23.8K PEN 81.0K

4.12%

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

$57.2 PEN 194

$46.05 PEN 157

24.15%

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

$12.41 PEN 42.22

$9.02 PEN 30.68

37.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.50 PEN 80.0

$26.75 PEN 91.0

-12.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 PEN 97.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 PEN 65.4

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 PEN 23.50

$4.68 PEN 15.92

47.65%

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

$215 PEN 731

$128 PEN 435

68.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

$4,117 PEN 14.0K

96.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 PEN 169

$48.44 PEN 165

2.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 PEN 121

$27.69 PEN 94.2

28.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PEN 303

$75.4 PEN 256

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 PEN 310

$77.0 PEN 262

18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PEN 687

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.3 PEN 331

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 PEN 1,707

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 PEN 992

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 PEN 6,154

$2,356 PEN 8,017

-23.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 PEN 4,542

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 PEN 1,985

$707 PEN 2,407

-17.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

10.5

-3.71%

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

Last update for Pisco: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cajamarca pays 21% 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: $11.00 in Pisco vs $28.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $211, 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

Pisco vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pisco is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cajamarca earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $215 in Pisco versus $128 in Cajamarca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pisco – 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 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 22% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.