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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $612 in Piura versus $636 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,041 in Piura versus $1,084 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,470 in Piura versus $1,532 in Cajamarca.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Piura 54% lower, Cajamarca 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PEN 9.82

$3.03 PEN 10.64

-7.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.17 PEN 39.21

$28.29 PEN 99.3

-60.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 PEN 19.70

$5.67 PEN 19.90

-1.06%

Cappuccino

$3.26 PEN 11.43

$2.91 PEN 10.21

12.03%

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

$1.69 PEN 5.92

$0.75 PEN 2.64

125.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 PEN 1.71

$0.57 PEN 2.01

-14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.84

$2.24 PEN 7.87

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 PEN 9.86

$3.27 PEN 11.49

-14.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 PEN 3.81

$1.24 PEN 4.36

-12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 PEN 10.52

$3.07 PEN 10.79

-2.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PEN 4.96

$1.07 PEN 3.76

31.78%

Eggs

$2.04 PEN 7.17

$2.16 PEN 7.57

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 PEN 27.83

$6.17 PEN 21.67

28.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 PEN 24.26

$5.71 PEN 20.04

21.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 PEN 33.78

$12.10 PEN 42.48

-20.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.53

$0.98 PEN 3.44

31.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PEN 3.05

$0.74 PEN 2.58

17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PEN 2.97

$0.90 PEN 3.14

-6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.85

$1.01 PEN 3.53

8.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.46

$0.75 PEN 2.64

69.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 2.02

$0.97 PEN 3.42

-41.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 2.04

$0.68 PEN 2.37

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.78

$0.71 PEN 2.50

11.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.27 PEN 29.02

$8.41 PEN 29.52

-1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 PEN 37.53

$10.21 PEN 35.83

4.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 6.20

$2.52 PEN 8.86

-29.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 PEN 9.48

$2.37 PEN 8.32

13.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 PEN 1.40

$0.57 PEN 2.00

-29.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.49 PEN 29.78

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.75

$1.64 PEN 5.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 PEN 5.85

$1.20 PEN 4.22

39.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 PEN 19.23

$4.81 PEN 16.90

13.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 PEN 5.02

$1.48 PEN 5.20

-3.38%

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

$22.5K PEN 79.1K

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

$24.2K PEN 85.0K

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

$39.50 PEN 139

$45.55 PEN 160

-13.28%

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

$8.56 PEN 30.04

$9.22 PEN 32.36

-7.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.93 PEN 94.5

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 PEN 98.2

$28.66 PEN 101

-2.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 PEN 67.4

Cinema Ticket

$2.27 PEN 7.95

$4.52 PEN 15.86

-49.78%

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

$185 PEN 649

$128 PEN 449

44.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,190 PEN 7,686

$4,180 PEN 14.7K

-47.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.63 PEN 146

$47.88 PEN 168

-13.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.67 PEN 44.45

$27.30 PEN 95.8

-53.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 PEN 193

$77.3 PEN 271

-28.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 PEN 248

$77.0 PEN 270

-8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$139 PEN 489

$198 PEN 694

-29.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 PEN 444

$95.3 PEN 335

32.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 PEN 1,159

$499 PEN 1,750

-33.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 PEN 1,366

$296 PEN 1,039

31.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,632 PEN 12.7K

$2,264 PEN 7,948

60.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$708 PEN 2,484

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 Piura: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $139 in Piura and $198 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Piura vs $28.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 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

Piura vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $918 in Piura and $954 in Cajamarca 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: $139 in Piura versus $198 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $185 in Piura 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 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, Piura 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 Piura 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.