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: $630 in Piura versus $655 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,056 in Piura versus $1,101 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Piura versus $1,547 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 53% lower, Cajamarca 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 PEN 9.18

$3.14 PEN 10.69

-14.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.22 PEN 38.13

$28.17 PEN 95.8

-60.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PEN 18.82

$5.98 PEN 20.34

-7.53%

Cappuccino

$3.40 PEN 11.56

$2.90 PEN 9.86

17.24%

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

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$0.80 PEN 2.73

113.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.79

$0.54 PEN 1.84

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.45

$2.25 PEN 7.66

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 PEN 9.73

$3.30 PEN 11.21

-13.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.89

$1.24 PEN 4.22

-8.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 PEN 10.61

$2.98 PEN 10.13

4.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.84

$1.05 PEN 3.56

35.24%

Eggs

$2.11 PEN 7.16

$2.10 PEN 7.13

0.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 PEN 28.18

$6.14 PEN 20.89

35.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 PEN 24.71

$5.78 PEN 19.64

25.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 PEN 32.96

$12.07 PEN 41.03

-19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.43

$0.92 PEN 3.11

41.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.71 PEN 2.41

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$0.83 PEN 2.83

3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.81

$1.00 PEN 3.40

12.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$0.74 PEN 2.53

71.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$0.92 PEN 3.12

-38.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.98

$0.63 PEN 2.15

-7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.68

$0.76 PEN 2.57

3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 PEN 28.60

$8.34 PEN 28.36

0.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 PEN 37.00

$10.22 PEN 34.75

6.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 PEN 5.97

$2.41 PEN 8.19

-26.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.25

$2.38 PEN 8.08

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 PEN 1.37

$0.53 PEN 1.81

-24.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.27 PEN 28.12

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$1.65 PEN 5.62

3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.65

$1.25 PEN 4.24

32.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 PEN 18.82

$4.78 PEN 16.26

15.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 PEN 4.89

$1.51 PEN 5.14

-4.64%

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

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

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

$24.0K PEN 81.6K

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

$39.79 PEN 135

$46.50 PEN 158

-14.43%

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

$8.43 PEN 28.64

$8.94 PEN 30.38

-5.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.56 PEN 90.3

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 PEN 93.6

$28.32 PEN 96.3

-2.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 PEN 66.0

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$4.54 PEN 15.44

-51.76%

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

$187 PEN 635

$129 PEN 440

44.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,195 PEN 7,462

$4,152 PEN 14.1K

-47.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.97 PEN 139

$47.78 PEN 162

-14.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.56 PEN 42.70

$27.47 PEN 93.4

-54.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 PEN 187

$77.1 PEN 262

-28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 PEN 232

$77.0 PEN 262

-11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 PEN 469

$200 PEN 678

-30.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 PEN 420

$98.3 PEN 334

25.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,124

$494 PEN 1,679

-33.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,327

$292 PEN 993

33.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,667 PEN 12.5K

$2,326 PEN 7,908

57.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 PEN 2,365

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $138 in Piura and $200 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 $220 vs $208, 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 $944 in Piura and $983 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: $138 in Piura versus $200 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $187 in Piura versus $129 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.