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: $619 in Piura versus $654 in Cajamarca.

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

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

Living in Piura costs roughly 5% less than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Piura 54% lower, Cajamarca 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$3.14 PEN 10.68

-10.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.89 PEN 37.05

$27.99 PEN 95.2

-61.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 PEN 19.07

$5.99 PEN 20.36

-6.34%

Cappuccino

$3.28 PEN 11.15

$2.84 PEN 9.66

15.49%

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

$1.71 PEN 5.83

$0.82 PEN 2.79

108.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.80

$0.54 PEN 1.83

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.78

$2.29 PEN 7.77

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PEN 9.29

$3.40 PEN 11.56

-19.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$1.26 PEN 4.29

-10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$3.11 PEN 10.58

-3.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.63

$1.04 PEN 3.54

30.77%

Eggs

$2.04 PEN 6.94

$2.05 PEN 6.99

-0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 PEN 27.82

$6.10 PEN 20.75

34.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 PEN 24.46

$5.66 PEN 19.26

27.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 PEN 31.49

$12.17 PEN 41.38

-23.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.40

$1.01 PEN 3.42

28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$0.75 PEN 2.54

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$0.89 PEN 3.02

-11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.72

$1.00 PEN 3.40

9.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.71 PEN 2.41

73.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.87

$0.98 PEN 3.32

-43.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.67 PEN 2.29

-20.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 PEN 2.71

$0.77 PEN 2.60

3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.28 PEN 28.17

$8.12 PEN 27.60

1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 PEN 38.23

$10.25 PEN 34.85

9.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 PEN 6.21

$2.44 PEN 8.30

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PEN 9.40

$2.29 PEN 7.79

20.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$0.55 PEN 1.86

-21.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.12 PEN 27.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 PEN 5.84

$1.69 PEN 5.76

1.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 PEN 5.43

$1.20 PEN 4.08

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 PEN 19.11

$4.73 PEN 16.08

18.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 PEN 4.73

$1.45 PEN 4.93

-4.14%

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

$22.3K PEN 75.8K

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

$23.9K PEN 81.2K

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

$38.69 PEN 132

$45.45 PEN 155

-14.87%

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

$8.21 PEN 27.92

$9.08 PEN 30.88

-9.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.76 PEN 91.0

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.18 PEN 95.9

$28.45 PEN 96.8

-0.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 PEN 65.3

Cinema Ticket

$2.26 PEN 7.68

$4.64 PEN 15.77

-51.29%

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

$189 PEN 643

$130 PEN 443

45.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,217 PEN 7,538

$4,123 PEN 14.0K

-46.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.92 PEN 139

$48.73 PEN 166

-16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.39 PEN 42.13

$27.67 PEN 94.1

-55.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 PEN 192

$77.2 PEN 263

-26.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 PEN 240

$77.7 PEN 264

-9.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 PEN 477

$201 PEN 683

-30.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 PEN 433

$98.8 PEN 336

28.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,127

$507 PEN 1,723

-34.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 PEN 1,308

$293 PEN 997

31.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 PEN 12.7K

$2,310 PEN 7,855

62.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 PEN 1,837

$721 PEN 2,453

-25.11%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $140 in Piura and $201 in Cajamarca. 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: $11.00 in Piura vs $28.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% 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: $140 in Piura versus $201 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $189 in Piura versus $130 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 6% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.