If you grew up between Brickell and Coral Gables and you are now scanning Lima for a family-friendly play, two Surco urbanizaciones rarely make the LinkedIn lists: San Roque and a sister enclave whose streets are named after zodiac signs (Sagitario, Acuario, Géminis, Tauro). Here you find 1970s family lots, walkable schools, and new boutique apartment buildings selling at US$2,000 to US$2,400 per square meter (sqm) — roughly 12% to 18% under Chacarilla and barely a third of what you would pay per sqm for a comparable Brickell tower. This is the practical guide for San Roque Surco living: streets, prices, schools, and where the smart developer money is moving in Q1 2026.

Table of contents

• Why Surco still leads Lima
• San Roque: the under-the-radar pocket
• Sagitario and the zodiac streets
• Prices per sqm and what your dollar buys
• Schools and family life
• Boutique densification: what is coming
• Quick facts for foreign investors
• Frequently asked questions

Why Surco still leads Lima

Santiago de Surco has topped residential search in Lima Metropolitan for years. According to Properati Data 2024, Surco led queries to buy an apartment among Lima’s 43 districts. The reasons are mundane and practical: dense services, the deepest concentration of private K-12 schools in the city, and direct access to Panamericana Sur, Javier Prado and the Vía Expresa.

The district average hides very different submarkets. Urbania Index reports Q1 2026 [TO BE VERIFIED Q2 2026] values from US$1,400 per sqm in Higuereta to US$3,200 per sqm in Las Casuarinas. San Roque and Sagitario sit in the middle: a sweet spot for buyers who want Surco’s school grid without paying Casuarinas pricing. The natural Miami comparison is Coral Gables versus Pinecrest: same school orbit, different ticket.

For broader context, see our piece on 14 reasons to live in Surco and our breakdown of price per sqm in Surco 2026. This article zooms into San Roque and Sagitario block by block.

San Roque: the under-the-radar pocket

San Roque is a Surco urbanización bordered by Av. Caminos del Inca to the west, Av. Encalada to the east, and Av. El Polo at its southern edge. The grid took shape between 1970 and 1985, with single-family lots ranging from 200 to 400 sqm. Original homes are one and two stories, with front gardens, double garages, and detached service quarters. The street layout is orthogonal, with wide blocks and palm-tree sidewalks now north of 40 years old.

Main streets in San Roque

The internal spine is Av. Próceres, which connects Caminos del Inca with Encalada in roughly six blocks. Cross streets carry the names of Peruvian republican figures and battles. There is a small neighborhood market, two parishes, and three full-block parks. Density is still low: one apartment building every four or five lots, almost always four to six stories.

The buyer profile in San Roque today is clear. A family with one or two kids, budget between US$280,000 (S/1.044 million) and US$520,000 (S/1.94 million), looking for a 130 to 180 sqm apartment with three bedrooms and two parking spaces. Buyers from Miami or Madrid are surprised: for the same dollars they would spend on a 1,150 sqft Brickell unit, here you get 1,940 sqft, an interior balcony, and walkable access to private schools without crossing major avenues.

What you should know before buying

San Roque has one quirk: maintenance quality varies block by block. There are stretches where homes stay pristine, with green areas trimmed weekly by the neighborhood association, and others where inheritance disputes left properties abandoned, now targeted by boutique developers. Walk the block twice — once in the morning and once at night — before signing anything. If you spot construction containers on three lots in the same block, you will live with dust and noise for 18 to 30 months.

Sagitario and the zodiac streets

North of San Roque sits the urbanización with zodiac-named streets. Locals call it “Sagitario” because that is the longest street, but the official grid includes Acuario, Géminis, Tauro and Capricornio among others. It is a quirky urban relic from the same 1970s wave that still feels like a gated neighborhood without the gate.

The terrain is gently rolling, which translates into homes with functional basements or split-level entries. Lots run slightly larger than in San Roque: average 250 to 450 sqm. That difference matters because it allows boutique projects of five to eight apartments per lot, with reasonable common areas and three elevators when the building is linear.

Who is building in Sagitario

Over the last 18 months I have counted at least six boutique projects rising on the zodiac streets [TO BE VERIFIED exact count]. We are talking four to twelve floors, three-bedroom apartments, areas from 120 sqm, list prices between US$2,000 and US$2,400 per sqm. The developers entering are mid-sized: names with track record in Chacarilla now hunting cheaper land and healthier margins.

Compare with Chacarilla del Estanque, where new-build sqm runs US$2,600 to US$2,900: Sagitario delivers a 12% to 18% discount with nearly identical services. The tangible difference is that Chacarilla puts you five minutes on foot from Jockey Plaza mall, while in Sagitario you take the car or a taxi.

Prices per sqm and what your dollar buys

Here are the May 2026 ranges for new and resale units in San Roque and Sagitario. Numbers come from active listings on Urbania and Adondevivir plus closed transactions reported by appraiser colleagues.

• New apartment in San Roque: US$1,900 to US$2,250 per sqm. Typical sizes 130 to 180 sqm.
• New apartment in Sagitario: US$2,000 to US$2,400 per sqm. Typical sizes 140 to 200 sqm.
• Resale (5 to 15 years old): US$1,600 to US$1,950 per sqm.
• Older home on a 250 sqm lot: US$520,000 (S/1.94M) to US$780,000 (S/2.91M) depending on condition and block.

For perspective: a new 150 sqm apartment in San Roque at US$2,100 per sqm closes at US$315,000 (about S/1,176,000 at S/3.73 [TO BE VERIFIED FX May 2026]). On top of that you pay alcabala (transfer tax). If you are buying resale, check our alcabala guide for high-value properties.

Mortgage rates and financing

The average soles mortgage rate closed April 2026 at 7.47% according to consolidated BCRP and SBS reports. Dollar mortgages run 6.9% to 8.2% depending on profile. A family buying US$315,000 with 30% down on a 20-year term would pay US$1,870 to US$2,020 per month. If you are buying as a non-resident the math changes — see our complete guide on buying luxury apartments in Lima from abroad.

Schools and family life

The single strongest argument for San Roque or Sagitario is school proximity. Real walking distance, not car-with-traffic distance. Markham College’s primary campus is 8 minutes by car, and many parents go for the school bus. Newton College and Pestalozzi (Surco campus) are 10 to 15 minutes. For pre-K and kindergarten, there are prestigious nursery schools inside both urbanizaciones: three in San Roque and two in Sagitario, running Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and bilingual programs.

The private school density in these microzones explains why prices hold up when other districts soften. The Surco Municipality reports more than 40 formal educational institutions [TO BE VERIFIED exact count] across the central-north quadrant, covering nursery, primary, and secondary. That concentration creates a firm demand floor.

Parks and sports

San Roque has three full-block parks and two plazas. Sagitario wins on this front: Parque Acuario, half a block from calle Sagitario, has four levels, an outdoor gym, and a multipurpose court. Weekends fill with families, dogs, and bikes. Twelve minutes by car you have the Jockey Club and the polo fields of Lima Polo Club, if that is your scene.

Boutique densification: what is coming

2024 closed strong for Lima Metropolitan. ASEI/CODIP reported 21,479 new units sold in the year, up 30% YoY, with total launch investment of S/10.524 billion (about US$2.82 billion). Surco captured roughly 17% of those sales, and within the district, under-the-radar pockets like San Roque and Sagitario are seeing capital migrate from Chacarilla and Las Casuarinas.

The reason is arithmetic. A 350 sqm lot in Las Casuarinas now trades at US$2,500 to US$2,900 per sqm to build, putting land cost near US$900,000. The same lot in Sagitario costs US$520,000 to US$650,000. For a boutique project of six to ten apartments, that gap decides whether the deal closes. Before signing, check developer history at Sunarp for luxury property records.

Comparison with neighboring micro-pockets

If you want to broaden the search, Chacarilla del Estanque costs 15% more, Monterrico offers larger lots and a more conservative profile, and Valle Hermoso and Higuereta deliver lower tickets with thinner services. San Roque and Sagitario sit in the middle: reasonable price, mature services, and expected appreciation on exit.

Quick facts for foreign investors

• New-build entry ticket: from US$280,000 (S/1.044M) for 110 sqm in San Roque to US$520,000 (S/1.94M) for 200 sqm in Sagitario.
• Average sqm Q1 2026: US$2,100 new, US$1,750 resale [TO BE VERIFIED Q2 2026].
• Estimated monthly rent: US$1,400 to US$2,100 by area and age.
• Gross yield: 4.8% to 5.6% per year on purchase price.
• 5-year appreciation: 18% to 26% cumulative projected [TO BE VERIFIED macro scenario].

Frequently asked questions

San Roque and Sagitario do not show up on the LinkedIn rankings or Instagram reels of the loudest brokers. That, frankly, is part of the value. The people buying here know Surco from the inside, understand what it costs to live far from a good school, and accept that appreciation does not always come with the loudest names. If the profile fits, walk the blocks, talk to neighbors, take your time. The decision is made on foot, not on a screen.

Rates, prices and figures referenced correspond to May 2026 and are subject to change. Penthouse.pe is neither a financial advisor nor a bank; before making investment decisions, consult your trusted advisor and the financial institution, which must be regulated by Peru’s SBS.

Considering a purchase in San Roque or Sagitario? Reach out to Penthouse.pe and we will set up a guided tour with a specialist who knows the current inventory block by block.