Cost of Living in Cajamarca - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Cajamarca
Address: Cajamarca, PE

Monthly Cost of Living

Living costs for one person come to about $649 monthly including rent, or $547 excluding housing.

Estimated monthly costs for a couple: $1,098 with rent, or $913 without housing.

Monthly costs for a family of three come to about $1,547 including rent, or $1,280 for daily expenses alone.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 PEN 10.20

$2.17 PEN 7.40

$4.08 PEN 13.90

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 PEN 95.7

$24.74 PEN 84.2

$28.12 PEN 95.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$5.58 PEN 18.98

$6.13 PEN 20.85

Cappuccino

$2.93 PEN 9.96

$2.27 PEN 7.71

$3.68 PEN 12.53

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

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$0.66 PEN 2.24

$0.79 PEN 2.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 PEN 7.41

$0.81 PEN 2.77

$2.73 PEN 9.27

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 PEN 4.22

$0.57 PEN 1.92

$1.69 PEN 5.73

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 PEN 10.60

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.71

$0.85 PEN 2.91

$1.26 PEN 4.27

Eggs

$2.17 PEN 7.39

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$2.29 PEN 7.78

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PEN 20.93

$3.08 PEN 10.46

$8.00 PEN 27.22

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 PEN 19.89

$4.31 PEN 14.66

$7.38 PEN 25.12

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 PEN 40.88

$9.01 PEN 30.67

$15.02 PEN 51.1

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$0.80 PEN 2.72

$1.18 PEN 4.00

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$0.64 PEN 2.17

$0.87 PEN 2.95

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.83

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$1.17 PEN 3.97

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.58

$0.85 PEN 2.89

$1.25 PEN 4.25

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$0.58 PEN 1.97

$0.79 PEN 2.68

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$1.20 PEN 4.07

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.12

$0.54 PEN 1.82

$0.79 PEN 2.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$0.24 PEN 0.83

$0.81 PEN 2.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 PEN 28.00

$5.49 PEN 18.69

$8.23 PEN 28.00

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 PEN 34.69

$8.74 PEN 29.74

$11.65 PEN 39.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 PEN 8.52

$2.26 PEN 7.69

$2.83 PEN 9.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PEN 7.99

$2.21 PEN 7.51

$2.49 PEN 8.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.44 PEN 1.50

$0.59 PEN 2.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 PEN 27.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.59

$1.37 PEN 4.65

$3.28 PEN 11.15

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$0.83 PEN 2.83

$1.60 PEN 5.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 PEN 16.68

$4.21 PEN 14.31

$5.61 PEN 19.09

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 PEN 5.12

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$1.65 PEN 5.60

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

$21.8K PEN 74.1K

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

$23.8K PEN 81.0K

$20.4K PEN 69.5K

$27.2K PEN 92.6K

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

$46.05 PEN 157

$27.64 PEN 94.0

$82.9 PEN 282

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

$9.02 PEN 30.68

$8.32 PEN 28.30

$9.71 PEN 33.02

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.75 PEN 91.0

$13.84 PEN 47.09

$41.51 PEN 141

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 PEN 97.4

$19.38 PEN 65.9

$41.54 PEN 141

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 PEN 65.4

$16.48 PEN 56.1

$21.97 PEN 74.7

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 PEN 15.92

$3.69 PEN 12.55

$5.68 PEN 19.32

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

$128 PEN 435

$110 PEN 373

$164 PEN 559

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,117 PEN 14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.44 PEN 165

$41.52 PEN 141

$55.4 PEN 188

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.69 PEN 94.2

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 PEN 256

$68.5 PEN 233

$82.2 PEN 280

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 PEN 262

$70.0 PEN 238

$84.0 PEN 286

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PEN 687

$195 PEN 663

$209 PEN 710

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.3 PEN 331

$83.4 PEN 284

$111 PEN 378

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 PEN 1,707

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 PEN 992

$273 PEN 930

$328 PEN 1,116

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,356 PEN 8,017

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$707 PEN 2,407

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

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

Last update: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Expect to pay about $202 for a central one-bedroom, or $97.3 outside the center. At 29% of the average salary ($707), rent is manageable but leaves limited room for savings.

Average take-home pay sits at $707, while typical expenses reach $649. This leaves some room for savings, though a comfortable buffer starts closer to $973.

Expect to spend about $211 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant costs roughly $28.00 for two.

Public transport is priced at around $8.11 per month.

Cost Highlights

Cajamarca has the 3rd cheapest public transport monthly pass in South America

Cajamarca has the 3rd most expensive local beer in South America

Cajamarca has the 5th most expensive white bread in South America

Cajamarca Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

City tags:

Cost of Living in Cajamarca - Frequently Asked Questions

Compared with Lima or Cusco, Cajamarca tends to offer a slower pace and lower everyday costs for housing, markets, and meals, while still delivering essential services and a strong outdoors lifestyle. Cost of Living in Cajamarca, Peru is shaped by affordable local produce, modest rents for older apartment buildings, and a network of small cafés and coworking options for short-term stays. You’ll find value in longer-term rentals and in choosing neighborhoods away from major tourist spots. Seasonality matters for dining and entertainment, with more local flavor outside peak travel weeks. Tip: Start with a month-long stay to test neighborhoods and budget dynamics.

Daily life centers on a walkable core with markets, plazas, and compact streets. For housing search, look for longer leases in buildings managed by local landlords rather than large agencies; Centro Histórico and surrounding districts offer easy access to groceries, cafes, and buses. Food options range from vibrant mercados with fresh produce to simple, affordable meals at local eateries. Transportation relies on buses, colectivo vans, and taxis; many places are reachable on foot, and bicycles are practical in dry months. Co-working spots and cafés with reliable Wi-Fi suit remote work. Cajamarca, Peru living cost helps you set a realistic daily budget for groceries and transit. Tip: Pick a place with a reliable power supply and good internet.

Quality of life in Cajamarca blends outdoor access, cultural events, and a slower tempo that suits long stays. Build a simple budgeting framework around housing, groceries, transport, and personal expenses, then adapt with seasonal changes. Save tips include cooking at home with local produce, shopping at mercados, using public transport, and sharing apartments to reduce rent. Seasonality brings busier markets and occasional festival surges; plan ahead for peak periods by booking stays near your preferred amenities. Neighborhood fit depends on pace: Centro Histórico for walkability and nightlife, La Alameda and hillside views for space and scenery, or quieter residential blocks for focus. Tip: Map your daily routes to minimize backtracking and cut transit time.

As of 2026, monthly living costs in Cajamarca come to around $649 including rent, or roughly $547 excluding it. Numbers shift a bit by season and neighborhood, but this range works well as a planning baseline.

Compared to most cities worldwide, Cajamarca is just cheap – all-in costs average $649 monthly. Both housing and daily necessities sit below the international median, which explains its popularity with budget travelers, nomads, and locals on modest incomes.

At $707 take-home, most residents in Cajamarca can cover the $649 monthly cost of living. Those earning $973 or more have room to save; below-average earners will find things noticeably tighter.

Where you live in Cajamarca makes all the difference. Central one-bedrooms cost about $202; commute-friendly outer districts come in around $97.3. Overall, the market runs from $97.3 to $202 depending on size, location, and apartment condition.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca goes for roughly $8.11, which is one of the lighter items on a monthly budget. Coverage across residential and business areas is solid, and most residents without a car rely on it daily.

Childcare averages $128 monthly at a private kindergarten in Cajamarca. For many families, this single cost rivals rent, so it's essential to factor in before making a move.

$1,000 stretches far in Cajamarca – all-in monthly costs average only $649. The surplus means you can build savings, travel a bit, and live above the local average without much effort.

Cajamarca offers genuinely appealing day-to-day living. Residents value fast internet, low crime rates, clean air, and at around $649 per month, it's accessible to a broad range of incomes. Most people find the cost-to-quality balance sustainable long-term.

Monthly expenses in Cajamarca run around $649, so putting money aside takes more than $973 in income. Keeping housing costs low and avoiding lifestyle creep are the keys to building a decent savings rate here.

Budget travelers love Cajamarca – low prices across accommodation, food, and transport make it one of the most backpacker-friendly cities around. Long-stay costs come to just $649 monthly; short-term visitors can get by on even less with hostels and local food.