Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Cajamarca Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Cajamarca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Arequipa vs $706 in Cajamarca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,150 per month in Arequipa vs $1,178 in Cajamarca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Arequipa vs $1,649 in Cajamarca, rent included.

Arequipa costs about 3% more than Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Cajamarca are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Cajamarca 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PEN 12.04

$3.47 PEN 11.63

3.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 PEN 100

$30.10 PEN 101

-0.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.63

$6.04 PEN 20.25

-3.15%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 8.75

$2.74 PEN 9.20

-4.74%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.79

$0.82 PEN 2.75

1.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 PEN 1.22

$0.61 PEN 2.03

-40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.40

$2.40 PEN 8.05

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PEN 14.56

$3.51 PEN 11.76

23.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$1.38 PEN 4.62

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.85

$3.22 PEN 10.79

-54.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.30 PEN 4.34

17.69%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$2.23 PEN 7.47

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 PEN 21.66

$7.80 PEN 26.16

-17.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 PEN 14.98

$6.35 PEN 21.28

-29.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 PEN 24.95

$12.95 PEN 43.42

-42.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

$1.13 PEN 3.78

61.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

$0.78 PEN 2.63

60.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.91

$1.29 PEN 4.31

-10.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$1.11 PEN 3.72

-8.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.75 PEN 2.51

-10.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.42

$1.04 PEN 3.49

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$0.76 PEN 2.54

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.57

$0.76 PEN 2.56

1.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 PEN 17.51

$8.76 PEN 29.37

-40.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 PEN 17.74

$10.28 PEN 34.45

-48.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 PEN 9.69

$2.61 PEN 8.75

10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.04

$2.51 PEN 8.41

-4.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$0.60 PEN 2.01

-51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.74 PEN 29.29

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$1.82 PEN 6.11

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.86

$1.33 PEN 4.46

54.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 PEN 43.08

$5.32 PEN 17.83

141.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.08

$1.53 PEN 5.11

-0.65%

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

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

$24.2K PEN 81.1K

-23.27%

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

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

$25.8K PEN 86.5K

0.94%

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

$24.42 PEN 81.9

$49.37 PEN 166

-50.54%

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

$10.19 PEN 34.16

$9.79 PEN 32.84

4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 PEN 78.5

$29.16 PEN 97.8

-19.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

$30.10 PEN 101

-15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 PEN 28.04

$21.17 PEN 71.0

-60.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 PEN 25.16

$4.76 PEN 15.97

57.56%

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

$75.6 PEN 253

$137 PEN 460

-44.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

$4,411 PEN 14.8K

54.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 PEN 166

$52.8 PEN 177

-6.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 PEN 88.0

$29.83 PEN 100

-12.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 PEN 232

$81.1 PEN 272

-14.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 PEN 200

$81.5 PEN 273

-26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,214

$206 PEN 689

76.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 804

$105 PEN 353

127.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 PEN 2,452

$542 PEN 1,816

35.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

$313 PEN 1,050

34.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 6,688

$2,339 PEN 7,842

-14.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,198

$740 PEN 2,480

-11.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

42.86%

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

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Arequipa versus $206 in Cajamarca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Cajamarca, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Arequipa versus $30.00 in Cajamarca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $230 – making Arequipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arequipa vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arequipa costs about 3% more than Cajamarca, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,089 per month in Arequipa and $1,059 in Cajamarca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cajamarca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Arequipa and $30.00 in Cajamarca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Arequipa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $726 in Arequipa and $706 in Cajamarca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cajamarca costs $706 versus $726 in Arequipa. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cajamarca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arequipa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.