Cost of Living Comparison Between Ayacucho and Cajamarca Cost of Living Comparison Between Ayacucho and Cajamarca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $491 in Ayacucho versus $706 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $793 in Ayacucho versus $1,178 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,095 in Ayacucho versus $1,649 in Cajamarca.

Living in Ayacucho costs roughly 30% less than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ayacucho 64% lower, Cajamarca 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 PEN 5.90

$3.47 PEN 11.63

-49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.10 PEN 101

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 PEN 20.25

Cappuccino

$1.76 PEN 5.89

$2.74 PEN 9.20

-35.77%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$0.82 PEN 2.75

4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.61 PEN 2.03

-49.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 PEN 5.04

$2.40 PEN 8.05

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PEN 14.72

$3.51 PEN 11.76

25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 PEN 4.62

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 PEN 10.79

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$1.30 PEN 4.34

-53.08%

Eggs

$1.73 PEN 5.81

$2.23 PEN 7.47

-22.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.92 PEN 9.78

$7.80 PEN 26.16

-62.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 PEN 14.78

$6.35 PEN 21.28

-30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.91 PEN 19.80

$12.95 PEN 43.42

-54.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.13 PEN 3.78

7.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.78 PEN 2.63

-21.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PEN 2.02

$1.29 PEN 4.31

-53.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PEN 1.88

$1.11 PEN 3.72

-49.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$0.75 PEN 2.51

-61.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.04

$1.04 PEN 3.49

-70.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PEN 1.06

$0.76 PEN 2.54

-59.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PEN 2.86

$0.76 PEN 2.56

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 PEN 29.37

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 PEN 19.36

$10.28 PEN 34.45

-43.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 PEN 10.01

$2.61 PEN 8.75

14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 PEN 14.91

$2.51 PEN 8.41

77.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 PEN 2.02

$0.60 PEN 2.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.11 PEN 121

$8.74 PEN 29.29

313.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 PEN 7.80

$1.82 PEN 6.11

27.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 PEN 4.06

$1.33 PEN 4.46

-9.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 PEN 15.35

$5.32 PEN 17.83

-13.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 PEN 6.01

$1.53 PEN 5.11

16.99%

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

$10.5K PEN 35.1K

$24.2K PEN 81.1K

-56.76%

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

$12.6K PEN 42.1K

$25.8K PEN 86.5K

-51.29%

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

$49.37 PEN 166

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

$11.94 PEN 40.05

$9.79 PEN 32.84

21.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.97 PEN 60.3

$29.16 PEN 97.8

-38.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.11 PEN 50.7

$30.10 PEN 101

-49.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.03 PEN 101

$21.17 PEN 71.0

41.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PEN 14.57

$4.76 PEN 15.97

-8.61%

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

$73.7 PEN 247

$137 PEN 460

-46.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 PEN 14.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 PEN 59.3

$52.8 PEN 177

-66.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.24 PEN 88.0

$29.83 PEN 100

-12.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 PEN 344

$81.1 PEN 272

26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 PEN 354

$81.5 PEN 273

29.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 PEN 1,184

$206 PEN 689

71.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.4 PEN 300

$105 PEN 353

-15.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 PEN 2,951

$542 PEN 1,816

62.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 PEN 784

$313 PEN 1,050

-25.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 PEN 6,644

$2,339 PEN 7,842

-15.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,755 PEN 5,885

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 PEN 1,643

$740 PEN 2,480

-33.73%

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 Ayacucho: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Ayacucho and $206 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 51% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Ayacucho vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ayacucho wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Cajamarca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ayacucho the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 51% 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: $353 in Ayacucho versus $206 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $73.7 in Ayacucho versus $137 in Cajamarca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Ayacucho runs roughly 313% less than in Cajamarca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ayacucho 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, Ayacucho 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 Ayacucho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.