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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Cajamarca is about 3% cheaper than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 PEN 11.63

$3.59 PEN 12.04

-3.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.10 PEN 101

$29.83 PEN 100

0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 PEN 20.25

$5.85 PEN 19.63

3.25%

Cappuccino

$2.74 PEN 9.20

$2.61 PEN 8.75

4.98%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.75

$0.83 PEN 2.79

-1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.03

$0.36 PEN 1.22

69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 PEN 8.05

$2.21 PEN 7.40

8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PEN 11.76

$4.34 PEN 14.56

-19.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 PEN 4.62

$1.37 PEN 4.59

0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 PEN 10.79

$1.45 PEN 4.85

122.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.34

$1.53 PEN 5.13

-15.03%

Eggs

$2.23 PEN 7.47

$2.36 PEN 7.91

-5.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 PEN 26.16

$6.46 PEN 21.66

20.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 PEN 21.28

$4.47 PEN 14.98

42.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 PEN 43.42

$7.44 PEN 24.95

74.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.78

$1.83 PEN 6.14

-38.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$1.25 PEN 4.20

-37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.31

$1.16 PEN 3.91

11.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.72

$1.02 PEN 3.43

8.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.51

$0.67 PEN 2.26

11.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.49

$0.72 PEN 2.42

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 PEN 2.54

$0.56 PEN 1.89

35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.56

$0.77 PEN 2.57

-1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 PEN 29.37

$5.22 PEN 17.51

67.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 PEN 34.45

$5.29 PEN 17.74

94.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 PEN 8.75

$2.89 PEN 9.69

-9.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 PEN 8.41

$2.40 PEN 8.04

4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 PEN 2.01

$0.29 PEN 0.97

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.74 PEN 29.29

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PEN 6.11

$2.10 PEN 7.05

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 PEN 4.46

$2.05 PEN 6.86

-35.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 PEN 17.83

$12.85 PEN 43.08

-58.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.11

$1.52 PEN 5.08

0.66%

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

$24.2K PEN 81.1K

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

30.33%

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

$25.8K PEN 86.5K

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

-0.93%

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

$49.37 PEN 166

$24.42 PEN 81.9

102.17%

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

$9.79 PEN 32.84

$10.19 PEN 34.16

-3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.16 PEN 97.8

$23.41 PEN 78.5

24.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 101

$25.53 PEN 85.6

17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.17 PEN 71.0

$8.36 PEN 28.04

153.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 15.97

$7.50 PEN 25.16

-36.53%

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

$137 PEN 460

$75.6 PEN 253

81.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 PEN 14.8K

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

-35.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 PEN 177

$49.44 PEN 166

6.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 PEN 100

$26.25 PEN 88.0

13.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 PEN 272

$69.3 PEN 232

17.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 PEN 273

$59.7 PEN 200

36.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 PEN 689

$362 PEN 1,214

-43.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PEN 353

$240 PEN 804

-56.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,816

$731 PEN 2,452

-25.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 PEN 1,050

$421 PEN 1,412

-25.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,339 PEN 7,842

$1,995 PEN 6,688

17.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$740 PEN 2,480

$656 PEN 2,198

12.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

-30.00%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: August 29, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $206 in Cajamarca versus $362 in Arequipa. 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 Cajamarca versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Cajamarca vs $179 in Arequipa – so Arequipa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Cajamarca vs Arequipa: 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 $1,059 per month in Cajamarca and $1,089 in Arequipa. 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 Cajamarca and $30.00 in Arequipa. 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 $706 in Cajamarca and $726 in Arequipa, 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.