Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Chiclayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Chiclayo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $636 in Cajamarca versus $730 in Chiclayo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,084 in Cajamarca versus $1,254 in Chiclayo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,532 in Cajamarca versus $1,778 in Chiclayo.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 13% less than in Chiclayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 52% lower, Chiclayo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 PEN 10.64

$4.83 PEN 16.95

-37.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 PEN 99.3

$33.64 PEN 118

-15.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 PEN 19.90

$8.13 PEN 28.53

-30.26%

Cappuccino

$2.91 PEN 10.21

$4.22 PEN 14.82

-31.04%

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

$0.75 PEN 2.64

$0.79 PEN 2.77

-5.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 PEN 2.01

$0.47 PEN 1.64

21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.87

$2.62 PEN 9.19

-14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 PEN 11.49

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 PEN 4.36

$1.36 PEN 4.79

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 PEN 10.79

$1.65 PEN 5.77

86.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.76

$1.71 PEN 6.01

-37.43%

Eggs

$2.16 PEN 7.57

$2.95 PEN 10.36

-26.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 PEN 21.67

$6.00 PEN 21.06

2.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 PEN 20.04

$6.08 PEN 21.35

-6.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 PEN 42.48

$8.64 PEN 30.33

40.05%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 PEN 3.44

$1.98 PEN 6.93

-50.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 PEN 2.58

$1.58 PEN 5.53

-53.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.14

$1.08 PEN 3.79

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.53

$1.51 PEN 5.28

-33.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.64

$0.99 PEN 3.46

-24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 PEN 3.42

$1.42 PEN 4.98

-31.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 PEN 2.37

$0.66 PEN 2.32

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.50

$0.72 PEN 2.53

-1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 PEN 29.52

$4.28 PEN 15.01

96.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 PEN 35.83

$14.27 PEN 50.1

-28.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 PEN 8.86

$1.29 PEN 4.52

95.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PEN 8.32

$1.60 PEN 5.61

48.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 PEN 2.00

$0.51 PEN 1.80

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.49 PEN 29.78

$27.49 PEN 96.5

-69.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.77

$2.63 PEN 9.22

-37.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 PEN 4.22

$1.13 PEN 3.95

6.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.81 PEN 16.90

$4.90 PEN 17.19

-1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.20

$1.26 PEN 4.44

17.46%

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

$22.5K PEN 79.1K

$23.8K PEN 83.6K

-5.40%

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

$24.2K PEN 85.0K

$22.8K PEN 79.9K

6.36%

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

$45.55 PEN 160

$38.26 PEN 134

19.05%

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

$9.22 PEN 32.36

$14.89 PEN 52.3

-38.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.93 PEN 94.5

$35.66 PEN 125

-24.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.66 PEN 101

$32.79 PEN 115

-12.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 PEN 67.4

$33.81 PEN 119

-43.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 PEN 15.86

$5.66 PEN 19.87

-20.14%

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

$128 PEN 449

$223 PEN 784

-42.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,180 PEN 14.7K

$3,485 PEN 12.2K

19.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.88 PEN 168

$45.05 PEN 158

6.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.30 PEN 95.8

$35.63 PEN 125

-23.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 PEN 271

$84.5 PEN 296

-8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 PEN 270

$39.39 PEN 138

95.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PEN 694

$127 PEN 444

56.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.3 PEN 335

$140 PEN 490

-31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 PEN 1,750

$320 PEN 1,124

55.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PEN 1,039

$367 PEN 1,288

-19.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,264 PEN 7,948

$1,103 PEN 3,872

105.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,098 PEN 3,855

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$708 PEN 2,484

$452 PEN 1,587

56.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

5.00%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Cajamarca and $127 in Chiclayo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cajamarca vs $34.00 in Chiclayo. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $210, with Chiclayo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chiclayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cajamarca pays 57% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $198 in Cajamarca versus $127 in Chiclayo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 224% less than in Chiclayo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $128 in Cajamarca versus $223 in Chiclayo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cajamarca 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, Cajamarca and Chiclayo 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 Cajamarca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Chiclayo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.