Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $649 in Cajamarca versus $747 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Cajamarca versus $1,171 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,547 in Cajamarca versus $1,596 in Cusco.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 13% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 52% lower, Cusco 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 PEN 10.20

$2.81 PEN 9.56

6.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 PEN 95.7

$27.73 PEN 94.3

1.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$5.64 PEN 19.20

3.72%

Cappuccino

$2.93 PEN 9.96

$2.02 PEN 6.86

45.05%

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

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$1.23 PEN 4.17

-39.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.74 PEN 2.50

-20.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 PEN 7.41

$2.19 PEN 7.44

-0.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.99

$4.23 PEN 14.39

-23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 PEN 4.22

$1.46 PEN 4.95

-15.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 PEN 10.60

$3.01 PEN 10.24

3.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.71

$1.33 PEN 4.53

-18.05%

Eggs

$2.17 PEN 7.39

$3.87 PEN 13.15

-43.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PEN 20.93

$4.76 PEN 16.20

29.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 PEN 19.89

$4.89 PEN 16.62

19.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 PEN 40.88

$6.88 PEN 23.41

74.71%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$2.37 PEN 8.06

-60.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$0.72 PEN 2.45

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.83

$1.27 PEN 4.32

-34.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.58

$0.90 PEN 3.05

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$1.00 PEN 3.39

-32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$0.96 PEN 3.26

-2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.12

$0.70 PEN 2.37

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$0.68 PEN 2.31

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 PEN 28.00

$4.83 PEN 16.42

70.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 PEN 34.69

$5.86 PEN 19.93

74.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 PEN 8.52

$1.98 PEN 6.74

26.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PEN 7.99

$3.06 PEN 10.42

-23.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.27 PEN 0.91

118.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 PEN 27.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.59

$1.69 PEN 5.74

-2.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-24.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 PEN 16.68

$2.79 PEN 9.49

75.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 PEN 5.12

$1.51 PEN 5.13

-0.66%

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

$21.8K PEN 74.1K

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

15.95%

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

$23.8K PEN 81.0K

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

7.75%

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

$46.05 PEN 157

$33.09 PEN 113

39.17%

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

$9.02 PEN 30.68

$14.07 PEN 47.86

-35.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.75 PEN 91.0

$30.14 PEN 103

-11.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 PEN 97.4

$30.93 PEN 105

-7.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 PEN 65.4

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 PEN 15.92

$4.76 PEN 16.19

-1.68%

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

$128 PEN 435

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,117 PEN 14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.44 PEN 165

$36.52 PEN 124

32.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.69 PEN 94.2

$28.63 PEN 97.4

-3.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 PEN 256

$61.6 PEN 210

22.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 PEN 262

$70.4 PEN 239

9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PEN 687

$304 PEN 1,033

-33.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.3 PEN 331

$250 PEN 850

-61.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 PEN 1,707

$582 PEN 1,979

-13.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 PEN 992

$410 PEN 1,395

-28.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,356 PEN 8,017

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

-39.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$707 PEN 2,407

$432 PEN 1,471

63.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

-4.55%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Cajamarca and $304 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 64% 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 $28.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $194, with Cusco 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 Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Cajamarca pays 64% 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: $202 in Cajamarca versus $304 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cusco pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Cajamarca – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $28.00 in Cusco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

For families, Cajamarca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cusco, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Cusco 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 Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.