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 $739 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cajamarca versus $1,164 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,552 in Cajamarca versus $1,589 in Cusco.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 12% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 51% lower, Cusco 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 PEN 10.61

$2.73 PEN 9.24

14.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.42 PEN 92.9

$28.05 PEN 95.1

-2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 PEN 19.35

$5.64 PEN 19.11

1.24%

Cappuccino

$2.82 PEN 9.56

$2.00 PEN 6.78

41.00%

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

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$0.73 PEN 2.48

-19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.20

$4.29 PEN 14.55

-23.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 PEN 4.22

$1.45 PEN 4.90

-13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.20

$2.88 PEN 9.78

4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$1.27 PEN 4.31

-14.17%

Eggs

$2.17 PEN 7.35

$3.80 PEN 12.89

-42.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PEN 20.88

$4.64 PEN 15.74

32.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 PEN 20.20

$4.82 PEN 16.33

23.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 PEN 41.02

$6.78 PEN 22.97

78.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$2.45 PEN 8.31

-59.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.35

$0.72 PEN 2.45

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.32 PEN 4.49

-31.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.55

$0.88 PEN 3.00

19.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.34

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-31.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.22

$0.99 PEN 3.34

-4.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$0.65 PEN 2.19

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.39

$0.70 PEN 2.36

1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 PEN 27.46

$4.75 PEN 16.08

70.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 PEN 34.95

$5.83 PEN 19.76

76.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 PEN 8.21

$1.90 PEN 6.45

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.12

$3.16 PEN 10.71

-24.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.29 PEN 0.99

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 PEN 27.69

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 PEN 5.79

$1.64 PEN 5.56

4.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 PEN 4.09

$1.66 PEN 5.64

-27.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 PEN 16.91

$2.79 PEN 9.46

78.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.10

$1.49 PEN 5.06

1.34%

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

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

17.84%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.0K

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

13.25%

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

$46.02 PEN 156

$33.89 PEN 115

35.79%

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

$9.05 PEN 30.69

$14.14 PEN 47.92

-36.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.71 PEN 90.5

$31.07 PEN 105

-14.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 PEN 97.2

$30.62 PEN 104

-6.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 PEN 67.1

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 PEN 15.19

$5.00 PEN 16.94

-10.40%

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

$131 PEN 444

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,137 PEN 14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.83 PEN 166

$36.06 PEN 122

35.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.49 PEN 93.2

$29.00 PEN 98.3

-5.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 PEN 254

$61.9 PEN 210

20.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 PEN 263

$72.3 PEN 245

7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 PEN 689

$303 PEN 1,028

-33.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.1 PEN 329

$247 PEN 838

-60.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 PEN 1,684

$588 PEN 1,993

-15.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 PEN 998

$424 PEN 1,436

-30.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 PEN 7,994

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

-39.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,096

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$704 PEN 2,388

$427 PEN 1,448

64.91%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Cajamarca and $303 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 65% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cajamarca vs $28.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $192, 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Cajamarca, 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: $203 in Cajamarca versus $303 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cusco pay roughly 10% 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 $27.00 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 14% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.