Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Iquitos

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $656 a month against $712 in Cajamarca, rent and utilities included – about $670 less a year. The total is higher in Cajamarca despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Cajamarca
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Cajamarca Living Index

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Cajamarca

🇵🇪 Peru

$712

/mo nomad

Iquitos

🇵🇪 Peru

$656

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cajamarca and in Iquitos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cajamarca and in Iquitos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in Cajamarca versus $656 in Iquitos.

Cajamarca $712
Iquitos $656

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,196 in Cajamarca versus $1,177 in Iquitos.

Cajamarca $1,196
Iquitos $1,177

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,680 in Cajamarca versus $1,697 in Iquitos.

Cajamarca $1,680
Iquitos $1,697

Living in Cajamarca is roughly 9% more expensive than in Iquitos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 47% lower, Iquitos 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 PEN 10.72

$4.23 PEN 14.56

-26.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.13 PEN 100

$37.33 PEN 129

-21.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 PEN 20.04

$7.07 PEN 24.35

-17.68%

Cappuccino

$2.86 PEN 9.85

$3.41 PEN 11.75

-16.13%

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

$0.71 PEN 2.44

$0.83 PEN 2.85

-14.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.08

$0.59 PEN 2.05

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 PEN 8.78

$2.92 PEN 10.06

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 PEN 12.02

$7.19 PEN 24.75

-51.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.71

$1.69 PEN 5.82

-18.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 PEN 10.97

$2.26 PEN 7.78

41.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.34

Eggs

$2.29 PEN 7.89

$2.60 PEN 8.95

-11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 PEN 24.44

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 PEN 27.10

$3.21 PEN 11.03

145.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.03 PEN 55.2

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 3.05

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.13

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.88

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.87

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.86

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.40

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 PEN 2.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.45

$0.91 PEN 3.14

-21.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 PEN 25.11

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 PEN 40.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 PEN 8.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 PEN 8.74

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 PEN 2.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.85 PEN 30.46

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 PEN 8.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 PEN 5.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 PEN 20.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.86

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

$22.9K PEN 78.9K

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

$29.1K PEN 100.1K

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

$58.4 PEN 201

$35.08 PEN 121

66.48%

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

$9.25 PEN 31.84

$11.15 PEN 38.37

-17.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.07 PEN 69.1

$8.58 PEN 29.55

133.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.83 PEN 116

$29.56 PEN 102

14.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 PEN 59.0

$8.89 PEN 30.61

92.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.79 PEN 13.04

$5.63 PEN 19.38

-32.68%

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

$147 PEN 507

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,336 PEN 14.9K

$2,760 PEN 9,502

57.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.83 PEN 151

$87.4 PEN 301

-49.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.18 PEN 100

$34.33 PEN 118

-15.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 PEN 250

$52.4 PEN 180

38.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 PEN 245

$26.33 PEN 90.6

170.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 PEN 664

$347 PEN 1,195

-44.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 PEN 404

$262 PEN 902

-55.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 PEN 1,790

$858 PEN 2,953

-39.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 PEN 1,117

$718 PEN 2,471

-54.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$549 PEN 1,888

$580 PEN 1,995

-5.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cajamarca: October 31, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Cajamarca

$244 34.3%

Iquitos

–

Accommodation & Living

Cajamarca

$117 16.5%

Iquitos

–

Eating Out

Cajamarca

$102 14.3%

Iquitos

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cajamarca

$98 13.7%

Iquitos

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cajamarca

$88 12.3%

Iquitos

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cajamarca

$41 5.8%

Iquitos

–

Getting Around

Cajamarca

$22 3.1%

Iquitos

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $193 in Cajamarca and $347 in Iquitos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquitos pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29 in Cajamarca vs $37 in Iquitos. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $77, with Iquitos cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Cajamarca

🇵🇪 Iquitos

🕒 Local time

22:03 10:03 PM

Same time as Cajamarca

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

218,741

32,853

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cajamarca Iquitos 700 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Cajamarca
Iquitos

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquitos is about 8% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $193 in Cajamarca versus $347 in Iquitos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 218% higher in Cajamarca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cajamarca – a meal for two runs $29 versus $37 in Iquitos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Iquitos 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.