Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $649 in Cajamarca versus $985 in Lima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Cajamarca versus $1,537 in Lima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,547 in Cajamarca versus $2,089 in Lima.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 34% less than in Lima, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 52% lower, Lima 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 PEN 10.20

$4.11 PEN 13.98

-27.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 PEN 95.7

$32.93 PEN 112

-14.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$7.00 PEN 23.81

-16.43%

Cappuccino

$2.93 PEN 9.96

$2.54 PEN 8.64

15.35%

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

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$0.92 PEN 3.13

-18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.61 PEN 2.06

-3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 PEN 7.41

$2.24 PEN 7.62

-2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.99

$3.84 PEN 13.07

-15.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 PEN 4.22

$1.41 PEN 4.79

-12.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 PEN 10.60

$2.73 PEN 9.30

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.71

$1.30 PEN 4.44

-16.15%

Eggs

$2.17 PEN 7.39

$2.96 PEN 10.06

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PEN 20.93

$7.97 PEN 27.11

-22.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 PEN 19.89

$5.67 PEN 19.30

3.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 PEN 40.88

$10.58 PEN 36.00

13.61%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$2.02 PEN 6.87

-53.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$1.07 PEN 3.65

-29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.83

$1.13 PEN 3.85

-26.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.58

$1.25 PEN 4.26

-16.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$1.03 PEN 3.51

-33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$0.96 PEN 3.25

-2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.12

$0.87 PEN 2.96

-28.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$0.88 PEN 3.00

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 PEN 28.00

$5.46 PEN 18.58

50.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 PEN 34.69

$8.98 PEN 30.55

13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 PEN 8.52

$1.75 PEN 5.96

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PEN 7.99

$3.08 PEN 10.47

-23.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.67 PEN 2.26

-11.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 PEN 27.58

$30.61 PEN 104

-73.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.59

$3.38 PEN 11.51

-51.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$2.21 PEN 7.53

-44.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 PEN 16.68

$8.22 PEN 27.96

-40.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 PEN 5.12

$1.35 PEN 4.60

11.11%

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

$21.8K PEN 74.1K

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

12.80%

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

$23.8K PEN 81.0K

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

-2.02%

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

$46.05 PEN 157

$56.7 PEN 193

-18.80%

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

$9.02 PEN 30.68

$12.64 PEN 43.00

-28.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.75 PEN 91.0

$24.00 PEN 81.7

11.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 PEN 97.4

$30.10 PEN 102

-4.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 PEN 65.4

$18.95 PEN 64.5

1.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 PEN 15.92

$6.74 PEN 22.92

-30.56%

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

$128 PEN 435

$218 PEN 740

-41.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,117 PEN 14.0K

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

-47.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.44 PEN 165

$49.95 PEN 170

-3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.69 PEN 94.2

$36.59 PEN 125

-24.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 PEN 256

$89.7 PEN 305

-15.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 PEN 262

$88.1 PEN 300

-12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PEN 687

$606 PEN 2,062

-66.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.3 PEN 331

$350 PEN 1,189

-72.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 PEN 1,707

$1,036 PEN 3,524

-51.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 PEN 992

$628 PEN 2,135

-53.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,356 PEN 8,017

$2,367 PEN 8,054

-0.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,880

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$707 PEN 2,407

$626 PEN 2,131

12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

10.11

3.86%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Cajamarca and $606 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 13% 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 $33.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $222 per month, with Cajamarca cheaper across the board.

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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cajamarca pays 13% 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 $606 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 277% less than in Lima. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $128 in Cajamarca versus $218 in Lima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $649 in Cajamarca versus $985 in Lima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cajamarca but tight or insufficient in Lima. The gap between the two cities makes Cajamarca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Lima 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 52% less than in Lima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.