Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $706 in Cajamarca versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,178 in Cajamarca versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,649 in Cajamarca versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 57% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cajamarca is 49% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 PEN 11.66

$12.11 MX$205

-71.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.10 PEN 101

$52.2 MX$883

-42.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 PEN 20.32

$10.90 MX$184

-44.59%

Cappuccino

$2.74 PEN 9.22

$4.05 MX$68.5

-32.35%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$1.72 MX$29.00

-52.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.04

$1.38 MX$23.29

-55.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 PEN 8.08

$3.47 MX$58.6

-30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PEN 11.80

$5.81 MX$98.2

-39.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 PEN 4.64

$1.85 MX$31.33

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 PEN 10.82

$3.22 MX$54.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$2.09 MX$35.25

-37.80%

Eggs

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$2.91 MX$49.18

-23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 PEN 26.24

$12.49 MX$211

-37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 PEN 21.34

$10.11 MX$171

-37.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 PEN 43.55

$15.89 MX$269

-18.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.79

$3.31 MX$56.0

-65.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.64

$2.13 MX$35.95

-63.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.33

$2.19 MX$37.03

-41.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.74

$2.45 MX$41.37

-54.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.52

$2.19 MX$37.00

-65.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.50

$1.90 MX$32.20

-45.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 PEN 2.55

$1.62 MX$27.31

-53.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.57

$1.35 MX$22.82

-43.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 PEN 29.46

$5.43 MX$91.7

61.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 PEN 34.56

$17.59 MX$297

-41.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 PEN 8.78

$2.07 MX$34.96

26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$4.75 MX$80.2

-47.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 PEN 2.02

$0.34 MX$5.75

76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.74 PEN 29.38

$21.58 MX$365

-59.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PEN 6.13

$2.04 MX$34.49

-10.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$0.58 MX$9.77

129.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 PEN 17.88

$5.97 MX$101

-10.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.62 MX$27.31

-5.56%

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

$24.2K PEN 81.4K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

6.09%

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

$25.8K PEN 86.8K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

-3.24%

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

$49.37 PEN 166

$65.2 MX$1,103

-24.33%

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

$9.79 PEN 32.94

$29.87 MX$505

-67.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.16 PEN 98.1

$36.55 MX$618

-20.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 101

$61.0 MX$1,031

-50.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.17 PEN 71.2

$26.70 MX$451

-20.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.02

$6.85 MX$116

-30.51%

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

$137 PEN 461

$453 MX$7,664

-69.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 PEN 14.8K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-67.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 PEN 177

$75.0 MX$1,267

-29.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 PEN 100

$55.3 MX$935

-46.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 PEN 273

$114 MX$1,920

-28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 PEN 274

$123 MX$2,073

-33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 PEN 691

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-81.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PEN 354

$712 MX$12.0K

-85.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,822

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-78.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 PEN 1,053

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-76.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,339 PEN 7,866

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-41.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$740 PEN 2,487

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-29.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.3

-7.08%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $206 in Cajamarca and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 42% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Cajamarca vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $345 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Mexico City. 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: $206 in Cajamarca versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 147% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $137 in Cajamarca versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Cajamarca versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cajamarca but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Mexico City 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 133% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.