Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Sao Paulo

For one person, living is cheaper in Cajamarca: $695 a month against $1,244 in Sao Paulo, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Cajamarca
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Cajamarca Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
Learn more

Sao Paulo Living Index

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Cajamarca

🇵🇪 Peru

$695

/mo nomad

Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,244

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cajamarca and in Sao Paulo

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 Sao Paulo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $695 in Cajamarca versus $1,244 in Sao Paulo.

Cajamarca $695
Sao Paulo $1,244

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,177 in Cajamarca versus $2,085 in Sao Paulo.

Cajamarca $1,177
Sao Paulo $2,085

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,658 in Cajamarca versus $2,926 in Sao Paulo.

Cajamarca $1,658
Sao Paulo $2,926

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 44% less than in Sao Paulo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 48% lower, Sao Paulo 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PEN 12.25

$8.94 R$44.64

-60.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.96 PEN 99.3

$49.46 R$247

-41.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.95 PEN 20.39

$9.22 R$46.01

-35.47%

Cappuccino

$2.64 PEN 9.05

$2.54 R$12.70

3.94%

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

$0.79 PEN 2.71

$1.45 R$7.25

-45.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.11

$0.91 R$4.55

-31.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 PEN 7.89

$3.07 R$15.31

-25.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 PEN 12.46

$4.36 R$21.75

-16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 PEN 4.75

$1.27 R$6.32

8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 PEN 11.21

$1.84 R$9.17

77.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.42

$1.41 R$7.05

-8.51%

Eggs

$2.28 PEN 7.82

$2.84 R$14.20

-19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 26.00

$12.56 R$62.7

-39.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 PEN 21.52

$5.37 R$26.81

16.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 PEN 44.97

$10.72 R$53.5

22.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.65

$2.74 R$13.67

-61.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.68

$1.81 R$9.03

-56.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.20

$1.55 R$7.74

-20.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.70

$1.98 R$9.90

-45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 PEN 2.52

$1.47 R$7.34

-49.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.41

$1.24 R$6.20

-19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 PEN 2.48

$1.27 R$6.35

-43.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 PEN 2.56

$0.96 R$4.79

-21.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 PEN 30.79

$3.04 R$15.16

195.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 PEN 34.93

$10.19 R$50.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 PEN 8.89

$1.73 R$8.64

49.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 PEN 8.41

$2.64 R$13.19

-7.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 PEN 1.93

$1.04 R$5.18

-46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.93 PEN 30.62

$48.10 R$240

-81.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PEN 6.03

$1.82 R$9.07

-3.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 PEN 4.55

$1.02 R$5.07

30.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 PEN 17.31

$10.16 R$50.7

-50.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.19

$1.27 R$6.35

18.90%

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

$23.7K PEN 81.3K

$24.3K R$121.4K

-2.43%

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

$25.9K PEN 88.6K

$34.0K R$169.8K

-23.97%

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

$49.76 PEN 171

$104 R$519

-52.13%

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

$9.79 PEN 33.57

$16.16 R$80.7

-39.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.01 PEN 99.5

$22.59 R$113

28.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.97 PEN 106

$36.27 R$181

-14.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.52 PEN 70.3

$47.78 R$239

-57.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.32

$9.85 R$49.19

-51.68%

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

$137 PEN 471

$525 R$2,622

-73.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,463 PEN 15.3K

$16.6K R$82.8K

-73.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 PEN 177

$66.9 R$334

-22.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.33 PEN 101

$62.3 R$311

-52.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 PEN 277

$101 R$505

-20.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 PEN 277

$90.9 R$454

-10.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PEN 681

$663 R$3,309

-70.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 PEN 353

$423 R$2,110

-75.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 PEN 1,806

$1,527 R$7,622

-65.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 PEN 1,085

$1,009 R$5,035

-68.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,338 PEN 8,015

$2,744 R$13.7K

-14.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,068 R$10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$727 PEN 2,491

$881 R$4,396

-17.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.68

-10.10%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Cajamarca

$229 33.1%

Sao Paulo

$243 19.8% 6.3% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Cajamarca

$109 15.8%

Sao Paulo

$145 11.7% 32.3% $35

Accommodation & Living

Cajamarca

$103 14.9%

Sao Paulo

$423 34.3% 311% $320

Eating Out

Cajamarca

$103 14.8%

Sao Paulo

$163 13.3% 59.2% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cajamarca

$89 12.8%

Sao Paulo

$143 11.6% 61.1% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Cajamarca

$40 5.9%

Sao Paulo

$56 4.6% 38.3% $15

Getting Around

Cajamarca

$20 2.8%

Sao Paulo

$59 4.8% 202% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Cajamarca and $663 in Sao Paulo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 21% 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: $29.00 in Cajamarca vs $49.00 in Sao Paulo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $243 per month, with Cajamarca cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Cajamarca

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🕒 Local time

07:18 7:18 AM

09:18 9:18 AM

2 h ahead of Cajamarca

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

218,741

11,451,999

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cajamarca Sao Paulo 3,860 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Cajamarca
Sao Paulo

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 Sao Paulo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Sao Paulo. 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: $199 in Cajamarca versus $663 in Sao Paulo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 439% less than in Sao Paulo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $137 in Cajamarca versus $525 in Sao Paulo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Cajamarca versus $1,244 in Sao Paulo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cajamarca but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. 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 Sao Paulo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Sao Paulo 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 79% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.