Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Tacna

For one person, living is cheaper in Tacna: $433 a month against $712 in Cajamarca, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cajamarca, Peru
Tacna, Peru
Cajamarca
🇵🇪 Peru
$712
/mo nomad
Tacna
🇵🇪 Peru
$433
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cajamarca and in Tacna

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in Cajamarca versus $433 in Tacna.

  • Cajamarca $712
  • Tacna $433

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,196 in Cajamarca versus $621 in Tacna.

  • Cajamarca $1,196
  • Tacna $621

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,680 in Cajamarca versus $810 in Tacna.

  • Cajamarca $1,680
  • Tacna $810

Living in Cajamarca is roughly 65% more expensive than in Tacna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 47% lower, Tacna 68% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.11 PEN 10.71
$2.84 PEN 9.77
9.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.13 PEN 100
$14.47 PEN 49.80
101.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.82 PEN 20.04
$4.94 PEN 16.99
17.81%
Cappuccino
$2.86 PEN 9.84
$3.42 PEN 11.77
-16.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 PEN 2.44
$1.13 PEN 3.89
-37.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 PEN 2.08
$0.41 PEN 1.41
48.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 PEN 8.78
$2.83 PEN 9.73
-9.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 PEN 12.01
$3.36 PEN 11.55
3.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 PEN 4.70
$1.16 PEN 4.00
18.10%
White Bread (500g)
$3.19 PEN 10.97
$1.41 PEN 4.84
126.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.26 PEN 4.34
$0.83 PEN 2.86
51.81%
Eggs
$2.29 PEN 7.89
$1.76 PEN 6.05
30.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.10 PEN 24.43
$4.34 PEN 14.94
63.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.87 PEN 27.09
$4.65 PEN 16.01
69.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.03 PEN 55.2
$8.61 PEN 29.62
86.18%
Apples (1kg)
$0.89 PEN 3.05
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$0.91 PEN 3.13
$1.41 PEN 4.85
-35.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.13 PEN 3.88
$0.90 PEN 3.11
25.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.83 PEN 2.86
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.83 PEN 2.86
$0.74 PEN 2.56
12.16%
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
$0.70 PEN 2.40
1.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.29 PEN 25.10
$4.36 PEN 15.02
67.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.73 PEN 40.37
$6.42 PEN 22.10
82.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 PEN 8.86
$2.59 PEN 8.90
-0.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 PEN 8.74
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 PEN 2.08
$0.28 PEN 0.96
114.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.85 PEN 30.45
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.55 PEN 8.77
$1.90 PEN 6.54
34.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 PEN 5.90
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 PEN 20.45
-
-
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 100.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.4 PEN 201
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.25 PEN 31.83
$18.59 PEN 64.0
-50.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.07 PEN 69.1
$25.48 PEN 87.7
-21.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.83 PEN 116
$29.16 PEN 100
16.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15 PEN 59.0
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.79 PEN 13.04
$2.58 PEN 8.88
46.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$147 PEN 507
$57.3 PEN 197
157.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,336 PEN 14.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.83 PEN 151
$20.45 PEN 70.4
114.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.18 PEN 100
$20.55 PEN 70.7
42.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 PEN 250
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.3 PEN 245
$26.26 PEN 90.4
171.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$193 PEN 663
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$117 PEN 404
$68.7 PEN 237
70.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$520 PEN 1,790
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$324 PEN 1,117
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cajamarca
Tacna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$549 PEN 1,888
$465 PEN 1,600
18.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
0
-

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

Last update for Cajamarca: October 31, 2026

Last update for Tacna: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Cajamarca
$244
Tacna
–
Accommodation & Living
Cajamarca
$117
Tacna
–
Eating Out
Cajamarca
$102
Tacna
–
Clothing & Footwear
Cajamarca
$98
Tacna
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cajamarca
$88
Tacna
–
Sport & Entertainment
Cajamarca
$41
Tacna
–
Getting Around
Cajamarca
$22
Tacna
–

Cost Breakdown

Cajamarca pays 18% 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 in Cajamarca vs $14 in Tacna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $147 per month, with Tacna cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Cajamarca
🇵🇪 Tacna
🕒 Local time
22:03 10:03 PM
22:03 10:03 PM
Same time as Cajamarca
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
218,741
92,972
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.44 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cajamarca Tacna 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cajamarca
  • Tacna

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 Tacna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tacna cheaper than Cajamarca?
Tacna is about 39% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cajamarca or Tacna?
Average pay runs 18% higher in Cajamarca, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $147 in Cajamarca versus $57 in Tacna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Cajamarca or in Tacna?
Dining out is cheaper in Tacna – a meal for two runs $14 versus $29 in Cajamarca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $800 enough for either Cajamarca or Tacna?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Tacna gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is safer, Cajamarca or Tacna?
Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Tacna are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Tacna wins on affordability, Cajamarca on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Cajamarca vs other spots: cost of living compared

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