Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Trujillo Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Trujillo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $649 in Cajamarca versus $779 in Trujillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cajamarca versus $1,173 in Trujillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,552 in Cajamarca versus $1,567 in Trujillo.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 17% less than in Trujillo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 51% lower, Trujillo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 PEN 10.61

$3.24 PEN 10.99

-3.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.42 PEN 92.9

$13.70 PEN 46.43

100.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 PEN 19.34

$6.73 PEN 22.80

-15.16%

Cappuccino

$2.82 PEN 9.55

$2.98 PEN 10.08

-5.37%

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

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$0.89 PEN 3.02

-8.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$0.59 PEN 2.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$1.92 PEN 6.51

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.19

$3.30 PEN 11.17

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 PEN 4.22

$1.05 PEN 3.55

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.19

$1.77 PEN 6.01

70.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$1.13 PEN 3.81

-3.54%

Eggs

$2.17 PEN 7.35

$3.88 PEN 13.14

-44.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PEN 20.87

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 PEN 20.19

$6.47 PEN 21.94

-7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 PEN 41.00

$7.52 PEN 25.47

60.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.17 PEN 3.97

-14.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.35

$0.58 PEN 1.96

18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$0.58 PEN 1.95

55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.55

$0.71 PEN 2.40

47.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.34

$0.92 PEN 3.13

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.21

$0.82 PEN 2.78

15.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$0.91 PEN 3.09

-31.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.39

$0.92 PEN 3.11

-22.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 PEN 27.45

$4.27 PEN 14.48

89.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 PEN 34.94

$5.79 PEN 19.61

78.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 PEN 8.21

$1.41 PEN 4.76

71.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.12

$1.65 PEN 5.59

44.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.64 PEN 2.16

-14.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 PEN 27.68

$16.38 PEN 55.5

-50.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 PEN 5.79

$2.80 PEN 9.48

-38.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 PEN 4.09

$1.99 PEN 6.74

-39.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 PEN 16.90

$5.66 PEN 19.20

-11.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.10

$1.36 PEN 4.61

11.03%

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

$22.5K PEN 76.3K

$16.9K PEN 57.2K

33.36%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.0K

$26.2K PEN 88.8K

-5.39%

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

$46.02 PEN 156

$76.6 PEN 259

-39.89%

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

$9.05 PEN 30.68

$8.48 PEN 28.75

6.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.71 PEN 90.5

$21.22 PEN 71.9

25.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 PEN 97.2

$36.00 PEN 122

-20.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 PEN 67.0

$5.39 PEN 18.28

266.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 PEN 15.19

$4.16 PEN 14.09

7.69%

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

$131 PEN 444

$102 PEN 346

28.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,137 PEN 14.0K

$1,963 PEN 6,653

110.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.83 PEN 165

$70.8 PEN 240

-31.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.49 PEN 93.2

$14.00 PEN 47.43

96.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 PEN 254

$32.71 PEN 111

128.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 PEN 263

$32.74 PEN 111

137.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 PEN 688

$365 PEN 1,237

-44.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.1 PEN 329

$257 PEN 870

-62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 PEN 1,683

$602 PEN 2,040

-17.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 PEN 998

$489 PEN 1,657

-39.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 PEN 7,991

$1,138 PEN 3,856

107.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$821 PEN 2,783

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$704 PEN 2,387

$524 PEN 1,777

34.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

12.7

-17.32%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: July 11, 2026

Last update for Trujillo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Cajamarca and $365 in Trujillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cajamarca vs $14.00 in Trujillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $159 per month, with Trujillo 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 Trujillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Cajamarca, 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: $203 in Cajamarca versus $365 in Trujillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 100% less than in Trujillo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $131 in Cajamarca versus $102 in Trujillo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Trujillo 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 20% less than in Trujillo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.