Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Cajamarca Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Cajamarca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $751 in Chiclayo versus $649 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,258 in Chiclayo versus $1,098 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Chiclayo versus $1,547 in Cajamarca.

Living in Chiclayo is roughly 16% more expensive than Cajamarca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiclayo 44% lower, Cajamarca 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 PEN 16.85

$3.00 PEN 10.20

65.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$28.12 PEN 95.7

20.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 PEN 28.27

$5.85 PEN 19.90

42.05%

Cappuccino

$4.08 PEN 13.89

$2.93 PEN 9.96

39.25%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$0.75 PEN 2.56

14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 PEN 1.70

$0.59 PEN 2.00

-15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 PEN 8.46

$2.18 PEN 7.41

14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 PEN 4.85

$1.24 PEN 4.22

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$3.12 PEN 10.60

-48.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$1.09 PEN 3.71

55.96%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.39

$2.17 PEN 7.39

40.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PEN 20.67

$6.15 PEN 20.93

-1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 PEN 19.96

$5.85 PEN 19.89

0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 PEN 29.74

$12.02 PEN 40.88

-27.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 PEN 6.49

$0.93 PEN 3.15

105.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 PEN 5.33

$0.75 PEN 2.56

109.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.71

$0.83 PEN 2.83

31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 PEN 5.37

$1.05 PEN 3.58

50.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.11

$0.68 PEN 2.33

33.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.67

$0.94 PEN 3.20

45.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.40

$0.62 PEN 2.12

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.72 PEN 2.45

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 PEN 14.98

$8.23 PEN 28.00

-46.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 PEN 49.88

$10.20 PEN 34.69

43.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PEN 4.54

$2.50 PEN 8.52

-46.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 PEN 5.46

$2.35 PEN 7.99

-31.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 PEN 1.74

$0.59 PEN 2.00

-13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.32 PEN 93.0

$8.11 PEN 27.58

236.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 PEN 9.19

$1.64 PEN 5.59

64.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 PEN 3.82

$1.22 PEN 4.14

-8.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 PEN 16.08

$4.90 PEN 16.68

-3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$1.50 PEN 5.12

-14.00%

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

$23.5K PEN 79.9K

$21.8K PEN 74.1K

7.80%

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

$22.6K PEN 77.0K

$23.8K PEN 81.0K

-5.04%

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

$38.47 PEN 131

$46.05 PEN 157

-16.46%

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

$14.88 PEN 50.6

$9.02 PEN 30.68

64.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.07 PEN 119

$26.75 PEN 91.0

31.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.96 PEN 109

$28.61 PEN 97.4

11.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.46 PEN 114

$19.22 PEN 65.4

74.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 PEN 19.32

$4.68 PEN 15.92

21.37%

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

$225 PEN 764

$128 PEN 435

75.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,378 PEN 11.5K

$4,117 PEN 14.0K

-17.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.75 PEN 152

$48.44 PEN 165

-7.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.52 PEN 124

$27.69 PEN 94.2

31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 PEN 280

$75.4 PEN 256

9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.36 PEN 134

$77.0 PEN 262

-48.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PEN 426

$202 PEN 687

-38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 PEN 468

$97.3 PEN 331

41.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 PEN 1,108

$502 PEN 1,707

-35.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 PEN 1,228

$292 PEN 992

23.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,112 PEN 3,784

$2,356 PEN 8,017

-52.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,109 PEN 3,772

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$469 PEN 1,594

$707 PEN 2,407

-33.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

-4.76%

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

Last update for Chiclayo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $125 in Chiclayo and $202 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Chiclayo vs $28.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $211, with Chiclayo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chiclayo vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cajamarca earns 51% less. 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: $125 in Chiclayo versus $202 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 237% less than in Chiclayo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $225 in Chiclayo versus $128 in Cajamarca. 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, Chiclayo and Cajamarca 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 16% less than in Chiclayo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.