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: $739 in Chiclayo versus $649 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,244 in Chiclayo versus $1,101 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,748 in Chiclayo versus $1,552 in Cajamarca.

Living in Chiclayo is roughly 14% more expensive than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiclayo 45% lower, Cajamarca 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 PEN 16.86

$3.13 PEN 10.62

58.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.94 PEN 112

$27.42 PEN 93.0

20.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 PEN 27.87

$5.71 PEN 19.36

43.96%

Cappuccino

$4.06 PEN 13.78

$2.82 PEN 9.56

43.97%

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

$0.79 PEN 2.69

$0.81 PEN 2.74

-2.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 PEN 1.70

$0.59 PEN 1.99

-15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PEN 8.81

$2.16 PEN 7.34

20.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.21

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$1.25 PEN 4.22

13.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 PEN 5.55

$3.01 PEN 10.20

-45.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 PEN 5.75

$1.09 PEN 3.70

55.96%

Eggs

$3.03 PEN 10.29

$2.17 PEN 7.36

39.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 PEN 20.55

$6.16 PEN 20.89

-1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 PEN 20.02

$5.96 PEN 20.22

-1.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 PEN 28.80

$12.10 PEN 41.05

-29.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 PEN 6.76

$1.00 PEN 3.38

99.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 PEN 5.61

$0.69 PEN 2.35

139.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$0.90 PEN 3.05

21.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 PEN 5.32

$1.05 PEN 3.56

49.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.35

$0.69 PEN 2.34

43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$0.95 PEN 3.22

49.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.62 PEN 2.10

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.28

$0.71 PEN 2.39

-5.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 PEN 14.19

$8.10 PEN 27.48

-48.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 PEN 49.92

$10.31 PEN 34.97

42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 PEN 4.57

$2.42 PEN 8.22

-44.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PEN 5.36

$2.39 PEN 8.12

-33.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 PEN 1.64

$0.55 PEN 1.86

-12.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 PEN 93.5

$8.17 PEN 27.71

237.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 PEN 9.20

$1.71 PEN 5.80

58.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 PEN 3.69

$1.21 PEN 4.09

-9.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 PEN 16.41

$4.99 PEN 16.92

-3.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.51 PEN 5.11

-15.23%

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

$23.5K PEN 79.8K

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

4.46%

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

$22.7K PEN 77.1K

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

-8.30%

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

$37.97 PEN 129

$46.02 PEN 156

-17.49%

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

$15.05 PEN 51.1

$9.05 PEN 30.71

66.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.57 PEN 121

$26.71 PEN 90.6

33.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.57 PEN 110

$28.68 PEN 97.3

13.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.41 PEN 113

$19.78 PEN 67.1

68.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 PEN 18.57

$4.48 PEN 15.20

22.32%

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

$221 PEN 749

$131 PEN 444

68.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,498 PEN 11.9K

$4,137 PEN 14.0K

-15.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 PEN 149

$48.83 PEN 166

-10.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.99 PEN 122

$27.49 PEN 93.3

30.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 PEN 279

$74.9 PEN 254

9.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.54 PEN 131

$77.7 PEN 264

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PEN 422

$203 PEN 689

-38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PEN 471

$97.1 PEN 329

42.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 PEN 1,076

$497 PEN 1,685

-36.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,230

$294 PEN 999

23.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,119 PEN 3,796

$2,358 PEN 8,000

-52.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,088 PEN 3,692

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 PEN 1,605

$704 PEN 2,390

-32.85%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $125 in Chiclayo and $203 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Chiclayo vs $27.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Cajamarca. 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 $203 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 $221 in Chiclayo versus $131 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 14% less than in Chiclayo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.