Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Cajamarca Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Cajamarca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Cusco versus $649 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Cusco versus $1,101 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Cusco versus $1,552 in Cajamarca.

Living in Cusco is roughly 14% more expensive than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.24

$3.13 PEN 10.61

-12.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 PEN 95.1

$27.42 PEN 92.9

2.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.11

$5.71 PEN 19.35

-1.23%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PEN 6.78

$2.82 PEN 9.56

-29.08%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.16

$0.81 PEN 2.74

51.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PEN 2.48

$0.59 PEN 1.99

23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$2.16 PEN 7.33

3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.55

$3.30 PEN 11.20

30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.90

$1.25 PEN 4.22

16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 PEN 9.78

$3.01 PEN 10.20

-4.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.09 PEN 3.70

16.51%

Eggs

$3.80 PEN 12.89

$2.17 PEN 7.35

75.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 PEN 15.74

$6.16 PEN 20.88

-24.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 PEN 16.33

$5.96 PEN 20.20

-19.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 PEN 22.97

$12.10 PEN 41.02

-43.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.31

$1.00 PEN 3.38

145.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$0.69 PEN 2.35

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$0.90 PEN 3.05

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$1.05 PEN 3.55

-16.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$0.69 PEN 2.34

44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.34

$0.95 PEN 3.22

4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 PEN 2.19

$0.62 PEN 2.10

4.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.71 PEN 2.39

-1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 PEN 16.08

$8.10 PEN 27.46

-41.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.76

$10.31 PEN 34.95

-43.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.45

$2.42 PEN 8.21

-21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.71

$2.39 PEN 8.12

32.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.55 PEN 1.86

-47.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 PEN 27.69

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.56

$1.71 PEN 5.79

-4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.64

$1.21 PEN 4.09

37.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.46

$4.99 PEN 16.91

-44.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.06

$1.51 PEN 5.10

-1.32%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

-15.14%

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

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

$24.8K PEN 84.0K

-11.70%

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

$33.89 PEN 115

$46.02 PEN 156

-26.36%

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

$14.14 PEN 47.92

$9.05 PEN 30.69

56.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 PEN 105

$26.71 PEN 90.5

16.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

$28.68 PEN 97.2

6.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 PEN 67.1

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 PEN 16.94

$4.48 PEN 15.19

11.61%

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

$131 PEN 444

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,137 PEN 14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.06 PEN 122

$48.83 PEN 166

-26.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 PEN 98.3

$27.49 PEN 93.2

5.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 PEN 210

$74.9 PEN 254

-17.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 PEN 245

$77.7 PEN 263

-6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 PEN 1,028

$203 PEN 689

49.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 838

$97.1 PEN 329

154.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,993

$497 PEN 1,684

18.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,436

$294 PEN 998

43.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

$2,358 PEN 7,994

65.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,096

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,448

$704 PEN 2,388

-39.36%

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 Cusco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Cusco and $203 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 65% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cusco vs $27.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $211, with Cusco 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

Cusco vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% 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: $303 in Cusco versus $203 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cusco pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Cajamarca – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $28.00 in Cusco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

For families, Cajamarca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cusco, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cusco 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 Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.