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: $747 in Cusco versus $649 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Cusco versus $1,098 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Cusco versus $1,547 in Cajamarca.

Living in Cusco is roughly 15% more expensive than Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$3.00 PEN 10.20

-6.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$28.12 PEN 95.7

-1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$5.85 PEN 19.90

-3.59%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$2.93 PEN 9.96

-31.06%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.75 PEN 2.56

64.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.59 PEN 2.00

25.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$2.18 PEN 7.41

0.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

$3.23 PEN 10.99

30.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$1.24 PEN 4.22

17.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$3.12 PEN 10.60

-3.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$1.09 PEN 3.71

22.02%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$2.17 PEN 7.39

78.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$6.15 PEN 20.93

-22.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$5.85 PEN 19.89

-16.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$12.02 PEN 40.88

-42.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$0.93 PEN 3.15

154.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$0.75 PEN 2.56

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$0.83 PEN 2.83

53.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$1.05 PEN 3.58

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$0.68 PEN 2.33

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$0.94 PEN 3.20

2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$0.62 PEN 2.12

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.72 PEN 2.45

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$8.23 PEN 28.00

-41.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$10.20 PEN 34.69

-42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$2.50 PEN 8.52

-20.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$2.35 PEN 7.99

30.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.59 PEN 2.00

-54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 PEN 27.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$1.64 PEN 5.59

3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.22 PEN 4.14

31.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$4.90 PEN 16.68

-43.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$1.50 PEN 5.12

0.67%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$21.8K PEN 74.1K

-13.76%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$23.8K PEN 81.0K

-7.19%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$46.05 PEN 157

-28.14%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$9.02 PEN 30.68

55.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$26.75 PEN 91.0

12.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

$28.61 PEN 97.4

8.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 PEN 65.4

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$4.68 PEN 15.92

1.71%

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

$128 PEN 435

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,117 PEN 14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$48.44 PEN 165

-24.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$27.69 PEN 94.2

3.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$75.4 PEN 256

-18.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$77.0 PEN 262

-8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

$202 PEN 687

50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

$97.3 PEN 331

156.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

$502 PEN 1,707

15.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

$292 PEN 992

40.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

$2,356 PEN 8,017

65.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$707 PEN 2,407

-38.88%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Cusco and $202 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 64% 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 $28.00 in Cajamarca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $211 per month, with Cusco 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

Cusco vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cajamarca earns 64% 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: $304 in Cusco versus $202 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cusco pay roughly 9% 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 $28.00 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 15% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.