Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Cajamarca Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Cajamarca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $464 in Huancayo versus $636 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $798 in Huancayo versus $1,084 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,132 in Huancayo versus $1,532 in Cajamarca.

Living in Huancayo costs roughly 27% less than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Huancayo 65% lower, Cajamarca 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 PEN 7.67

$3.03 PEN 10.64

-27.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.34 PEN 117

$28.29 PEN 99.3

17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 24.56

$5.67 PEN 19.90

23.46%

Cappuccino

$2.59 PEN 9.08

$2.91 PEN 10.21

-11.00%

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

$0.93 PEN 3.28

$0.75 PEN 2.64

24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 PEN 2.12

$0.57 PEN 2.01

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PEN 7.72

$2.24 PEN 7.87

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 PEN 13.27

$3.27 PEN 11.49

15.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 PEN 3.97

$1.24 PEN 4.36

-8.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 PEN 3.29

$3.07 PEN 10.79

-69.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.55

$1.07 PEN 3.76

21.50%

Eggs

$2.31 PEN 8.12

$2.16 PEN 7.57

6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 PEN 17.70

$6.17 PEN 21.67

-18.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 PEN 18.96

$5.71 PEN 20.04

-5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 PEN 17.80

$12.10 PEN 42.48

-58.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 4.98

$0.98 PEN 3.44

44.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.95

$0.74 PEN 2.58

52.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.53 PEN 1.88

$0.90 PEN 3.14

-41.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.82

$1.01 PEN 3.53

7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.80

$0.75 PEN 2.64

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.83

$0.97 PEN 3.42

-16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 2.04

$0.68 PEN 2.37

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 PEN 2.80

$0.71 PEN 2.50

12.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 PEN 20.03

$8.41 PEN 29.52

-32.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.25 PEN 18.44

$10.21 PEN 35.83

-48.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 PEN 6.03

$2.52 PEN 8.86

-31.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 PEN 10.65

$2.37 PEN 8.32

27.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 PEN 2.04

$0.57 PEN 2.00

1.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.80 PEN 59.0

$8.49 PEN 29.78

97.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PEN 6.31

$1.64 PEN 5.77

9.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.70

$1.20 PEN 4.22

82.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 PEN 28.97

$4.81 PEN 16.90

71.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.57

$1.48 PEN 5.20

-12.16%

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

$19.5K PEN 68.6K

$22.5K PEN 79.1K

-13.28%

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

$24.2K PEN 84.9K

$24.2K PEN 85.0K

-0.09%

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

$33.11 PEN 116

$45.55 PEN 160

-27.31%

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

$10.93 PEN 38.38

$9.22 PEN 32.36

18.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.01 PEN 38.65

$26.93 PEN 94.5

-59.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.66 PEN 101

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 PEN 67.4

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 PEN 24.61

$4.52 PEN 15.86

55.09%

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

$217 PEN 762

$128 PEN 449

69.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,091 PEN 28.4K

$4,180 PEN 14.7K

93.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 PEN 179

$47.88 PEN 168

6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 PEN 124

$27.30 PEN 95.8

29.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PEN 312

$77.3 PEN 271

15.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 PEN 318

$77.0 PEN 270

17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 PEN 1,086

$198 PEN 694

56.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.3 PEN 335

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 PEN 1,750

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PEN 1,039

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,264 PEN 7,948

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$708 PEN 2,484

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

10.5

-3.71%

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

Last update for Huancayo: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $309 in Huancayo and $198 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Huancayo vs $28.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $155 vs $211, with Huancayo 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

Huancayo vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Huancayo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $696 in Huancayo and $954 in Cajamarca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $309 in Huancayo versus $198 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Huancayo runs roughly 98% less than in Cajamarca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $217 in Huancayo 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 $800 a month, though Huancayo 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, Huancayo 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 Huancayo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.