Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Cajamarca Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Cajamarca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $524 in La Merced versus $649 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $865 in La Merced versus $1,101 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,205 in La Merced versus $1,552 in Cajamarca.

Living in La Merced costs roughly 19% less than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Merced 61% lower, Cajamarca 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.93

$3.13 PEN 10.61

31.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$27.42 PEN 92.9

20.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.81

$5.71 PEN 19.35

23.12%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 8.89

$2.82 PEN 9.56

-7.09%

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

$0.97 PEN 3.30

$0.81 PEN 2.74

19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.07

$0.59 PEN 1.99

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PEN 7.46

$2.16 PEN 7.33

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 PEN 13.27

$3.30 PEN 11.20

18.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 PEN 4.87

$1.25 PEN 4.22

15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 PEN 6.39

$3.01 PEN 10.20

-37.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.18

$1.09 PEN 3.70

12.84%

Eggs

$2.21 PEN 7.48

$2.17 PEN 7.35

1.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 PEN 23.43

$6.16 PEN 20.88

12.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 PEN 19.04

$5.96 PEN 20.20

-5.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 PEN 28.76

$12.10 PEN 41.02

-29.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.07

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-9.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.44 PEN 1.48

$0.69 PEN 2.35

-36.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.90 PEN 3.05

-70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$1.05 PEN 3.55

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.69 PEN 2.34

-60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.37

$0.95 PEN 3.22

-57.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.98

$0.62 PEN 2.10

-6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.71 PEN 2.39

22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.68 PEN 19.26

$8.10 PEN 27.46

-29.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 PEN 25.55

$10.31 PEN 34.95

-26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.79

$2.42 PEN 8.21

-29.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 PEN 10.30

$2.39 PEN 8.12

27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 PEN 27.69

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 PEN 11.07

$1.71 PEN 5.79

90.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 PEN 7.27

$1.21 PEN 4.09

76.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 PEN 28.53

$4.99 PEN 16.91

68.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.44

$1.51 PEN 5.10

-13.25%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.9K

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

-15.04%

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

$24.5K PEN 83.2K

$24.8K PEN 84.0K

-0.97%

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

$56.0 PEN 190

$46.02 PEN 156

21.71%

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

$12.71 PEN 43.08

$9.05 PEN 30.69

40.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 PEN 81.4

$26.71 PEN 90.5

-10.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 PEN 97.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 PEN 67.1

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 23.16

$4.48 PEN 15.19

52.46%

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

$215 PEN 728

$131 PEN 444

64.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,896 PEN 26.8K

$4,137 PEN 14.0K

90.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 PEN 172

$48.83 PEN 166

3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 PEN 121

$27.49 PEN 93.2

30.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 PEN 307

$74.9 PEN 254

20.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 PEN 303

$77.7 PEN 263

14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 PEN 689

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.1 PEN 329

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 PEN 1,684

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 PEN 998

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 PEN 7,994

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$704 PEN 2,388

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 La Merced: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in La Merced vs $27.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $177 vs $211, with La Merced 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

La Merced vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Merced is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $786 in La Merced and $973 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.

Childcare runs $215 in La Merced versus $131 in Cajamarca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in La Merced – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $27.00 in Cajamarca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though La Merced 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, La Merced 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 La Merced gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.