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: $525 in La Merced versus $649 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $874 in La Merced versus $1,098 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,223 in La Merced versus $1,547 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 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.28 PEN 14.54

$3.00 PEN 10.20

42.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.88 PEN 112

$28.12 PEN 95.7

16.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 PEN 23.49

$5.85 PEN 19.90

18.12%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.00

$2.93 PEN 9.96

-9.56%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$0.75 PEN 2.56

22.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.08

$0.59 PEN 2.00

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$2.18 PEN 7.41

-0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 PEN 13.57

$3.23 PEN 10.99

23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 PEN 4.86

$1.24 PEN 4.22

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 PEN 6.55

$3.12 PEN 10.60

-38.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.30

$1.09 PEN 3.71

15.60%

Eggs

$2.17 PEN 7.39

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 PEN 23.18

$6.15 PEN 20.93

10.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 PEN 18.57

$5.85 PEN 19.89

-6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 PEN 28.06

$12.02 PEN 40.88

-31.36%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.06

$0.93 PEN 3.15

-3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$0.75 PEN 2.56

-46.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.83 PEN 2.83

-65.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$1.05 PEN 3.58

-32.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

$0.68 PEN 2.33

-57.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 PEN 1.38

$0.94 PEN 3.20

-56.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.97

$0.62 PEN 2.12

-6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$0.72 PEN 2.45

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 PEN 19.37

$8.23 PEN 28.00

-30.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 PEN 24.60

$10.20 PEN 34.69

-29.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.81

$2.50 PEN 8.52

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 PEN 9.94

$2.35 PEN 7.99

24.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 PEN 27.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.48

$1.64 PEN 5.59

105.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$1.22 PEN 4.14

82.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.48 PEN 28.86

$4.90 PEN 16.68

73.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 PEN 4.40

$1.50 PEN 5.12

-14.00%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.6K

$21.8K PEN 74.1K

-11.48%

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

$24.4K PEN 83.0K

$23.8K PEN 81.0K

2.40%

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

$57.0 PEN 194

$46.05 PEN 157

23.82%

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

$12.81 PEN 43.59

$9.02 PEN 30.68

42.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.02 PEN 81.7

$26.75 PEN 91.0

-10.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 PEN 97.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 PEN 65.4

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 PEN 23.08

$4.68 PEN 15.92

44.87%

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

$217 PEN 737

$128 PEN 435

69.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,005 PEN 27.2K

$4,117 PEN 14.0K

94.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 PEN 169

$48.44 PEN 165

2.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.87 PEN 122

$27.69 PEN 94.2

29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 PEN 313

$75.4 PEN 256

22.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 PEN 301

$77.0 PEN 262

15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PEN 687

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.3 PEN 331

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 PEN 1,707

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 PEN 992

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,356 PEN 8,017

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$707 PEN 2,407

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in La Merced vs $28.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $175 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 $788 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 $217 in La Merced versus $128 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 $28.00 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.