Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Cajamarca

For one person, living is cheaper in Cajamarca: $695 a month against $1,206 in Santiago, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Santiago
Learn more

Santiago Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Cajamarca
Learn more

Cajamarca Living Index

Jump to prices

Santiago

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,206

/mo nomad

Cajamarca

🇵🇪 Peru

$695

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santiago and in Cajamarca

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Santiago and in Cajamarca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,206 in Santiago versus $695 in Cajamarca.

Santiago $1,206
Cajamarca $695

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,885 in Santiago versus $1,177 in Cajamarca.

Santiago $1,885
Cajamarca $1,177

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Santiago versus $1,658 in Cajamarca.

Santiago $2,564
Cajamarca $1,658

Living in Santiago is roughly 74% more expensive than in Cajamarca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago 10% lower, Cajamarca 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 CLP 9,931

$3.57 PEN 12.25

185.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 CLP 50.9K

$28.96 PEN 99.3

80.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 CLP 8,323

$5.95 PEN 20.39

43.53%

Cappuccino

$3.19 CLP 3,115

$2.64 PEN 9.05

20.83%

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

$1.68 CLP 1,637

$0.79 PEN 2.71

112.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,191

$0.62 PEN 2.11

96.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 CLP 4,101

$2.30 PEN 7.89

83.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 CLP 4,539

$3.64 PEN 12.46

28.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 CLP 1,283

$1.38 PEN 4.75

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 CLP 1,756

$3.27 PEN 11.21

-44.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,543

$1.29 PEN 4.42

22.48%

Eggs

$4.25 CLP 4,141

$2.28 PEN 7.82

86.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 CLP 10.9K

$7.58 PEN 26.00

47.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 CLP 6,580

$6.28 PEN 21.52

7.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 CLP 10.4K

$13.12 PEN 44.97

-18.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 CLP 1,991

$1.06 PEN 3.65

92.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,497

$0.78 PEN 2.68

96.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,549

$1.23 PEN 4.20

29.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 CLP 1,708

$1.08 PEN 3.70

62.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 CLP 1,051

$0.74 PEN 2.52

45.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,476

$1.00 PEN 3.41

51.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 CLP 1,145

$0.72 PEN 2.48

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 CLP 1,041

$0.75 PEN 2.56

42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 CLP 5,015

$8.98 PEN 30.79

-42.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.88 CLP 5,732

$10.19 PEN 34.93

-42.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,513

$2.59 PEN 8.89

-40.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CLP 2,218

$2.45 PEN 8.41

-7.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 829

$0.56 PEN 1.93

51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.50 CLP 40.5K

$8.93 PEN 30.62

364.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 CLP 383

$1.76 PEN 6.03

-77.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 CLP 820

$1.33 PEN 4.55

-36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.94 CLP 11.6K

$5.05 PEN 17.31

136.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 CLP 1,467

$1.51 PEN 5.19

-0.66%

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

$18.1K CLP 17.7M

$23.7K PEN 81.3K

-23.71%

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

$21.6K CLP 21.1M

$25.9K PEN 88.6K

-16.43%

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

$151 CLP 147.3K

$49.76 PEN 171

203.64%

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

$12.04 CLP 11.7K

$9.79 PEN 33.57

22.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.93 CLP 18.5K

$29.01 PEN 99.5

-34.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.81 CLP 33.0K

$30.97 PEN 106

9.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 CLP 11.4K

$20.52 PEN 70.3

-42.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 CLP 7,185

$4.76 PEN 16.32

54.83%

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

$434 CLP 423.3K

$137 PEN 471

216.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CLP 10.7M

$4,463 PEN 15.3K

146.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 CLP 49.6K

$51.7 PEN 177

-1.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.16 CLP 28.4K

$29.33 PEN 101

-0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 CLP 65.7K

$80.8 PEN 277

-16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 CLP 78.2K

$80.9 PEN 277

-0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 CLP 540.8K

$199 PEN 681

179.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 363.2K

$103 PEN 353

261.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 CLP 984.3K

$527 PEN 1,806

91.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 CLP 759.1K

$317 PEN 1,085

145.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,671 CLP 2.6M

$2,338 PEN 8,015

14.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$791 CLP 771.7K

$727 PEN 2,491

8.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

10.5

-48.67%

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

Last update for Santiago: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Santiago

$372 31.6%

Cajamarca

$103 14.9% 72.4% $270

Groceries & Markets

Santiago

$236 20%

Cajamarca

$229 33.1% 3.1% $7.3

Eating Out

Santiago

$187 15.9%

Cajamarca

$103 14.8% 45.3% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santiago

$182 15.5%

Cajamarca

$89 12.8% 51.3% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Santiago

$102 8.7%

Cajamarca

$109 15.8% 6.7% $6.8

Getting Around

Santiago

$50 4.2%

Cajamarca

$20 2.8% 60.5% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Santiago

$49 4.1%

Cajamarca

$40 5.9% 16.6% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $555 in Santiago and $199 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Santiago vs $29.00 in Cajamarca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $229 per month, with Cajamarca cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Santiago

🇵🇪 Cajamarca

🕒 Local time

08:25 8:25 AM

06:25 6:25 AM

2 h behind Santiago

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,139,087 Capital

218,741

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.26 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.15 EUR

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 975 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 1,093 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.15 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

USD to CLP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Santiago Cajamarca 3,030 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Santiago
Cajamarca

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Santiago vs Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Santiago, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $555 in Santiago versus $199 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 365% less than in Santiago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $434 in Santiago versus $137 in Cajamarca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Cajamarca versus $1,206 in Santiago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cajamarca but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Cajamarca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Santiago 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 74% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.