Should you visit Cajamarca or Lima?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cajamarca and Lima can help you decide which place is right for you.
Cajamarca
Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
Which city is cheaper, Lima or Cajamarca?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cajamarca is $54, while the average daily cost in Lima is $60. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Cajamarca and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
Cajamarca's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $38. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $19.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $76 for a double occupancy room in Lima.
Food
The average traveler spends about $22 per day in Cajamarca for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
On average, meal and food prices in Lima cost around $14 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $5.60.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cajamarca $22
Lima $14
Typical Food prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two
$4.20
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Ice cream
$3.41
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Coffee
$2.88
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Donut
$0.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
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Virtual Peruvian Cooking Class "Lomo Saltado":
$18
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Dancing Horse Show & Dinner Buffet & Barranco Night Tour:
$46
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#1 Lima Food Tour and Local Markets (Small Group):
$46
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#1 Dancing Horse Show & Dinner Buffet & Barranco Night Tour:
$46
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Delicious Food Tour through Local Markets:
$46
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#1 Peruvian Food Tour through Local Markets (Small Group):
$46
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Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant:
$49
-
Private Cooking Class With a Local Family in Lima:
$52
-
3–Hour Restaurant Dinner and Show Experience:
$55
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Dinner Show and Exhibition of Peruvian Horse including Pick up & drop off:
$55
-
Peruvian Food Tour Through Local Markets:
$55
-
Magic Water Circuit, Dinner & Show in Lima:
$56
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Cajamarca is $13 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The cost of a taxi ride in Lima is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $4.66 per person, per day, on local transportation in Lima.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride
$5.25
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Taxi Ride
$5.25
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Short Taxi Ride
$3.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
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QuickLlama: Door-to-door transfer from Miraflores to Lima Airport:
$6.00
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Transfer from the Airport to Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco:
$13
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Transfer from Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco to Airport:
$13
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One-way Transfer Between Airport And City Centre Hotel Cusco:
$15
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Lima Airport Transfer: One Way:
$16
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Private Airport Transfer: Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) to Lima:
$16
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Private Airport Transfer: from Lima to Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM):
$16
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Transfer from Lima city to the airport:
$20
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Transfer from lima airport:
$20
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Airport transfer Lima / English speaking driver:
$20
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Private Arrival Transfer from Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima City Center:
$21
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Private Departure Transfer from Lima City Center to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM):
$21
Entertainment
Cajamarca's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $20 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Entertainment and activities in Lima typically cost an average of $6.69 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Cajamarca
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:
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Cajamarca city tour - Private tour:
$47
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Inca's Bath - Private tour:
$52
-
Ventanillas de Otuzco - private tour:
$53
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Tour of the Port of Callao and fort Real Felipe:
$60
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Cumbemayo, the stone forest - Private tour:
$75
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Porcón farm - Private tour:
$76
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3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation:
$189
Typical Entertainment prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
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MATE Admission Ticket:
$4.00
-
Cathedral of Lima Admission Ticket:
$6.35
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Skip the Line: Peruvian Regional Dances Ticket:
$8.99
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Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket:
$10
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Museo del Oro and Armas del Mundo Admission Tickets from Lima:
$11
-
Half Day Panoramic City Tour Lima III:
$15
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Live online experience: Prepare cocktails with a Peruvian bartender:
$19
-
4-Hour Walking Tour of the Historic Center of Lima:
$25
-
Panoramic City Tour of Lima:
$25
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Half Day City Tour:
$27
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Half Day Panoramic City Tour Lima II:
$27
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Lima City Tour Express - Excursion:
$28
Alcohol
The average person spends about $13 on alcoholic beverages in Cajamarca per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about $3.79 on alcoholic beverages in Lima per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
-
Bottle of Wine
$7.05
-
Beer
$3.93
-
Cocktail
$3.15
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
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Lima 3.5-Hour Pisco Pub Crawl:
$25
-
Ballestas Islands + Huacachina Oasis + Wine Tour (Unique Experience):
$226
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Mysterious Nazca Lines, Overflight from Ica, Huacachina Oasis & Wine Tour!:
$490
When comparing the travel costs between Cajamarca and Lima, we can see that Lima is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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