Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Huancayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Huancayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $471 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $806 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,142 in Huancayo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 83% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Huancayo 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.25 PEN 7.63

-12.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$33.57 PEN 114

-45.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.09 PEN 24.05

5.50%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.62 PEN 8.90

-22.90%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.94 PEN 3.18

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.66 PEN 2.23

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.27 PEN 7.72

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.81 PEN 12.91

-5.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.08 PEN 3.66

52.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.94 PEN 3.20

67.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.29 PEN 4.38

-7.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.30 PEN 7.80

-15.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.10 PEN 17.29

217.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.59 PEN 18.95

-46.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.09 PEN 17.26

114.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.35 PEN 4.59

100.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.08 PEN 3.66

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.54 PEN 1.83

212.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.09 PEN 3.70

46.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.85 PEN 2.88

62.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.81 PEN 2.76

48.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.59 PEN 1.99

13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.86 PEN 2.90

-34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.43 PEN 18.42

-14.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.20 PEN 17.64

238.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.71 PEN 5.80

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.00 PEN 10.16

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.54 PEN 1.84

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$16.38 PEN 55.6

18.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.84 PEN 6.23

-26.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$2.19 PEN 7.43

-38.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$8.51 PEN 28.88

-3.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.36 PEN 4.61

-10.29%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$19.7K PEN 67.0K

8.16%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$24.6K PEN 83.6K

-8.59%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$32.83 PEN 111

115.26%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$11.16 PEN 37.86

25.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$11.05 PEN 37.49

58.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.79 PEN 23.03

-12.81%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$216 PEN 734

42.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

83.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$50.1 PEN 170

11.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$36.36 PEN 123

-28.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$90.3 PEN 306

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$89.5 PEN 304

-21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$305 PEN 1,036

41.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-50.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $305 in Huancayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $156 in Huancayo – so Huancayo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chiang Mai vs Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 83% more than Huancayo, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $706 in Huancayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Huancayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $216 in Huancayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $471 in Huancayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $471 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Huancayo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.