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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $476 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $804 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,133 in Huancayo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 82% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Huancayo 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.20 PEN 7.49

-11.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$33.86 PEN 115

-44.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.99 PEN 23.78

11.87%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.53 PEN 8.59

-22.92%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.99 PEN 3.38

-14.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.66 PEN 2.25

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.23 PEN 7.59

-4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.80 PEN 12.91

-1.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.14 PEN 3.88

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.92 PEN 3.14

77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.32 PEN 4.49

-13.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.32 PEN 7.89

-16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.04 PEN 17.14

221.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.44 PEN 18.52

-42.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.88 PEN 16.61

123.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.37 PEN 4.65

100.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.12 PEN 3.80

8.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.57 PEN 1.96

184.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.09 PEN 3.72

45.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.81 PEN 2.76

72.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.80 PEN 2.73

46.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.57 PEN 1.95

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.82 PEN 2.77

-35.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.54 PEN 18.85

-15.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.32 PEN 18.10

250.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.70 PEN 5.77

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.96 PEN 10.07

9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.53 PEN 1.81

69.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.51 PEN 56.2

16.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.76 PEN 5.98

-19.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.18 PEN 7.42

-40.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.54 PEN 29.05

-8.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.31 PEN 4.46

-3.05%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

8.19%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

-10.56%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$33.15 PEN 113

108.36%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.94 PEN 37.21

28.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$11.00 PEN 37.42

63.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.84 PEN 23.27

-13.45%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$217 PEN 737

38.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

87.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$49.90 PEN 170

9.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$36.52 PEN 124

-26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$90.9 PEN 309

-6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$88.0 PEN 299

-19.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$302 PEN 1,028

41.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $302 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $155 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 82% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $713 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $217 in Huancayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $476 in Huancayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $476 versus $866 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.