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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $507 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $828 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,148 in Huancayo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Huancayo 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$2.44 PEN 8.17

-14.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$33.10 PEN 111

-40.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.11 PEN 23.85

-20.53%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$3.32 PEN 11.15

-45.48%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.12 PEN 3.75

-36.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.67 PEN 2.25

-52.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.73 PEN 9.16

-17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.53 PEN 15.17

-19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.22 PEN 4.08

60.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.07 PEN 3.59

40.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.33 PEN 4.47

0.75%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.48 PEN 8.33

-8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$5.40 PEN 18.10

201.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.92 PEN 19.84

-50.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$5.37 PEN 18.00

85.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.52 PEN 5.11

69.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.07 PEN 3.58

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.56 PEN 1.89

187.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.16 PEN 3.90

31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.86 PEN 2.90

47.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.91 PEN 3.06

17.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.62 PEN 2.08

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.86 PEN 2.88

-40.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$5.96 PEN 19.99

-29.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$5.39 PEN 18.07

231.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.90 PEN 6.38

-11.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$3.29 PEN 11.04

-13.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.61 PEN 2.05

52.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$18.06 PEN 60.6

198.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$1.95 PEN 6.53

-36.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.11 PEN 7.08

-72.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$7.29 PEN 24.43

-66.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.51 PEN 5.05

-6.62%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

-3.41%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

4.75%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$35.51 PEN 119

79.30%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$12.11 PEN 40.61

6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.75 PEN 39.41

72.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$7.64 PEN 25.63

-11.78%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$185 PEN 620

320.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

9.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$53.7 PEN 180

1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$36.05 PEN 121

-29.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$85.5 PEN 287

10.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$80.0 PEN 268

-8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$331 PEN 1,110

47.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.94

-37.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $331 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $166 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 87% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $760 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $185 in Huancayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Huancayo, where all-in costs run around $507, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $507 versus $947 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.