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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Huancayo is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 PEN 7.63

$1.96 ฿65.9

14.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 PEN 114

$18.35 ฿617

82.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 PEN 24.05

$7.48 ฿252

-5.21%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 8.90

$2.02 ฿67.8

29.70%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$0.85 ฿28.52

10.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.36 ฿11.97

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 PEN 7.72

$2.14 ฿71.9

6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PEN 12.91

$3.59 ฿121

6.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.65 ฿55.5

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$1.57 ฿52.7

-40.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$1.19 ฿40.05

8.40%

Eggs

$2.30 PEN 7.80

$1.94 ฿65.1

18.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.10 PEN 17.29

$16.19 ฿545

-68.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 PEN 18.95

$2.99 ฿101

86.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PEN 17.26

$10.94 ฿368

-53.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$2.71 ฿91.2

-50.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.17 ฿39.27

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.69 ฿56.8

-68.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$1.60 ฿54.0

-31.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$1.38 ฿46.56

-38.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$1.20 ฿40.47

-32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$0.67 ฿22.51

-11.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$0.56 ฿18.74

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 PEN 18.42

$4.64 ฿156

17.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 PEN 17.64

$17.62 ฿593

-70.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$1.86 ฿62.6

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.16

$3.30 ฿111

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.88 ฿29.70

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

$19.34 ฿651

-15.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 PEN 6.23

$1.36 ฿45.92

35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.43

$1.34 ฿45.00

63.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 PEN 28.88

$8.21 ฿276

3.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.61

$1.22 ฿41.20

11.48%

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

$19.7K PEN 67.0K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-7.54%

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

$24.6K PEN 83.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

9.40%

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

$32.83 PEN 111

$70.7 ฿2,378

-53.54%

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

$11.16 PEN 37.86

$14.04 ฿472

-20.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 PEN 37.49

$17.49 ฿589

-36.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 PEN 23.03

$5.92 ฿199

14.70%

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

$216 PEN 734

$309 ฿10.4K

-29.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-45.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 PEN 170

$55.8 ฿1,876

-10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.36 PEN 123

$26.11 ฿879

39.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PEN 306

$83.0 ฿2,793

8.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 PEN 304

$70.5 ฿2,371

27.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 PEN 1,036

$432 ฿14.5K

-29.31%

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

102.20%

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

Last update for Huancayo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $305 in Huancayo versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 $34.00 in Huancayo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Huancayo vs $243 in Chiang Mai – 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

Huancayo vs Chiang Mai: 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 $706 per month in Huancayo and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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 $216 per month in Huancayo and $309 in Chiang Mai. 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 $471 in Huancayo and $861 in Chiang Mai, 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.