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

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

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

Huancayo is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.44 PEN 8.17

$2.08 ฿68.5

17.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.10 PEN 111

$19.64 ฿646

68.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 PEN 23.85

$5.65 ฿186

25.84%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$1.81 ฿59.3

83.43%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$0.71 ฿23.44

57.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.25

$0.32 ฿10.38

109.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 PEN 9.16

$2.24 ฿73.5

21.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.17

$3.63 ฿119

24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.96 ฿64.4

-37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 PEN 3.59

$1.50 ฿49.38

-28.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.47

$1.34 ฿43.92

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.48 PEN 8.33

$2.26 ฿74.4

9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 PEN 18.10

$16.26 ฿534

-66.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 PEN 19.84

$2.95 ฿97.1

100.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.37 PEN 18.00

$9.94 ฿327

-45.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.11

$2.57 ฿84.5

-40.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.58

$1.06 ฿34.72

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$1.61 ฿53.0

-65.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.90

$1.52 ฿49.96

-23.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$1.27 ฿41.76

-32.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.06

$1.07 ฿35.05

-14.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.72 ฿23.67

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.88

$0.51 ฿16.72

68.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 PEN 19.99

$4.19 ฿138

42.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 PEN 18.07

$17.87 ฿587

-69.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.38

$1.69 ฿55.7

12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 PEN 11.04

$2.84 ฿93.2

15.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.93 ฿30.42

-34.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.06 PEN 60.6

$53.9 ฿1,770

-66.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.53

$1.23 ฿40.58

58.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$0.58 ฿18.96

263.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$2.42 ฿79.7

201.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.05

$1.41 ฿46.42

7.09%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

3.53%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-4.53%

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

$35.51 PEN 119

$63.7 ฿2,093

-44.23%

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

$12.11 PEN 40.61

$12.85 ฿423

-5.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.75 PEN 39.41

$20.22 ฿665

-41.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 PEN 25.63

$6.74 ฿221

13.35%

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

$185 PEN 620

$778 ฿25.6K

-76.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-9.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 PEN 180

$54.3 ฿1,785

-1.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 PEN 121

$25.45 ฿836

41.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 287

$94.3 ฿3,101

-9.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 PEN 268

$73.4 ฿2,414

8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,110

$490 ฿16.1K

-32.40%

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 %)

8.94

5.57

60.50%

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

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Huancayo versus $490 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 $33.00 in Huancayo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Huancayo vs $240 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 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 $760 per month in Huancayo and $1,421 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 $185 per month in Huancayo and $778 in Chiang Mai. 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.