Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $471 in Huancayo versus $739 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $806 in Huancayo versus $1,164 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,142 in Huancayo versus $1,589 in Cusco.

Living in Huancayo costs roughly 36% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Huancayo 65% lower, Cusco 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 PEN 7.63

$2.73 PEN 9.25

-17.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 PEN 114

$28.05 PEN 95.2

19.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 PEN 24.05

$5.64 PEN 19.12

25.71%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 8.90

$2.00 PEN 6.79

31.00%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$1.23 PEN 4.17

-23.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.73 PEN 2.49

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 PEN 7.72

$2.23 PEN 7.58

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PEN 12.91

$4.29 PEN 14.57

-11.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.45 PEN 4.90

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$2.88 PEN 9.78

-67.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$1.27 PEN 4.32

1.57%

Eggs

$2.30 PEN 7.80

$3.80 PEN 12.90

-39.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.10 PEN 17.29

$4.64 PEN 15.75

9.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 PEN 18.95

$4.82 PEN 16.34

15.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PEN 17.26

$6.78 PEN 22.99

-24.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$2.45 PEN 8.31

-44.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$0.72 PEN 2.45

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.32 PEN 4.49

-59.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$0.88 PEN 3.00

23.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$0.99 PEN 3.34

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$0.65 PEN 2.20

-9.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$0.70 PEN 2.36

22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 PEN 18.42

$4.75 PEN 16.10

14.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 PEN 17.64

$5.83 PEN 19.77

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$1.90 PEN 6.45

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.16

$3.16 PEN 10.72

-5.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.29 PEN 0.99

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 PEN 6.23

$1.64 PEN 5.56

12.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.43

$1.66 PEN 5.65

31.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 PEN 28.88

$2.79 PEN 9.47

205.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.61

$1.49 PEN 5.06

-8.72%

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

$19.7K PEN 67.0K

$19.1K PEN 64.9K

3.27%

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

$24.6K PEN 83.6K

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

12.61%

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

$32.83 PEN 111

$33.89 PEN 115

-3.13%

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

$11.16 PEN 37.86

$14.14 PEN 47.96

-21.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 PEN 37.49

$31.07 PEN 105

-64.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 PEN 23.03

$5.00 PEN 16.95

35.80%

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

$216 PEN 734

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 PEN 170

$36.06 PEN 122

38.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.36 PEN 123

$29.00 PEN 98.4

25.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PEN 306

$61.9 PEN 210

45.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 PEN 304

$72.3 PEN 245

23.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 PEN 1,036

$303 PEN 1,029

0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 839

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,995

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,437

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,101

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,449

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-8.09%

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

Last update for Huancayo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $305 in Huancayo and $303 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Huancayo vs $28.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $156 vs $192, with Huancayo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Huancayo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $706 in Huancayo and $1,109 in Cusco to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $305 in Huancayo versus $303 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Cusco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Huancayo – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $28.00 in Cusco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Huancayo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Huancayo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cusco, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Huancayo and Cusco are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Huancayo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.