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: $507 in Huancayo versus $699 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $828 in Huancayo versus $1,042 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,148 in Huancayo versus $1,385 in Cusco.

Living in Huancayo costs roughly 28% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Huancayo 63% lower, Cusco 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.44 PEN 8.17

$2.51 PEN 8.41

-2.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.10 PEN 111

$20.88 PEN 70.0

58.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 PEN 23.85

$6.44 PEN 21.58

10.40%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$2.23 PEN 7.48

48.88%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$0.80 PEN 2.69

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.25

$0.34 PEN 1.14

97.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 PEN 9.16

$2.03 PEN 6.79

34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.17

$4.33 PEN 14.53

4.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.33 PEN 4.47

-8.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 PEN 3.59

$2.37 PEN 7.96

-54.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.47

$1.31 PEN 4.41

1.53%

Eggs

$2.48 PEN 8.33

$3.61 PEN 12.10

-31.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 PEN 18.10

$4.77 PEN 15.98

13.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 PEN 19.84

$4.36 PEN 14.63

35.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.37 PEN 18.00

$7.32 PEN 24.54

-26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.11

$2.64 PEN 8.86

-42.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.58

$0.80 PEN 2.67

33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$1.47 PEN 4.95

-61.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.90

$0.88 PEN 2.93

31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$1.06 PEN 3.55

-18.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.06

$1.08 PEN 3.62

-15.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.54 PEN 1.82

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.88

$0.71 PEN 2.38

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 PEN 19.99

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 PEN 18.07

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-10.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.38

$1.97 PEN 6.60

-3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 PEN 11.04

$4.26 PEN 14.29

-22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.31 PEN 1.04

96.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.06 PEN 60.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.53

$1.83 PEN 6.14

6.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$1.88 PEN 6.31

12.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$2.94 PEN 9.86

147.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.05

$1.56 PEN 5.22

-3.21%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

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

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

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

$35.51 PEN 119

$29.75 PEN 99.8

19.36%

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

$12.11 PEN 40.61

$14.73 PEN 49.40

-17.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.75 PEN 39.41

$44.70 PEN 150

-73.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 PEN 25.63

$4.39 PEN 14.74

74.03%

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

$185 PEN 620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 PEN 180

$39.00 PEN 131

37.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 PEN 121

$33.68 PEN 113

7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 287

$54.7 PEN 183

56.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 PEN 268

$75.0 PEN 251

6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,110

$151 PEN 508

118.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PEN 603

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,217

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 895

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 PEN 5,953

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PEN 1,451

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Huancayo and $151 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Huancayo vs $21.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $166 vs $190, 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $760 in Huancayo and $1,049 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: $331 in Huancayo versus $151 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $33.00 versus $21.00 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 38% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.