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: $476 in Huancayo versus $747 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $804 in Huancayo versus $1,171 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,133 in Huancayo versus $1,596 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.49

$2.81 PEN 9.56

-21.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$27.73 PEN 94.3

22.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 PEN 23.78

$5.64 PEN 19.20

23.94%

Cappuccino

$2.53 PEN 8.59

$2.02 PEN 6.86

25.25%

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

$0.99 PEN 3.38

$1.23 PEN 4.17

-19.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

$0.74 PEN 2.50

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.59

$2.19 PEN 7.44

1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PEN 12.91

$4.23 PEN 14.39

-10.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$1.46 PEN 4.95

-21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$3.01 PEN 10.24

-69.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$1.33 PEN 4.53

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.32 PEN 7.89

$3.87 PEN 13.15

-40.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 PEN 17.14

$4.76 PEN 16.20

5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 PEN 18.52

$4.89 PEN 16.62

11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 PEN 16.61

$6.88 PEN 23.41

-29.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.65

$2.37 PEN 8.06

-42.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.80

$0.72 PEN 2.45

55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.96

$1.27 PEN 4.32

-55.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.72

$0.90 PEN 3.05

21.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$1.00 PEN 3.39

-19.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$0.96 PEN 3.26

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PEN 1.95

$0.70 PEN 2.37

-18.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.68 PEN 2.31

20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 PEN 18.85

$4.83 PEN 16.42

14.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 PEN 18.10

$5.86 PEN 19.93

-9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.77

$1.98 PEN 6.74

-14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 PEN 10.07

$3.06 PEN 10.42

-3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.27 PEN 0.91

96.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.51 PEN 56.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PEN 5.98

$1.69 PEN 5.74

4.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 PEN 7.42

$1.61 PEN 5.48

35.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 PEN 29.05

$2.79 PEN 9.49

206.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.46

$1.51 PEN 5.13

-13.25%

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

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

4.66%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

12.32%

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

$33.15 PEN 113

$33.09 PEN 113

0.18%

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

$10.94 PEN 37.21

$14.07 PEN 47.86

-22.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.00 PEN 37.42

$30.14 PEN 103

-63.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 PEN 23.27

$4.76 PEN 16.19

43.70%

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

$217 PEN 737

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.90 PEN 170

$36.52 PEN 124

36.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.52 PEN 124

$28.63 PEN 97.4

27.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 PEN 309

$61.6 PEN 210

47.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 PEN 299

$70.4 PEN 239

25.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 PEN 1,028

$304 PEN 1,033

-0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Huancayo and $304 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 $155 vs $194, 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 $713 in Huancayo and $1,120 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: $302 in Huancayo versus $304 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% 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.