Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $507 per month in Huancayo vs $1,016 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $828 per month in Huancayo vs $1,623 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,148 per month in Huancayo vs $2,229 in Lima, rent included.

Huancayo is about 50% cheaper than Lima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Huancayo and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 63% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.44 PEN 8.17

$4.35 PEN 14.59

-43.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.10 PEN 111

$32.17 PEN 108

2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 PEN 23.85

$7.03 PEN 23.58

1.14%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$3.23 PEN 10.84

2.79%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$1.13 PEN 3.79

-0.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.25

$0.62 PEN 2.08

8.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 PEN 9.16

$2.68 PEN 8.99

1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.17

$4.53 PEN 15.19

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.64 PEN 5.50

-25.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 PEN 3.59

$2.60 PEN 8.72

-58.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.47

$1.34 PEN 4.50

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.48 PEN 8.33

$3.05 PEN 10.24

-18.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 PEN 18.10

$9.01 PEN 30.22

-40.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 PEN 19.84

$5.93 PEN 19.87

-0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.37 PEN 18.00

$9.80 PEN 32.87

-45.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.11

$2.10 PEN 7.03

-27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.58

$1.05 PEN 3.53

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$1.45 PEN 4.87

-61.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.90

$1.50 PEN 5.03

-22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$0.93 PEN 3.10

-7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.06

$0.94 PEN 3.16

-3.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.89 PEN 3.00

-30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.88

$0.95 PEN 3.19

-9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 PEN 19.99

$5.82 PEN 19.50

2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 PEN 18.07

$9.02 PEN 30.26

-40.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.38

$1.94 PEN 6.50

-2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 PEN 11.04

$3.23 PEN 10.82

1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.69 PEN 2.30

-11.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.06 PEN 60.6

$27.19 PEN 91.2

-33.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.53

$3.90 PEN 13.07

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$2.03 PEN 6.81

3.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$7.45 PEN 24.97

-2.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.05

$1.71 PEN 5.75

-11.70%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

0.04%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

$26.7K PEN 89.6K

-2.36%

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

$35.51 PEN 119

$71.1 PEN 238

-50.04%

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

$12.11 PEN 40.61

$16.93 PEN 56.8

-28.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.75 PEN 39.41

$28.29 PEN 94.9

-58.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 113

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 66.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 PEN 25.63

$7.23 PEN 24.23

5.67%

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

$185 PEN 620

$181 PEN 606

2.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

$13.4K PEN 45.1K

-1.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 PEN 180

$54.0 PEN 181

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 PEN 121

$35.57 PEN 119

1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 287

$85.9 PEN 288

-0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 PEN 268

$81.0 PEN 272

-1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,110

$759 PEN 2,543

-56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,162

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 PEN 4,205

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,165

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,312

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 PEN 2,242

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 Lima: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Huancayo versus $759 in Lima. 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 $32.00 in Lima. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Huancayo vs $230 in Lima – 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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima costs about 101% 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 $1,524 in Lima. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $507 in Huancayo and $1,016 in Lima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Huancayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Huancayo, where all-in costs run around $507, than in Lima at $1,016. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $507 versus $1,016 in Lima. 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, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.