Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $476 per month in Huancayo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $804 per month in Huancayo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,133 per month in Huancayo vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Huancayo is about 53% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Huancayo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 65% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.49

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-63.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$32.86 COP 117.4K

3.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 PEN 23.78

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-1.41%

Cappuccino

$2.53 PEN 8.59

$1.71 COP 6,115

47.95%

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

$0.99 PEN 3.38

$1.10 COP 3,924

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

$0.78 COP 2,781

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.59

$1.68 COP 5,997

32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PEN 12.91

$3.07 COP 11.0K

23.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$1.09 COP 3,906

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$1.26 COP 4,508

-26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$1.38 COP 4,922

-4.35%

Eggs

$2.32 PEN 7.89

$2.19 COP 7,827

5.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 PEN 17.14

$4.40 COP 15.7K

14.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 PEN 18.52

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 PEN 16.61

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-45.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.65

$2.34 COP 8,349

-41.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.80

$1.06 COP 3,777

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.96

$1.50 COP 5,374

-62.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.72

$1.38 COP 4,924

-21.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$1.15 COP 4,111

-29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$1.16 COP 4,155

-31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PEN 1.95

$0.89 COP 3,182

-35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.84 COP 2,997

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 PEN 18.85

$2.28 COP 8,145

142.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 PEN 18.10

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.77

$1.20 COP 4,284

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 PEN 10.07

$2.47 COP 8,824

19.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.86 COP 3,056

-38.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.51 PEN 56.2

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-60.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PEN 5.98

$1.47 COP 5,264

19.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 PEN 7.42

$1.96 COP 7,009

11.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 PEN 29.05

$7.74 COP 27.6K

10.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.46

$0.95 COP 3,409

37.89%

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

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

8.47%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-6.24%

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

$33.15 PEN 113

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-59.70%

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

$10.94 PEN 37.21

$9.50 COP 33.9K

15.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.00 PEN 37.42

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-54.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 PEN 23.27

$3.93 COP 14.0K

74.05%

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

$217 PEN 737

$309 COP 1.1M

-29.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

33.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.90 PEN 170

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-14.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.52 PEN 124

$32.35 COP 115.5K

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 PEN 309

$103 COP 366.4K

-11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 PEN 299

$108 COP 387.2K

-18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 PEN 1,028

$476 COP 1.7M

-36.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

13.43

-24.72%

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

Last update for Huancayo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $302 in Huancayo versus $476 in Medellin. 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 $34.00 in Huancayo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Huancayo vs $188 in Medellin – 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 113% 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 $713 per month in Huancayo and $1,519 in Medellin. 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 $476 in Huancayo and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 151% 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 $476, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $476 versus $1,013 in Medellin. 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.