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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $471 per month in Huancayo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $806 per month in Huancayo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,142 per month in Huancayo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Huancayo is about 54% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Huancayo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 65% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 PEN 7.63

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-63.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 PEN 114

$32.60 COP 106.1K

2.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 PEN 24.05

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-3.41%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 8.90

$1.72 COP 5,600

52.33%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$1.05 COP 3,420

-10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.77 COP 2,515

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 PEN 7.72

$1.69 COP 5,488

34.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PEN 12.91

$3.17 COP 10.3K

20.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.05 COP 3,423

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$1.30 COP 4,236

-27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$1.40 COP 4,544

-7.86%

Eggs

$2.30 PEN 7.80

$2.16 COP 7,047

6.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.10 PEN 17.29

$4.39 COP 14.3K

16.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 PEN 18.95

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PEN 17.26

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-41.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$2.28 COP 7,426

-40.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.11 COP 3,604

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.53 COP 4,983

-64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$1.35 COP 4,410

-19.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$1.13 COP 3,674

-24.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$1.13 COP 3,692

-28.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$0.85 COP 2,753

-30.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$0.91 COP 2,975

-5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 PEN 18.42

$2.34 COP 7,630

132.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 PEN 17.64

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-57.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$1.20 COP 3,909

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.16

$2.49 COP 8,104

20.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.84 COP 2,728

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-59.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 PEN 6.23

$1.42 COP 4,623

29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.43

$1.92 COP 6,235

14.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 PEN 28.88

$7.66 COP 24.9K

11.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.61

$0.99 COP 3,223

37.37%

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

$19.7K PEN 67.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

9.50%

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

$24.6K PEN 83.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-7.44%

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

$32.83 PEN 111

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-59.37%

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

$11.16 PEN 37.86

$9.95 COP 32.4K

12.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 PEN 37.49

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-54.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 PEN 23.03

$3.98 COP 13.0K

70.60%

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

$216 PEN 734

$305 COP 993.5K

-29.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

33.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 PEN 170

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.36 PEN 123

$32.20 COP 104.8K

12.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PEN 306

$101 COP 327.9K

-10.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 PEN 304

$108 COP 350.8K

-16.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 PEN 1,036

$477 COP 1.6M

-35.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $305 in Huancayo versus $477 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 – $156 in Huancayo vs $193 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 119% 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 $706 per month in Huancayo and $1,546 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 $471 in Huancayo and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 148% 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 $471, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $471 versus $1,031 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.