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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $507 per month in Huancayo vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $828 per month in Huancayo vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,148 per month in Huancayo vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Huancayo is about 70% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Huancayo sits 63% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.44 PEN 8.17

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-69.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.10 PEN 111

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-31.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 PEN 23.85

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-27.23%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$2.91 COP 9,095

14.09%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$1.94 COP 6,074

-42.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.25

$1.52 COP 4,754

-55.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 PEN 9.16

$3.09 COP 9,663

-11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.17

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-21.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.36 COP 4,262

-10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 PEN 3.59

$2.39 COP 7,460

-55.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.47

$1.70 COP 5,314

-21.76%

Eggs

$2.48 PEN 8.33

$2.87 COP 8,967

-13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 PEN 18.10

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-45.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 PEN 19.84

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-45.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.37 PEN 18.00

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-63.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.11

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-62.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.58

$1.57 COP 4,911

-31.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$2.13 COP 6,642

-73.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.90

$2.21 COP 6,917

-47.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$2.05 COP 6,396

-58.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.06

$1.50 COP 4,700

-39.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$1.19 COP 3,718

-47.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.88

$1.16 COP 3,619

-25.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 PEN 19.99

$3.90 COP 12.2K

52.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 PEN 18.07

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-62.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.38

$1.58 COP 4,948

20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 PEN 11.04

$2.83 COP 8,836

16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$1.17 COP 3,650

-47.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.06 PEN 60.6

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-76.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.53

$1.28 COP 4,014

52.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$2.09 COP 6,537

0.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-15.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.05

$1.30 COP 4,056

16.15%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-19.73%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-26.51%

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

$35.51 PEN 119

$176 COP 550.1K

-79.83%

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

$12.11 PEN 40.61

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-9.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.75 PEN 39.41

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-60.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 PEN 25.63

$6.20 COP 19.4K

23.23%

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

$185 PEN 620

$793 COP 2.5M

-76.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

47.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 PEN 180

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-37.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 PEN 121

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-38.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 287

$136 COP 425.9K

-37.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 PEN 268

$103 COP 322.2K

-22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,110

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-68.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

10.94

-18.28%

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

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Huancayo versus $1,060 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 $33.00 in Huancayo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $303 – making Huancayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 239% 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 $2,574 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 $507 in Huancayo and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 330% 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 Medellin at $1,716. 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 $507 versus $1,716 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.