Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $507 per month in Huancayo vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $828 per month in Huancayo vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,148 per month in Huancayo vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Huancayo is about 69% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Huancayo sits 63% below the global median, while Mexico City is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.44 PEN 8.17

$12.11 MX$204

-79.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.10 PEN 111

$52.2 MX$881

-36.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 PEN 23.85

$10.90 MX$184

-34.77%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$4.05 MX$68.4

-18.02%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$1.72 MX$28.95

-34.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.25

$1.38 MX$23.25

-51.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 PEN 9.16

$3.47 MX$58.5

-21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.17

$5.81 MX$98.1

-22.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.85 MX$31.28

-34.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 PEN 3.59

$3.22 MX$54.4

-66.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.47

$2.09 MX$35.20

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.48 PEN 8.33

$2.91 MX$49.10

-14.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 PEN 18.10

$12.49 MX$211

-56.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 PEN 19.84

$10.11 MX$171

-41.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.37 PEN 18.00

$15.89 MX$268

-66.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.11

$3.31 MX$56.0

-54.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.58

$2.13 MX$35.90

-49.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$2.19 MX$36.97

-74.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.90

$2.45 MX$41.31

-52.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$2.19 MX$36.95

-60.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.06

$1.90 MX$32.15

-52.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$1.62 MX$27.26

-61.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.88

$1.35 MX$22.78

-36.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 PEN 19.99

$5.43 MX$91.6

9.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 PEN 18.07

$17.59 MX$297

-69.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.38

$2.07 MX$34.90

-8.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 PEN 11.04

$4.75 MX$80.1

-30.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.34 MX$5.74

79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.06 PEN 60.6

$21.58 MX$364

-16.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.53

$2.04 MX$34.44

-4.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$0.58 MX$9.75

263.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$5.97 MX$101

22.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.05

$1.62 MX$27.27

-6.79%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

-2.68%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-2.13%

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

$35.51 PEN 119

$65.2 MX$1,101

-45.57%

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

$12.11 PEN 40.61

$29.87 MX$504

-59.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.75 PEN 39.41

$36.55 MX$617

-67.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 PEN 25.63

$6.85 MX$116

11.53%

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

$185 PEN 620

$453 MX$7,652

-59.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

$13.4K MX$225.7K

-0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 PEN 180

$75.0 MX$1,265

-28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 PEN 121

$55.3 MX$933

-34.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 287

$114 MX$1,917

-24.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 PEN 268

$123 MX$2,070

-34.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,110

$1,134 MX$19.1K

-70.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

11.3

-20.88%

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

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Huancayo versus $1,134 in Mexico City. 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $345 – 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 225% 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 $2,469 in Mexico City. 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 $1,646 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% 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 Mexico City at $1,646. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $507 versus $1,646 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.