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 $471 per month in Huancayo vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $806 per month in Huancayo vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,142 per month in Huancayo vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Huancayo is about 68% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Huancayo sits 65% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 PEN 7.63

$13.07 MX$229

-82.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 PEN 114

$53.8 MX$943

-37.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 PEN 24.05

$9.68 MX$170

-26.76%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 8.90

$3.74 MX$65.6

-29.95%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$1.62 MX$28.34

-41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$1.16 MX$20.37

-43.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 PEN 7.72

$3.23 MX$56.6

-29.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PEN 12.91

$4.74 MX$83.1

-19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.65 MX$28.89

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$2.75 MX$48.30

-65.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$1.87 MX$32.87

-31.02%

Eggs

$2.30 PEN 7.80

$2.50 MX$43.86

-8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.10 PEN 17.29

$10.20 MX$179

-50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 PEN 18.95

$8.25 MX$145

-32.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PEN 17.26

$11.82 MX$207

-56.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$3.01 MX$52.8

-55.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.81 MX$31.77

-40.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$2.00 MX$35.07

-73.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$2.00 MX$35.00

-45.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$2.08 MX$36.56

-59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$2.27 MX$39.85

-64.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$1.46 MX$25.55

-59.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$1.08 MX$18.88

-20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 PEN 18.42

$4.35 MX$76.3

24.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 PEN 17.64

$16.99 MX$298

-69.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$1.73 MX$30.40

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.16

$3.58 MX$62.7

-16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.39 MX$6.79

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

$18.69 MX$328

-12.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 PEN 6.23

$1.33 MX$23.25

38.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.43

$0.28 MX$4.91

682.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 PEN 28.88

$5.25 MX$92.1

62.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.61

$1.34 MX$23.44

1.49%

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

$19.7K PEN 67.0K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

1.71%

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

$24.6K PEN 83.6K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

3.42%

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

$32.83 PEN 111

$40.69 MX$714

-19.32%

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

$11.16 PEN 37.86

$26.87 MX$471

-58.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 PEN 37.49

$30.51 MX$535

-63.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 PEN 23.03

$6.51 MX$114

4.30%

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

$216 PEN 734

$428 MX$7,508

-49.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-22.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 PEN 170

$57.3 MX$1,004

-12.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.36 PEN 123

$45.50 MX$798

-20.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PEN 306

$104 MX$1,825

-13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 PEN 304

$108 MX$1,891

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 PEN 1,036

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-69.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

11.34

-10.85%

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

Last update for Huancayo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $305 in Huancayo versus $1,003 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 $34.00 in Huancayo versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $292 – 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 210% 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 $2,185 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 $471 in Huancayo and $1,456 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% 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 Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $471 versus $1,456 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.