Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $476 per month in Huancayo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $804 per month in Huancayo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,133 per month in Huancayo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Huancayo is about 63% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Huancayo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.49

$11.73 MX$203

-81.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$41.62 MX$720

-18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 PEN 23.78

$10.64 MX$184

-34.30%

Cappuccino

$2.53 PEN 8.59

$3.52 MX$60.9

-28.13%

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

$0.99 PEN 3.38

$1.51 MX$26.12

-34.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

$0.97 MX$16.84

-31.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.59

$2.95 MX$51.0

-24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PEN 12.91

$4.45 MX$77.0

-14.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$1.38 MX$23.93

-17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$1.89 MX$32.72

-51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$1.64 MX$28.32

-19.51%

Eggs

$2.32 PEN 7.89

$2.51 MX$43.34

-7.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 PEN 17.14

$8.34 MX$144

-39.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 PEN 18.52

$8.34 MX$144

-34.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 PEN 16.61

$10.73 MX$186

-54.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.65

$2.60 MX$45.04

-47.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.80

$1.46 MX$25.20

-23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.96

$1.90 MX$32.87

-70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.72

$2.08 MX$35.91

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$1.78 MX$30.71

-54.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$2.19 MX$37.80

-63.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PEN 1.95

$1.04 MX$17.99

-45.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$1.08 MX$18.62

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 PEN 18.85

$4.08 MX$70.6

35.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 PEN 18.10

$10.32 MX$178

-48.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.77

$1.71 MX$29.61

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 PEN 10.07

$2.58 MX$44.54

14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.51 MX$8.81

3.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.51 PEN 56.2

$26.46 MX$458

-37.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PEN 5.98

$3.26 MX$56.4

-46.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 PEN 7.42

$2.49 MX$43.09

-12.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 PEN 29.05

$3.25 MX$56.2

162.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.46

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-35.05%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

5.99%

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

$33.15 PEN 113

$82.9 MX$1,433

-60.00%

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

$10.94 PEN 37.21

$22.22 MX$384

-50.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.00 PEN 37.42

$29.34 MX$507

-62.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 PEN 23.27

$5.07 MX$87.6

34.91%

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

$217 PEN 737

$201 MX$3,473

7.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

53.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.90 PEN 170

$36.92 MX$639

35.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.52 PEN 124

$39.79 MX$688

-8.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 PEN 309

$78.5 MX$1,357

15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 PEN 299

$87.1 MX$1,506

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 PEN 1,028

$973 MX$16.8K

-68.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

11.42

-11.47%

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

Last update for Huancayo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $302 in Huancayo versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $249 – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 173% more than Huancayo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 60% 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $476 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.