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 $507 per month in Huancayo vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $828 per month in Huancayo vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,148 per month in Huancayo vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Huancayo is about 61% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Huancayo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.44 PEN 8.17

$11.71 MX$198

-79.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.10 PEN 111

$46.59 MX$786

-28.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 PEN 23.85

$11.65 MX$197

-38.97%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$4.09 MX$69.1

-18.83%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$1.37 MX$23.20

-18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.25

$0.83 MX$14.07

-19.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 PEN 9.16

$3.35 MX$56.6

-18.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.17

$6.91 MX$117

-34.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.73 MX$29.15

-29.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 PEN 3.59

$2.26 MX$38.15

-52.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.47

$1.77 MX$29.86

-24.86%

Eggs

$2.48 PEN 8.33

$2.73 MX$46.12

-9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 PEN 18.10

$9.18 MX$155

-41.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 PEN 19.84

$8.92 MX$151

-33.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.37 PEN 18.00

$12.60 MX$213

-57.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 PEN 5.11

$3.02 MX$51.0

-49.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.58

$1.57 MX$26.51

-31.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$2.13 MX$35.88

-73.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.90

$2.26 MX$38.22

-48.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$2.00 MX$33.82

-57.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.06

$2.06 MX$34.85

-55.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$1.18 MX$19.91

-47.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.88

$1.20 MX$20.32

-28.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 PEN 19.99

$4.63 MX$78.2

28.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 PEN 18.07

$10.69 MX$180

-49.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.38

$1.62 MX$27.33

17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 PEN 11.04

$2.88 MX$48.63

14.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.57 MX$9.68

7.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.06 PEN 60.6

$29.83 MX$503

-39.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.53

$5.45 MX$91.9

-64.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$3.70 MX$62.5

-42.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$5.98 MX$101

21.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.05

$1.55 MX$26.22

-2.58%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

-0.57%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

0.56%

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

$35.51 PEN 119

$89.1 MX$1,504

-60.16%

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

$12.11 PEN 40.61

$25.04 MX$423

-51.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.75 PEN 39.41

$31.50 MX$532

-62.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 PEN 25.63

$5.05 MX$85.2

51.29%

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

$185 PEN 620

$225 MX$3,797

-17.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

214.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 PEN 180

$47.44 MX$801

13.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 PEN 121

$44.98 MX$759

-19.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 PEN 287

$82.0 MX$1,384

4.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 PEN 268

$92.1 MX$1,555

-13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 PEN 1,110

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-69.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

11.45

-21.92%

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

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Huancayo versus $1,069 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 $33.00 in Huancayo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $277 – 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 155% 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 $1,940 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 $507 in Huancayo and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $507 versus $1,293 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.