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 $471 per month in Huancayo vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $806 per month in Huancayo vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,142 per month in Huancayo vs $3,017 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 PEN 7.63

$11.99 MX$210

-81.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 PEN 114

$41.78 MX$733

-19.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 PEN 24.05

$10.75 MX$189

-34.05%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 8.90

$3.50 MX$61.3

-25.14%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$1.45 MX$25.41

-35.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.23

$0.88 MX$15.52

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 PEN 7.72

$2.95 MX$51.7

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PEN 12.91

$4.51 MX$79.1

-15.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.43 MX$25.12

-24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$1.84 MX$32.23

-48.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.38

$1.57 MX$27.51

-17.83%

Eggs

$2.30 PEN 7.80

$2.51 MX$44.06

-8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.10 PEN 17.29

$8.28 MX$145

-38.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 PEN 18.95

$8.43 MX$148

-33.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PEN 17.26

$10.68 MX$187

-52.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$2.61 MX$45.76

-48.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.44 MX$25.22

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.96 MX$34.41

-72.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$2.09 MX$36.74

-47.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.88

$1.85 MX$32.47

-54.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$2.17 MX$38.02

-62.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PEN 1.99

$1.03 MX$18.09

-42.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$1.07 MX$18.84

-19.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 PEN 18.42

$4.10 MX$72.0

32.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 PEN 17.64

$10.17 MX$178

-48.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.80

$1.68 MX$29.38

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.16

$2.53 MX$44.31

18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.51 MX$8.93

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

$26.04 MX$457

-37.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 PEN 6.23

$3.23 MX$56.7

-43.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.43

$2.41 MX$42.19

-9.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 PEN 28.88

$3.23 MX$56.6

163.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.61

$1.32 MX$23.17

3.03%

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

$19.7K PEN 67.0K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-33.52%

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

$24.6K PEN 83.6K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

4.16%

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

$32.83 PEN 111

$82.0 MX$1,439

-59.97%

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

$11.16 PEN 37.86

$22.95 MX$403

-51.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 PEN 37.49

$30.11 MX$528

-63.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 PEN 23.03

$4.98 MX$87.3

36.35%

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

$216 PEN 734

$197 MX$3,463

9.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

51.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 PEN 170

$35.60 MX$624

40.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.36 PEN 123

$40.33 MX$707

-9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PEN 306

$78.8 MX$1,381

14.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 PEN 304

$88.9 MX$1,560

0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 PEN 1,036

$947 MX$16.6K

-67.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $305 in Huancayo versus $947 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: $156 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 167% 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 $706 per month in Huancayo and $1,884 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 $471 in Huancayo and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $471 versus $1,256 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.