Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Huancayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Huancayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $985 per month in Lima vs $476 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,537 per month in Lima vs $804 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,089 per month in Lima vs $1,133 in Huancayo, rent included.

Lima costs about 107% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lima and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Lima 27% lower, Huancayo 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.98

$2.20 PEN 7.49

86.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$33.86 PEN 115

-2.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 23.81

$6.99 PEN 23.78

0.14%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.64

$2.53 PEN 8.59

0.40%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$0.99 PEN 3.38

-7.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$0.66 PEN 2.25

-7.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$2.23 PEN 7.59

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PEN 13.07

$3.80 PEN 12.91

1.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$1.14 PEN 3.88

23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 PEN 9.30

$0.92 PEN 3.14

196.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.44

$1.32 PEN 4.49

-1.52%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.06

$2.32 PEN 7.89

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.11

$5.04 PEN 17.14

58.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 PEN 19.30

$5.44 PEN 18.52

4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PEN 36.00

$4.88 PEN 16.61

116.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.87

$1.37 PEN 4.65

47.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.65

$1.12 PEN 3.80

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$0.57 PEN 1.96

98.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$1.09 PEN 3.72

14.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.51

$0.81 PEN 2.76

27.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$0.80 PEN 2.73

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.96

$0.57 PEN 1.95

52.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$0.82 PEN 2.77

7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 18.58

$5.54 PEN 18.85

-1.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 PEN 30.55

$5.32 PEN 18.10

68.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.96

$1.70 PEN 5.77

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 PEN 10.47

$2.96 PEN 10.07

4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.53 PEN 1.81

26.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

$16.51 PEN 56.2

85.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.51

$1.76 PEN 5.98

92.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.53

$2.18 PEN 7.42

1.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.96

$8.54 PEN 29.05

-3.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.31 PEN 4.46

3.05%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

-1.79%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

-2.09%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$33.15 PEN 113

71.07%

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

$12.64 PEN 43.00

$10.94 PEN 37.21

15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 PEN 81.7

$11.00 PEN 37.42

118.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

$6.84 PEN 23.27

-1.46%

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

$218 PEN 740

$217 PEN 737

0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

-1.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

$49.90 PEN 170

0.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 PEN 125

$36.52 PEN 124

0.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$90.9 PEN 309

-1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 PEN 300

$88.0 PEN 299

0.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,062

$302 PEN 1,028

100.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,524

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,135

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,054

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,880

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 PEN 2,131

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

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

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $606 in Lima versus $302 in Huancayo. 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 Lima versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Lima vs $155 in Huancayo – so Huancayo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Lima vs Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima costs about 107% 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 $1,477 per month in Lima and $713 in Huancayo. 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 $985 in Lima and $476 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% 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 Lima at $985. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $476 versus $985 in Lima. 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, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.