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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,016 per month in Lima vs $507 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,623 per month in Lima vs $828 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,229 per month in Lima vs $1,148 in Huancayo, rent included.

Lima costs about 101% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lima and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Lima 26% lower, Huancayo 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 PEN 14.59

$2.44 PEN 8.17

78.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.17 PEN 108

$33.10 PEN 111

-2.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.58

$7.11 PEN 23.85

-1.13%

Cappuccino

$3.23 PEN 10.84

$3.32 PEN 11.15

-2.71%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.79

$1.12 PEN 3.75

0.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.67 PEN 2.25

-7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 PEN 8.99

$2.73 PEN 9.16

-1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.19

$4.53 PEN 15.17

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PEN 5.50

$1.22 PEN 4.08

34.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.72

$1.07 PEN 3.59

142.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.50

$1.33 PEN 4.47

0.75%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.24

$2.48 PEN 8.33

22.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 PEN 30.22

$5.40 PEN 18.10

66.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.87

$5.92 PEN 19.84

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 PEN 32.87

$5.37 PEN 18.00

82.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 PEN 7.03

$1.52 PEN 5.11

38.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.53

$1.07 PEN 3.58

-1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.87

$0.56 PEN 1.89

158.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.03

$1.16 PEN 3.90

29.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.10

$0.86 PEN 2.90

8.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.16

$0.91 PEN 3.06

3.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.00

$0.62 PEN 2.08

43.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.19

$0.86 PEN 2.88

10.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 PEN 19.50

$5.96 PEN 19.99

-2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 PEN 30.26

$5.39 PEN 18.07

67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 PEN 6.50

$1.90 PEN 6.38

2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.82

$3.29 PEN 11.04

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 PEN 2.30

$0.61 PEN 2.05

13.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.2

$18.06 PEN 60.6

50.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 PEN 13.07

$1.95 PEN 6.53

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$2.11 PEN 7.08

-3.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 PEN 24.97

$7.29 PEN 24.43

2.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.75

$1.51 PEN 5.05

13.25%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

-0.04%

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

$26.7K PEN 89.6K

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

2.42%

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

$71.1 PEN 238

$35.51 PEN 119

100.14%

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

$16.93 PEN 56.8

$12.11 PEN 40.61

39.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 PEN 94.9

$11.75 PEN 39.41

140.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 113

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 66.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 PEN 24.23

$7.64 PEN 25.63

-5.37%

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

$181 PEN 606

$185 PEN 620

-2.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.1K

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

1.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 PEN 181

$53.7 PEN 180

0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 PEN 119

$36.05 PEN 121

-1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 PEN 288

$85.5 PEN 287

0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 PEN 272

$80.0 PEN 268

1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 PEN 2,543

$331 PEN 1,110

129.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,162

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 PEN 4,205

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,165

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,312

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 PEN 2,242

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

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

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $759 in Lima versus $331 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 $32.00 in Lima versus $33.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Lima vs $166 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 101% 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 $1,524 per month in Lima and $760 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 $1,016 in Lima and $507 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% 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 Lima at $1,016. 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 $507 versus $1,016 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.