Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Huancayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Huancayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $507 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $828 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,148 in Huancayo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 239% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Huancayo is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$2.44 PEN 8.17

229.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$33.10 PEN 111

45.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.11 PEN 23.85

37.41%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.32 PEN 11.15

-12.35%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.12 PEN 3.75

73.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.67 PEN 2.25

126.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.73 PEN 9.16

13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$4.53 PEN 15.17

26.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.22 PEN 4.08

11.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.07 PEN 3.59

123.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.33 PEN 4.47

27.82%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.48 PEN 8.33

15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$5.40 PEN 18.10

84.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.92 PEN 19.84

82.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$5.37 PEN 18.00

174.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.52 PEN 5.11

169.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.07 PEN 3.58

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$0.56 PEN 1.89

280.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.16 PEN 3.90

90.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.86 PEN 2.90

138.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.91 PEN 3.06

64.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.62 PEN 2.08

91.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.86 PEN 2.88

34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.96 PEN 19.99

-34.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$5.39 PEN 18.07

167.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.90 PEN 6.38

-16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$3.29 PEN 11.04

-13.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.61 PEN 2.05

91.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$18.06 PEN 60.6

330.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.95 PEN 6.53

-34.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$2.11 PEN 7.08

-0.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$7.29 PEN 24.43

18.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.51 PEN 5.05

-13.91%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

24.58%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

36.08%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$35.51 PEN 119

395.83%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$12.11 PEN 40.61

10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$11.75 PEN 39.41

154.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$7.64 PEN 25.63

-18.85%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$185 PEN 620

329.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

-32.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$53.7 PEN 180

59.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$36.05 PEN 121

62.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$85.5 PEN 287

59.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$80.0 PEN 268

28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$331 PEN 1,110

220.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.94

22.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Huancayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $166 – 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

Medellin vs Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 239% 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $507 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 330% 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 Medellin at $1,716. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $507 versus $1,716 in Medellin. 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.