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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $471 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $806 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,142 in Huancayo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 119% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Huancayo 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.25 PEN 7.63

173.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$33.57 PEN 114

-2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.09 PEN 24.05

3.53%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.62 PEN 8.90

-34.35%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.94 PEN 3.18

11.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.66 PEN 2.23

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.27 PEN 7.72

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.81 PEN 12.91

-16.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.08 PEN 3.66

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.94 PEN 3.20

38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.29 PEN 4.38

8.53%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.30 PEN 7.80

-6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.10 PEN 17.29

-13.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.59 PEN 18.95

5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.09 PEN 17.26

69.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.35 PEN 4.59

68.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.08 PEN 3.66

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.54 PEN 1.83

183.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.09 PEN 3.70

23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.85 PEN 2.88

32.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.81 PEN 2.76

39.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.59 PEN 1.99

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.86 PEN 2.90

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$5.43 PEN 18.42

-56.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.20 PEN 17.64

137.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.71 PEN 5.80

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.00 PEN 10.16

-17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.54 PEN 1.84

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.38 PEN 55.6

147.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.84 PEN 6.23

-22.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.19 PEN 7.43

-12.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.51 PEN 28.88

-9.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.36 PEN 4.61

-27.21%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.7K PEN 67.0K

-8.68%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.6K PEN 83.6K

8.03%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$32.83 PEN 111

146.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.16 PEN 37.86

-10.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.05 PEN 37.49

118.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.79 PEN 23.03

-41.38%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$216 PEN 734

41.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

-25.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$50.1 PEN 170

16.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$36.36 PEN 123

-11.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$90.3 PEN 306

11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$89.5 PEN 304

20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$305 PEN 1,036

56.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.11

32.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $305 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 Medellin versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $156 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

Medellin vs Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 119% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $706 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $471 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 148% 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 Medellin at $1,031. 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 $471 versus $1,031 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.