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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $476 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $804 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,133 in Huancayo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 113% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Huancayo 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.20 PEN 7.49

172.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$33.86 PEN 115

-2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.99 PEN 23.78

1.43%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.53 PEN 8.59

-32.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.99 PEN 3.38

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.66 PEN 2.25

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.23 PEN 7.59

-24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.80 PEN 12.91

-19.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.14 PEN 3.88

-4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.92 PEN 3.14

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.32 PEN 4.49

4.55%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.32 PEN 7.89

-5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.04 PEN 17.14

-12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.44 PEN 18.52

3.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$4.88 PEN 16.61

82.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.37 PEN 4.65

70.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.12 PEN 3.80

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.57 PEN 1.96

163.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.09 PEN 3.72

26.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.81 PEN 2.76

41.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.80 PEN 2.73

45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.57 PEN 1.95

56.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.82 PEN 2.77

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.54 PEN 18.85

-58.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.32 PEN 18.10

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.70 PEN 5.77

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.96 PEN 10.07

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.53 PEN 1.81

62.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$16.51 PEN 56.2

150.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.76 PEN 5.98

-16.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.18 PEN 7.42

-10.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.54 PEN 29.05

-9.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.31 PEN 4.46

-27.48%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

-7.80%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

6.65%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$33.15 PEN 113

148.11%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.94 PEN 37.21

-13.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$11.00 PEN 37.42

120.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.84 PEN 23.27

-42.54%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$217 PEN 737

42.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

-25.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$49.90 PEN 170

17.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$36.52 PEN 124

-11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$90.9 PEN 309

12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$88.0 PEN 299

23.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$302 PEN 1,028

57.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin 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 Medellin versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin 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

Medellin vs Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 113% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $476 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 151% 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 Medellin at $1,013. 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 $476 versus $1,013 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.