Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Huancayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Huancayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,646 per month in Mexico City vs $507 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $828 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Mexico City vs $1,148 in Huancayo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 225% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 20% above the global median, while Huancayo is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$2.44 PEN 8.17

396.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$33.10 PEN 111

57.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$7.11 PEN 23.85

53.31%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$3.32 PEN 11.15

21.99%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$1.12 PEN 3.75

53.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$0.67 PEN 2.25

105.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$2.73 PEN 9.16

27.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$4.53 PEN 15.17

28.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$1.22 PEN 4.08

51.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$1.07 PEN 3.59

200.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$1.33 PEN 4.47

57.14%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$2.48 PEN 8.33

17.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$5.40 PEN 18.10

131.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$5.92 PEN 19.84

70.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$5.37 PEN 18.00

195.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.52 PEN 5.11

117.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$1.07 PEN 3.58

99.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$0.56 PEN 1.89

291.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$1.16 PEN 3.90

111.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$0.86 PEN 2.90

154.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$0.91 PEN 3.06

108.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$0.62 PEN 2.08

161.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$0.86 PEN 2.88

56.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$5.96 PEN 19.99

-8.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$5.39 PEN 18.07

226.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$1.90 PEN 6.38

8.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$3.29 PEN 11.04

44.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.61 PEN 2.05

-44.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

$18.06 PEN 60.6

19.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$1.95 PEN 6.53

4.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$2.11 PEN 7.08

-72.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$7.29 PEN 24.43

-18.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.51 PEN 5.05

7.28%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$22.2K PEN 74.4K

2.75%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$26.1K PEN 87.5K

2.17%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$35.51 PEN 119

83.72%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$12.11 PEN 40.61

146.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$11.75 PEN 39.41

211.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$7.64 PEN 25.63

-10.34%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$185 PEN 620

145.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$13.3K PEN 44.6K

0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$53.7 PEN 180

39.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$36.05 PEN 121

53.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$85.5 PEN 287

32.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$80.0 PEN 268

53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$331 PEN 1,110

242.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.94

26.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,134 in Mexico City 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $33.00 in Huancayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 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

Mexico City vs Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 225% 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 $2,469 per month in Mexico City 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 $1,646 in Mexico City and $507 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% 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 Mexico City at $1,646. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $507 versus $1,646 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.