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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $471 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $806 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,142 in Huancayo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 210% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Huancayo is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$2.25 PEN 7.63

480.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$33.57 PEN 114

60.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$7.09 PEN 24.05

36.53%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.62 PEN 8.90

42.75%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.94 PEN 3.18

72.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.66 PEN 2.23

75.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.27 PEN 7.72

42.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$3.81 PEN 12.91

24.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.08 PEN 3.66

52.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.94 PEN 3.20

192.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.29 PEN 4.38

44.96%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.30 PEN 7.80

8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.10 PEN 17.29

100.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$5.59 PEN 18.95

47.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$5.09 PEN 17.26

132.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.35 PEN 4.59

122.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.08 PEN 3.66

67.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.54 PEN 1.83

270.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.09 PEN 3.70

83.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.85 PEN 2.88

144.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.81 PEN 2.76

180.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.59 PEN 1.99

147.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.86 PEN 2.90

25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$5.43 PEN 18.42

-19.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$5.20 PEN 17.64

226.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.71 PEN 5.80

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$3.00 PEN 10.16

19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.54 PEN 1.84

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$16.38 PEN 55.6

14.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.84 PEN 6.23

-27.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.19 PEN 7.43

-87.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$8.51 PEN 28.88

-38.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.36 PEN 4.61

-1.47%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$19.7K PEN 67.0K

-1.68%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$24.6K PEN 83.6K

-3.31%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$32.83 PEN 111

23.94%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$11.16 PEN 37.86

140.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$11.05 PEN 37.49

176.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.79 PEN 23.03

-4.12%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$216 PEN 734

97.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

29.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$50.1 PEN 170

14.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$36.36 PEN 123

25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$90.3 PEN 306

15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$89.5 PEN 304

20.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$305 PEN 1,036

228.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.11

12.17%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $156 – 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 210% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $471 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% 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 Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $471 versus $1,456 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.