Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Huancayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Huancayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $476 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $804 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,133 in Huancayo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 173% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Huancayo 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.20 PEN 7.49

433.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$33.86 PEN 115

22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.99 PEN 23.78

52.22%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.53 PEN 8.59

39.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.99 PEN 3.38

52.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.66 PEN 2.25

46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.23 PEN 7.59

32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.80 PEN 12.91

17.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.14 PEN 3.88

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.92 PEN 3.14

105.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.32 PEN 4.49

24.24%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.32 PEN 7.89

8.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.04 PEN 17.14

65.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.44 PEN 18.52

53.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.88 PEN 16.61

119.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.37 PEN 4.65

89.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.12 PEN 3.80

30.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.57 PEN 1.96

233.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.09 PEN 3.72

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.81 PEN 2.76

119.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.80 PEN 2.73

173.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.57 PEN 1.95

82.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.82 PEN 2.77

31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.54 PEN 18.85

-26.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.32 PEN 18.10

93.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.70 PEN 5.77

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.96 PEN 10.07

-12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.53 PEN 1.81

-3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$16.51 PEN 56.2

60.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.76 PEN 5.98

85.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.18 PEN 7.42

14.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.54 PEN 29.05

-61.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.31 PEN 4.46

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

53.97%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

-5.65%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$33.15 PEN 113

149.98%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.94 PEN 37.21

103.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$11.00 PEN 37.42

166.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.84 PEN 23.27

-25.88%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$217 PEN 737

-7.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

-34.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$49.90 PEN 170

-26.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$36.52 PEN 124

8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$90.9 PEN 309

-13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$88.0 PEN 299

-1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$302 PEN 1,028

222.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.11

12.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $155 – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 173% more than Huancayo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $476 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 60% 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $476 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.