Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Iquitos Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Iquitos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $641 in Iquitos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,154 in Iquitos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,666 in Iquitos.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 265% more expensive than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Iquitos is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$4.08 PEN 14.36

331.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$36.24 PEN 128

89.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$6.84 PEN 24.08

101.02%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$3.36 PEN 11.82

-17.86%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.81 PEN 2.87

243.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.00 PEN 3.54

105.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$2.84 PEN 10.00

62.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$7.13 PEN 25.09

-35.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.71 PEN 6.04

-25.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.25 PEN 7.91

-6.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.37 PEN 8.36

45.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$3.05 PEN 10.72

209.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.87 PEN 3.06

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

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

$38.7K €33.2K

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

$32.4K €27.7K

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

$189 €161

$33.44 PEN 118

463.97%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$10.80 PEN 38.01

105.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$8.32 PEN 29.28

342.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$28.27 PEN 99.5

105.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$8.16 PEN 28.71

157.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$5.48 PEN 19.30

101.64%

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

$726 €622

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$2,667 PEN 9,389

470.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$81.7 PEN 288

8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$33.05 PEN 116

11.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$50.8 PEN 179

102.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$25.37 PEN 89.3

369.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$329 PEN 1,159

363.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$248 PEN 873

391.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$828 PEN 2,916

237.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$701 PEN 2,466

189.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$575 PEN 2,026

317.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $329 in Iquitos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 318% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $36.00 in Iquitos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $75.0 per month, with Iquitos cheaper across the board.

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

Barcelona vs Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Iquitos differ by about 265% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $641 including rent). Iquitos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 318% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $329 in Iquitos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Iquitos – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,341 per month in Barcelona versus $641 in Iquitos – a 265% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $641 in Iquitos versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Iquitos but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Iquitos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Iquitos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Iquitos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 265% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.