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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $620 in Iquitos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,145 in Iquitos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,670 in Iquitos.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 281% more expensive than in Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Iquitos is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.90

$4.22 PEN 14.23

306.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.1

$36.59 PEN 123

86.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.85

$6.99 PEN 23.58

95.14%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$3.34 PEN 11.28

-16.77%

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

$2.82 €2.45

$0.79 PEN 2.68

256.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$0.99 PEN 3.34

97.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.85

$2.71 PEN 9.13

63.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

$6.85 PEN 23.12

-32.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.70 PEN 5.73

-25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.25 PEN 7.59

-5.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.73

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.42 PEN 8.18

39.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.47

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.28

$2.97 PEN 10.04

220.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.27

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.30

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$0.80 PEN 2.69

11.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.89

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.90

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.98

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.95

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

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

$39.3K €34.2K

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

$32.5K €28.2K

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

$187 €162

$33.54 PEN 113

456.44%

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

$22.29 €19.37

$11.00 PEN 37.13

102.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.60

$8.30 PEN 28.01

338.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.98

$27.67 PEN 93.4

107.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €18.02

$8.47 PEN 28.59

144.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.36

$5.73 PEN 19.33

87.96%

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

$725 €630

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.2K

$2,648 PEN 8,936

472.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.3

$84.4 PEN 285

4.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.98

$33.22 PEN 112

10.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.8

$49.61 PEN 167

108.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$25.12 PEN 84.8

371.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,324

$328 PEN 1,107

364.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,066

$246 PEN 829

399.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,370

$830 PEN 2,803

228.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,724

$694 PEN 2,341

186.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,489

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,555

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,079

$591 PEN 1,996

304.55%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $328 in Iquitos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 305% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $37.00 in Iquitos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $74.0 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 281% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $620 including rent). Iquitos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 305% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $328 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 $37.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,359 per month in Barcelona versus $620 in Iquitos – a 281% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $620 in Iquitos versus $2,359 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 281% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.