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: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $678 in Iquitos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,210 in Iquitos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,741 in Iquitos.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Iquitos is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$4.44 PEN 14.98

322.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$38.60 PEN 130

79.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$7.46 PEN 25.17

84.58%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.48 PEN 11.73

-10.92%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.88 PEN 2.96

221.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.62 PEN 2.09

203.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$3.03 PEN 10.23

31.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$7.28 PEN 24.55

-37.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.82 PEN 6.13

-30.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$2.43 PEN 8.20

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$2.66 PEN 8.96

92.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$3.31 PEN 11.16

191.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.87 PEN 2.94

9.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

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

$36.4K €31.7K

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

$30.5K €26.6K

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

$187 €163

$35.89 PEN 121

421.26%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$11.42 PEN 38.54

32.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$8.74 PEN 29.48

331.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$29.65 PEN 100

88.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

$8.68 PEN 29.29

96.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

$6.00 PEN 20.23

90.17%

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

$997 €868

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$2,904 PEN 9,798

469.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$87.5 PEN 295

5.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$36.35 PEN 123

13.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$53.0 PEN 179

109.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$27.22 PEN 91.9

359.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$358 PEN 1,207

377.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$270 PEN 911

376.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

$899 PEN 3,035

185.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

$748 PEN 2,524

159.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

$585 PEN 1,974

301.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $358 in Iquitos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 301% 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 $39.00 in Iquitos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $80.0 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 ($2,476 vs $678 including rent). Iquitos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 301% 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $358 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 $39.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $678 in Iquitos – a 265% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $678 in Iquitos versus $2,476 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.