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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $633 in Iquitos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $1,133 in Iquitos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,633 in Iquitos.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 269% more expensive than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Iquitos is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$4.21 PEN 14.30

305.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$36.32 PEN 123

90.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$6.96 PEN 23.65

97.99%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$3.29 PEN 11.18

-16.11%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.86 PEN 2.92

224.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.94 PEN 3.20

111.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$2.84 PEN 9.67

53.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$6.84 PEN 23.27

-30.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.63 PEN 5.55

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.15 PEN 7.32

-4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.41 PEN 8.20

40.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$3.11 PEN 10.56

200.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.85 PEN 2.87

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

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

$38.8K €33.5K

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

$33.1K €28.5K

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

$189 €163

$33.11 PEN 113

471.52%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$10.73 PEN 36.48

112.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$8.29 PEN 28.18

353.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$27.82 PEN 94.6

107.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$8.46 PEN 28.77

145.15%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$5.61 PEN 19.07

92.87%

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

$728 €628

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$2,698 PEN 9,171

447.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$83.5 PEN 284

6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$33.64 PEN 114

9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$49.23 PEN 167

107.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$24.79 PEN 84.3

368.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$337 PEN 1,147

365.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$254 PEN 864

379.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$842 PEN 2,862

232.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$700 PEN 2,381

182.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$579 PEN 1,967

305.03%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $337 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $36.00 in Iquitos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $73.0 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 269% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $633 including rent). Iquitos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 305% 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $337 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 $2,337 per month in Barcelona versus $633 in Iquitos – a 269% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $633 in Iquitos versus $2,337 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 269% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.