Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $656 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Iquitos, Peru
Austin, TX, United States
Iquitos
🇵🇪 Peru
$656
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,689
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iquitos and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Iquitos and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $656 in Iquitos versus $2,689 in Austin, TX.

  • Iquitos $656
  • Austin, TX $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,177 in Iquitos versus $4,112 in Austin, TX.

  • Iquitos $1,177
  • Austin, TX $4,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,697 in Iquitos versus $5,534 in Austin, TX.

  • Iquitos $1,697
  • Austin, TX $5,534

Living in Iquitos costs roughly 76% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iquitos is 52% below, Austin, TX is 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.23 PEN 14.56
$21.34 $21.34
-80.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.33 PEN 128
$87.9 $87.9
-57.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.07 PEN 24.34
$12.44 $12.44
-43.17%
Cappuccino
$3.41 PEN 11.75
$5.60 $5.60
-39.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 PEN 2.85
$3.65 $3.65
-77.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 PEN 2.05
$2.39 $2.39
-75.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 PEN 10.06
$7.82 $7.82
-62.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 PEN 24.74
$8.75 $8.75
-17.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 PEN 5.82
$1.12 $1.12
50.89%
White Bread (500g)
$2.26 PEN 7.78
$3.62 $3.62
-37.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$3.50 $3.50
-
Eggs
$2.60 PEN 8.95
$4.45 $4.45
-41.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$13.18 $13.18
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.21 PEN 11.03
$13.94 $13.94
-76.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$16.46 $16.46
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$4.73 $4.73
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.50 $1.50
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$4.64 $4.64
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$4.52 $4.52
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$2.55 $2.55
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$2.39 $2.39
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.84 $1.84
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 PEN 3.14
$2.13 $2.13
-57.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$10.05 $10.05
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$14.88 $14.88
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.82 $2.82
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.29 $3.29
-
🚌 Getting Around
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.23 $1.23
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.43 $41.43
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.68 $2.68
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.63 $1.63
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$35.20 $35.20
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$0.98 $0.98
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.4K $34.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.8K $26.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$35.08 PEN 121
$252 $252
-86.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.15 PEN 38.36
$59.8 $59.8
-81.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.58 PEN 29.54
$69.7 $69.7
-87.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.56 PEN 102
$60.4 $60.4
-51.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.89 PEN 30.60
$18.14 $18.14
-50.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.63 PEN 19.37
$13.75 $13.75
-59.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,458 $1,458
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,760 PEN 9,499
$26.6K $26.6K
-89.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4 PEN 301
$52.6 $52.6
66.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.33 PEN 118
$45.76 $45.76
-24.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$52.4 PEN 180
$85.5 $85.5
-38.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$26.33 PEN 90.6
$106 $106
-75.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$347 PEN 1,195
$2,195 $2,195
-84.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$262 PEN 902
$1,269 $1,269
-79.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$858 PEN 2,952
$4,000 $4,000
-78.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$718 PEN 2,471
$2,406 $2,406
-70.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,381 $7,381
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,964 $2,964
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iquitos
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$580 PEN 1,994
$5,043 $5,043
-88.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
6.82
-

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

Last update for Iquitos: October 31, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Iquitos
–
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Iquitos
–
Austin, TX
$407
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquitos
–
Austin, TX
$382
Eating Out
Iquitos
–
Austin, TX
$356
Clothing & Footwear
Iquitos
–
Austin, TX
$130
Sport & Entertainment
Iquitos
–
Austin, TX
$88
Getting Around
Iquitos
–
Austin, TX
$57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $347 in Iquitos and $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 8.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37 in Iquitos vs $88 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $77 vs $407 per month, with Iquitos cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Iquitos
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
00:14 12:14 AM
23:14 11:14 PM
1 h behind Iquitos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,853
974,447
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.44 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Iquitos Austin, TX 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Iquitos
  • Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Iquitos vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Iquitos or Austin, TX?
Iquitos wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Iquitos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Iquitos or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Iquitos. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Iquitos compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $347 in Iquitos versus $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Iquitos compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you’ll spend $656 per month in Iquitos versus $2,689 in Austin, TX – Iquitos is about 76% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Are groceries more expensive in Iquitos or in Austin, TX?
Supermarket bills run roughly 430% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Iquitos or in Austin, TX?
At $656 in Iquitos versus $2,689 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Iquitos but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Iquitos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Iquitos or Austin, TX?
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.
Should I move to Iquitos or to Austin, TX?
It comes down to priorities – Iquitos wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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