Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Bansko
For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $663 a month against $956 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
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 Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $663 per month in Iquitos vs $956 in Bansko, rent included.
Iquitos $663
Bansko $956
A couple spends around $1,185 per month in Iquitos vs $1,467 in Bansko, rent included.
Iquitos $1,185
Bansko $1,467
A family of three spends $1,707 per month in Iquitos vs $1,979 in Bansko, rent included.
Iquitos $1,707
Bansko $1,979
🙂
Iquitos is about 31% cheaper than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Iquitos and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Iquitos51% lower, Bansko29% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.31PEN 14.81
$8.66BGN 15.06
-50.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.44PEN 132
$44.94BGN 78.2
-14.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.30PEN 25.06
$8.78BGN 15.28
-16.86%
Cappuccino
$3.57PEN 12.26
$2.33BGN 4.05
53.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85PEN 2.92
$1.57BGN 2.74
-45.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56PEN 1.91
$0.82BGN 1.43
-31.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.82PEN 9.69
$1.68BGN 2.92
67.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.41PEN 25.45
$1.98BGN 3.45
274.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.76PEN 6.05
$1.73BGN 3.00
1.73%
White Bread(500g)
$2.30PEN 7.91
$0.80BGN 1.40
187.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
-
$1.44BGN 2.51
-
Eggs
$2.56PEN 8.80
$2.36BGN 4.10
8.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
-
$9.39BGN 16.34
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.28PEN 11.26
$6.41BGN 11.15
-48.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$8.48BGN 14.76
-
Apples(1kg)
-
$1.31BGN 2.28
-
Banana(1kg)
-
$1.62BGN 2.82
-
Oranges(1kg)
-
$1.73BGN 3.01
-
Tomato(1kg)
-
$1.94BGN 3.38
-
Potato(1kg)
-
$0.94BGN 1.63
-
Onion(1kg)
-
$0.76BGN 1.32
-
Lettuce(1 head)
-
$0.55BGN 0.95
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89PEN 3.07
$0.59BGN 1.02
50.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.25BGN 5.66
-
Wine(Bottle)
-
$5.20BGN 9.05
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.09BGN 1.89
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.68BGN 2.92
-
🚌 Getting Around
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.84BGN 1.45
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$27.06BGN 47.09
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$1.34BGN 2.34
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.65BGN 1.14
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$10.06BGN 17.51
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
-
$1.48BGN 2.57
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$29.1KBGN 50.7K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$20.9KBGN 36.4K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$34.73PEN 119
$92.4BGN 161
-62.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.34PEN 38.95
$14.52BGN 25.26
-21.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.74PEN 30.03
$12.32BGN 21.43
-29.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.05PEN 99.8
$31.70BGN 55.2
-8.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.75PEN 30.06
$8.53BGN 14.84
2.58%
Cinema Ticket
$5.64PEN 19.37
$5.62BGN 9.78
0.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$230BGN 401
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,789PEN 9,576
$2,268BGN 3,947
22.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7PEN 301
$30.10BGN 52.4
191.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24PEN 121
$19.62BGN 34.13
79.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$52.9PEN 182
$45.86BGN 79.8
15.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$26.21PEN 90.0
$47.69BGN 83.0
-45.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$343PEN 1,180
$518BGN 902
-33.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$265PEN 909
$357BGN 621
-25.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$882PEN 3,029
$614BGN 1,069
43.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$712PEN 2,445
$569BGN 990
25.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$1,191BGN 2,073
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$959BGN 1,669
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iquitos
Bansko
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$573PEN 1,968
$1,704BGN 2,965
-66.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
2.99
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Iquitos: October 11, 2026
Last update for Bansko: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$357 37.3%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$192 20.1%
🍽Eating Out
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$145 15.2%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$119 12.5%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$64 6.7%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$43 4.5%
🚌Getting Around
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$35 3.7%
🏠Accommodation & Living
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$569 28.8%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$451 22.8%
🍽Eating Out
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$516 26.1%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$134 6.8%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$143 7.2%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$94 4.8%
🚌Getting Around
Iquitos
–
Bansko
$72 3.6%
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $343 in Iquitos versus $518 in Bansko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 197% higher in Bansko, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Iquitos versus $45.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $78.0 vs $192 – making Iquitos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Iquitos and in Bansko compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $663 in Iquitos, $956 in Bansko – roughly 44% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Iquitos compared to Bansko?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $994 per month in Iquitos and $1,434 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Iquitos and Bansko?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Iquitos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Iquitos and $45.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Iquitos or Bansko?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $663 in Iquitos and $956 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 44%.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Bansko at $956. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Iquitos and Bansko?
It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $663 in Iquitos to $956 in Bansko. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Iquitos or Bansko safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Iquitos and Bansko?
If budget matters most, go with Iquitos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bansko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.