Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Iquitos versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

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

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

Living in Iquitos costs roughly 73% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 PEN 14.98

$18.74 €16.32

-76.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.60 PEN 130

$69.5 €60.5

-44.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 PEN 25.17

$13.77 €11.99

-45.82%

Cappuccino

$3.48 PEN 11.73

$3.10 €2.70

12.26%

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

$0.88 PEN 2.96

$2.83 €2.47

-68.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$1.88 €1.64

-67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 PEN 10.23

$3.98 €3.47

-23.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 PEN 24.55

$4.53 €3.95

60.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PEN 6.13

$1.27 €1.11

43.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 PEN 8.20

$2.16 €1.88

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

Eggs

$2.66 PEN 8.96

$5.13 €4.47

-48.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 PEN 11.16

$9.65 €8.41

-65.70%

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)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.95 €0.83

-8.42%

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)

$35.89 PEN 121

$187 €163

-80.82%

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

$11.42 PEN 38.54

$15.14 €13.19

-24.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.74 PEN 29.48

$37.69 €32.83

-76.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.65 PEN 100

$55.9 €48.73

-47.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 PEN 29.29

$17.08 €14.88

-49.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 PEN 20.23

$11.41 €9.94

-47.41%

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

$997 €868

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,904 PEN 9,798

$16.5K €14.4K

-82.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.5 PEN 295

$92.6 €80.7

-5.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 PEN 123

$41.22 €35.91

-11.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.0 PEN 179

$111 €96.9

-52.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.22 PEN 91.9

$125 €109

-78.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 PEN 1,207

$1,707 €1,487

-79.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 PEN 911

$1,286 €1,120

-78.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 PEN 3,035

$2,565 €2,235

-64.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 PEN 2,524

$1,942 €1,692

-61.48%

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)

$585 PEN 1,974

$2,348 €2,046

-75.09%

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 Iquitos: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $358 in Iquitos and $1,707 in Barcelona. 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: $39.00 in Iquitos vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $80.0 vs $336 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

Iquitos vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquitos and Barcelona differ by about 265% in total monthly costs ($678 vs $2,476 including rent). Iquitos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 301% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $358 in Iquitos versus $1,707 in Barcelona. 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 $678 per month in Iquitos versus $2,476 in Barcelona – 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, Iquitos and Barcelona 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.