Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Cajamarca Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Cajamarca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $633 in Iquitos versus $655 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,133 in Iquitos versus $1,101 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Iquitos versus $1,547 in Cajamarca.

Living in Iquitos costs roughly 3% less than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquitos 53% lower, Cajamarca 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 PEN 14.30

$3.14 PEN 10.69

34.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.32 PEN 123

$28.17 PEN 95.8

28.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 PEN 23.65

$5.98 PEN 20.34

16.39%

Cappuccino

$3.29 PEN 11.18

$2.90 PEN 9.86

13.45%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$0.80 PEN 2.73

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$0.54 PEN 1.84

74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 PEN 9.67

$2.25 PEN 7.66

26.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 PEN 23.27

$3.30 PEN 11.21

107.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.55

$1.24 PEN 4.22

31.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$2.98 PEN 10.13

-27.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

Eggs

$2.41 PEN 8.20

$2.10 PEN 7.13

14.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PEN 20.89

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 PEN 10.56

$5.78 PEN 19.64

-46.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.07 PEN 41.03

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.11

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.41

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 PEN 2.83

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.40

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 PEN 2.53

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.12

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 PEN 2.15

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PEN 2.87

$0.76 PEN 2.57

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.34 PEN 28.36

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 PEN 34.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 PEN 8.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 PEN 8.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.27 PEN 28.12

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PEN 5.62

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 PEN 4.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 PEN 16.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.14

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

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

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

$24.0K PEN 81.6K

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

$33.11 PEN 113

$46.50 PEN 158

-28.80%

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

$10.73 PEN 36.48

$8.94 PEN 30.38

20.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.29 PEN 28.18

$26.56 PEN 90.3

-68.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.82 PEN 94.6

$28.32 PEN 96.3

-1.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.46 PEN 28.77

$19.41 PEN 66.0

-56.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 PEN 19.07

$4.54 PEN 15.44

23.57%

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

$129 PEN 440

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,698 PEN 9,171

$4,152 PEN 14.1K

-35.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 PEN 284

$47.78 PEN 162

74.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.64 PEN 114

$27.47 PEN 93.4

22.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.23 PEN 167

$77.1 PEN 262

-36.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.79 PEN 84.3

$77.0 PEN 262

-67.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 PEN 1,147

$200 PEN 678

69.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 864

$98.3 PEN 334

158.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 PEN 2,862

$494 PEN 1,679

70.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 PEN 2,381

$292 PEN 993

139.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,326 PEN 7,908

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 PEN 1,967

$696 PEN 2,365

-16.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

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

Last update for Iquitos: June 6, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Iquitos and $200 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 20% 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: $36.00 in Iquitos vs $28.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $73.0 vs $208, with Iquitos cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquitos is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cajamarca earns 20% less. 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: $337 in Iquitos versus $200 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 185% higher in Cajamarca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Iquitos – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $28.00 in Cajamarca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Iquitos gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Cajamarca 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 3% less than in Cajamarca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.