Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Cusco Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Cusco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $620 in Iquitos versus $750 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,145 in Iquitos versus $1,157 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,670 in Iquitos versus $1,563 in Cusco.

Living in Iquitos costs roughly 17% less than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquitos 53% lower, Cusco 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.22 PEN 14.31

$2.82 PEN 9.56

49.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.59 PEN 124

$27.87 PEN 94.6

31.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 PEN 23.72

$5.41 PEN 18.36

29.21%

Cappuccino

$3.34 PEN 11.35

$2.09 PEN 7.08

59.81%

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

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$1.24 PEN 4.21

-36.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 PEN 3.36

$0.74 PEN 2.50

33.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 PEN 9.18

$2.18 PEN 7.38

24.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 PEN 23.26

$4.26 PEN 14.47

60.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 PEN 5.77

$1.43 PEN 4.85

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 PEN 7.63

$3.03 PEN 10.30

-25.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.23

$3.79 PEN 12.86

-36.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.68 PEN 15.87

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 PEN 10.10

$5.00 PEN 16.96

-40.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 PEN 23.93

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 PEN 7.94

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.65

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.50

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 PEN 3.28

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 PEN 2.70

$0.68 PEN 2.32

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 PEN 16.62

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 PEN 20.54

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 PEN 6.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 PEN 10.69

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 1.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PEN 5.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 PEN 5.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 PEN 9.60

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.01

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

$18.6K PEN 63.3K

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

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

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

$33.54 PEN 114

$32.97 PEN 112

1.73%

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

$11.00 PEN 37.35

$14.10 PEN 47.87

-21.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.30 PEN 28.18

$30.44 PEN 103

-72.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.67 PEN 93.9

$30.12 PEN 102

-8.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.47 PEN 28.76

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 PEN 19.44

$4.91 PEN 16.67

16.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,648 PEN 8,989

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 PEN 286

$36.79 PEN 125

129.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.22 PEN 113

$28.16 PEN 95.6

17.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.61 PEN 168

$62.1 PEN 211

-20.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.12 PEN 85.3

$70.4 PEN 239

-64.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 PEN 1,114

$300 PEN 1,020

9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 PEN 834

$253 PEN 860

-3.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 PEN 2,819

$589 PEN 2,000

40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 PEN 2,355

$415 PEN 1,409

67.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,956 PEN 13.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,793 PEN 6,087

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 PEN 2,008

$424 PEN 1,440

39.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Iquitos: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $328 in Iquitos and $300 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquitos pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Iquitos vs $28.00 in Cusco. Groceries flip the comparison at $74.0 vs $196, 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 Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquitos is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Iquitos, 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: $328 in Iquitos versus $300 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 166% higher in Cusco. 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 $37.00 versus $28.00 in Cusco. 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.

For families, Iquitos is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cusco, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Iquitos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Cusco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.