Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $656 a month against $1,042 in Lima, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index

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Iquitos

🇵🇪 Peru

$656

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$1,042

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Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iquitos and in Lima

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 Lima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $656 per month in Iquitos vs $1,042 in Lima, rent included.

Iquitos $656
Lima $1,042

A couple spends around $1,177 per month in Iquitos vs $1,651 in Lima, rent included.

Iquitos $1,177
Lima $1,651

A family of three spends $1,697 per month in Iquitos vs $2,259 in Lima, rent included.

Iquitos $1,697
Lima $2,259

Iquitos is about 37% cheaper than Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Iquitos and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Iquitos 52% lower, Lima 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.23 PEN 14.56

$4.64 PEN 15.96

-8.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.33 PEN 129

$34.34 PEN 118

8.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 PEN 24.35

$7.01 PEN 24.13

0.86%

Cappuccino

$3.41 PEN 11.75

$3.22 PEN 11.09

5.90%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.85

$1.13 PEN 3.90

-26.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.05

$0.61 PEN 2.09

-3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 PEN 10.06

$2.93 PEN 10.08

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 PEN 24.75

$4.25 PEN 14.64

69.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 PEN 5.82

$1.58 PEN 5.44

6.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PEN 7.78

$2.61 PEN 8.98

-13.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.47

Eggs

$2.60 PEN 8.95

$2.92 PEN 10.05

-10.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 PEN 32.83

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 PEN 11.03

$5.71 PEN 19.66

-43.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.47 PEN 32.59

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.91

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.52

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.99

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.14

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.14

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 3.07

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 PEN 2.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.14

$0.89 PEN 3.06

2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 PEN 18.84

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 PEN 35.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 PEN 6.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 PEN 10.84

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 PEN 2.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.89 PEN 110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 PEN 11.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 PEN 6.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 PEN 33.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.89

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

$21.9K PEN 75.3K

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

$29.0K PEN 100.0K

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

$35.08 PEN 121

$65.8 PEN 227

-46.71%

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

$11.15 PEN 38.37

$15.26 PEN 52.5

-26.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.58 PEN 29.55

$26.87 PEN 92.5

-68.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.56 PEN 102

$32.91 PEN 113

-10.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 PEN 30.61

$20.12 PEN 69.3

-55.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 PEN 19.38

$7.12 PEN 24.50

-20.93%

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

$309 PEN 1,064

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,760 PEN 9,502

$21.4K PEN 73.5K

-87.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 PEN 301

$52.0 PEN 179

68.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 PEN 118

$35.69 PEN 123

-3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.4 PEN 180

$81.8 PEN 282

-35.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.33 PEN 90.6

$78.0 PEN 268

-66.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 PEN 1,195

$727 PEN 2,502

-52.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 PEN 902

$373 PEN 1,284

-29.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 PEN 2,953

$1,249 PEN 4,298

-31.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 PEN 2,471

$739 PEN 2,544

-2.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,380 PEN 8,193

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,365 PEN 4,698

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 PEN 1,995

$650 PEN 2,238

-10.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.38

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

Last update for Iquitos: October 31, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Iquitos

–

Lima

$373 35.8%

Groceries & Markets

Iquitos

–

Lima

$228 21.9%

Eating Out

Iquitos

–

Lima

$127 12.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Iquitos

–

Lima

$111 10.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iquitos

–

Lima

$108 10.4%

Getting Around

Iquitos

–

Lima

$48 4.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Iquitos

–

Lima

$47 4.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Iquitos versus $727 in Lima. 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 12% higher in Lima, 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 $37 in Iquitos versus $34 in Lima. Groceries tell a different story – $77 in Iquitos vs $228 in Lima – so Iquitos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Iquitos

🇵🇪 Lima

🕒 Local time

13:30 1:30 PM

Same time as Iquitos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,853

9,989,369 Capital

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Iquitos Lima 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Iquitos
Lima

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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lima is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $983 per month in Iquitos and $1,564 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iquitos, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $347 there versus $727 in Lima.

Groceries cost about 197% more in Lima, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Iquitos and $34 in Lima. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $656, than in Lima at $1,042. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lima has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $656 in Iquitos to $1,042 in Lima. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Iquitos. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.