🙂A single person spends $641 per month in Iquitos vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,154 per month in Iquitos vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,666 per month in Iquitos vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Iquitos is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Iquitos and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Iquitos52% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.08PEN 14.32
$5.92COP 21.5K
-31.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.24PEN 127
$32.75COP 119.1K
10.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.84PEN 24.01
$7.20COP 26.2K
-5.00%
Cappuccino
$3.36PEN 11.78
$1.70COP 6,186
97.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81PEN 2.86
$1.10COP 3,996
-26.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00PEN 3.53
$0.72COP 2,625
38.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.84PEN 9.97
$1.67COP 6,067
70.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.13PEN 25.02
$3.10COP 11.3K
130.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71PEN 6.02
$1.06COP 3,837
61.32%
White Bread(500g)
$2.25PEN 7.89
$1.25COP 4,531
80.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
-
$1.39COP 5,060
-
Eggs
$2.37PEN 8.34
$2.26COP 8,229
4.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
-
$4.33COP 15.8K
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.05PEN 10.69
$5.84COP 21.2K
-47.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$8.83COP 32.1K
-
Apples(1kg)
-
$2.24COP 8,159
-
Banana(1kg)
-
$1.08COP 3,911
-
Oranges(1kg)
-
$1.53COP 5,563
-
Tomato(1kg)
-
$1.37COP 4,987
-
Potato(1kg)
-
$1.13COP 4,109
-
Onion(1kg)
-
$1.12COP 4,067
-
Lettuce(1 head)
-
$0.85COP 3,080
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87PEN 3.06
$0.91COP 3,305
-4.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$2.33COP 8,477
-
Wine(Bottle)
-
$11.13COP 40.5K
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.19COP 4,342
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.37COP 8,617
-
🚌 Getting Around
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.79COP 2,859
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$1.44COP 5,223
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.91COP 6,952
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$8.02COP 29.2K
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
-
$0.94COP 3,410
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.44PEN 117
$84.0COP 305.4K
-60.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.80PEN 37.90
$9.60COP 34.9K
12.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.32PEN 29.20
$24.16COP 87.9K
-65.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.27PEN 99.2
$25.88COP 94.1K
9.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.16PEN 28.63
$19.04COP 69.3K
-57.14%
Cinema Ticket
$5.48PEN 19.24
$3.92COP 14.2K
39.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$306COP 1.1M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,667PEN 9,363
$5,919COP 21.5M
-54.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.7PEN 287
$57.9COP 210.6K
41.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.05PEN 116
$31.82COP 115.7K
3.87%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$50.8PEN 178
$99.9COP 363.3K
-49.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$25.37PEN 89.1
$107COP 389.7K
-76.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$329PEN 1,155
$487COP 1.8M
-32.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$248PEN 870
$368COP 1.3M
-32.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$828PEN 2,908
$826COP 3.0M
0.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$701PEN 2,459
$716COP 2.6M
-2.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iquitos
Medellin
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$575PEN 2,020
$546COP 2.0M
5.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
13.43
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Iquitos: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Iquitos versus $487 in Medellin. 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 5% higher in Iquitos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Iquitos versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $75.0 in Iquitos vs $190 in Medellin – so Iquitos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Iquitos vs Medellin: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Medellin cheaper than Iquitos?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $962 per month in Iquitos and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Iquitos and Medellin?
Groceries cost about 154% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Iquitos or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Iquitos and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Iquitos or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $641, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Iquitos or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Iquitos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Iquitos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Iquitos vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado