Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $678 per month in Iquitos vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,210 per month in Iquitos vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,741 per month in Iquitos vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Iquitos is about 60% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Iquitos sits 50% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 PEN 14.98

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-44.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.60 PEN 130

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 PEN 25.17

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-24.57%

Cappuccino

$3.48 PEN 11.73

$3.13 COP 9,873

11.18%

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

$0.88 PEN 2.96

$1.91 COP 6,019

-53.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$1.51 COP 4,763

-58.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 PEN 10.23

$3.12 COP 9,853

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 PEN 24.55

$5.75 COP 18.1K

26.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PEN 6.13

$1.44 COP 4,558

26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 PEN 8.20

$2.49 COP 7,843

-2.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

Eggs

$2.66 PEN 8.96

$2.96 COP 9,336

-10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 PEN 11.16

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-67.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$1.31 COP 4,121

-33.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$35.89 PEN 121

$177 COP 559.3K

-79.76%

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

$11.42 PEN 38.54

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-17.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.74 PEN 29.48

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-70.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.65 PEN 100

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-33.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 PEN 29.29

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-49.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 PEN 20.23

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-9.77%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,904 PEN 9,798

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-68.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.5 PEN 295

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-2.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 PEN 123

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-38.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.0 PEN 179

$138 COP 435.9K

-61.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.22 PEN 91.9

$102 COP 322.1K

-73.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 PEN 1,207

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-66.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 PEN 911

$663 COP 2.1M

-59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 PEN 3,035

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-52.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 PEN 2,524

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-27.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 PEN 1,974

$678 COP 2.1M

-13.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Iquitos: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Iquitos versus $1,062 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 16% higher in Medellin, 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 $39.00 in Iquitos versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $80.0 vs $305 – making Iquitos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 148%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,018 per month in Iquitos and $2,521 in Medellin. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 280% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Iquitos and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.