Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $656 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Iquitos

🇵🇪 Peru

$656

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iquitos and in Medellin

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

A single person spends $656 per month in Iquitos vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

Iquitos $656
Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $1,177 per month in Iquitos vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

Iquitos $1,177
Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $1,697 per month in Iquitos vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

Iquitos $1,697
Medellin $3,249

Iquitos is about 61% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Iquitos sits 52% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.23 PEN 14.56

$8.34 COP 26.8K

-49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.33 PEN 129

$46.53 COP 149.7K

-19.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 PEN 24.35

$9.47 COP 30.5K

-25.34%

Cappuccino

$3.41 PEN 11.75

$3.13 COP 10.1K

8.95%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.85

$1.77 COP 5,681

-53.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.05

$1.42 COP 4,582

-58.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 PEN 10.06

$3.15 COP 10.1K

-7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 PEN 24.75

$5.70 COP 18.3K

26.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 PEN 5.82

$1.53 COP 4,930

10.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PEN 7.78

$2.29 COP 7,370

-1.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,257

Eggs

$2.60 PEN 8.95

$3.07 COP 9,864

-15.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 PEN 11.03

$10.45 COP 33.6K

-69.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 44.9K

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.0K

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,916

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,769

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,378

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,785

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,498

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,764

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PEN 3.14

$1.58 COP 5,083

-42.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,667

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,724

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,795

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 245.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,812

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,849

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,102

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

$34.4K COP 110.8M

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

$34.1K COP 109.8M

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

$35.08 PEN 121

$178 COP 571.7K

-80.26%

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

$11.15 PEN 38.37

$13.89 COP 44.7K

-19.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.58 PEN 29.55

$30.74 COP 98.9K

-72.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.56 PEN 102

$41.94 COP 134.9K

-29.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 PEN 30.61

$16.80 COP 54.0K

-47.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 PEN 19.38

$7.47 COP 24.0K

-24.63%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,760 PEN 9,502

$12.3K COP 39.6M

-77.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 PEN 301

$86.3 COP 277.7K

1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 PEN 118

$59.3 COP 190.6K

-42.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.4 PEN 180

$138 COP 445.0K

-62.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.33 PEN 90.6

$98.8 COP 317.8K

-73.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 PEN 1,195

$1,341 COP 4.3M

-74.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 PEN 902

$667 COP 2.1M

-60.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 PEN 2,953

$1,976 COP 6.4M

-56.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 PEN 2,471

$1,033 COP 3.3M

-30.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 PEN 1,995

$646 COP 2.1M

-10.31%

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: October 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Iquitos

–

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Groceries & Markets

Iquitos

–

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iquitos

–

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Eating Out

Iquitos

–

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Iquitos

–

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Getting Around

Iquitos

–

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Iquitos

–

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Iquitos versus $1,341 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 11% 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 $37 in Iquitos versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $77 vs $307 – making Iquitos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Iquitos

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

17:52 5:52 PM

Same time as Iquitos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,853

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.11 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.44 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,217 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,611 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Iquitos Medellin 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Iquitos
Medellin

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 158%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $983 per month in Iquitos and $2,538 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $347 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

Groceries cost about 300% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Iquitos and $47 in Medellin. 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 Medellin at $1,692. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $656 in Iquitos to $1,692 in Medellin. 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.