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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $620 per month in Iquitos vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,145 per month in Iquitos vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,670 per month in Iquitos vs $2,143 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 – Iquitos 53% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.22 PEN 14.31

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-28.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.59 PEN 124

$32.96 COP 103.8K

11.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 PEN 23.72

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-5.92%

Cappuccino

$3.34 PEN 11.35

$1.65 COP 5,207

102.42%

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

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$1.10 COP 3,468

-28.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 PEN 3.36

$0.78 COP 2,458

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 PEN 9.18

$1.72 COP 5,412

57.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 PEN 23.26

$3.18 COP 10.0K

115.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 PEN 5.77

$1.10 COP 3,474

54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 PEN 7.63

$1.26 COP 3,962

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.23

$2.18 COP 6,858

11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 PEN 10.10

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-48.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 PEN 2.70

$0.90 COP 2,823

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$33.54 PEN 114

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-59.60%

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

$11.00 PEN 37.35

$9.70 COP 30.5K

13.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.30 PEN 28.18

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-64.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.67 PEN 93.9

$25.26 COP 79.5K

9.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.47 PEN 28.76

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-55.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 PEN 19.44

$3.95 COP 12.4K

45.06%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,648 PEN 8,989

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-55.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 PEN 286

$60.0 COP 188.9K

40.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.22 PEN 113

$31.82 COP 100.2K

4.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.61 PEN 168

$102 COP 320.1K

-51.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.12 PEN 85.3

$107 COP 338.3K

-76.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 PEN 1,114

$475 COP 1.5M

-30.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 PEN 834

$374 COP 1.2M

-34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 PEN 2,819

$849 COP 2.7M

-2.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 PEN 2,355

$719 COP 2.3M

-3.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 PEN 2,008

$624 COP 2.0M

-5.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Iquitos: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Iquitos versus $475 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 6% 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 $37.00 in Iquitos versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $74.0 in Iquitos vs $193 in Medellin – so Iquitos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 62%, 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 $930 per month in Iquitos and $1,504 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 163% 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 $37.00 in Iquitos and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $620, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.