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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $633 per month in Iquitos vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Iquitos vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Iquitos vs $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 PEN 14.30

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-29.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.32 PEN 123

$33.33 COP 116.3K

8.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 PEN 23.65

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-3.73%

Cappuccino

$3.29 PEN 11.18

$1.63 COP 5,687

101.84%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$1.09 COP 3,821

-21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$0.73 COP 2,548

28.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 PEN 9.67

$1.74 COP 6,065

63.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 PEN 23.27

$3.23 COP 11.3K

111.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.55

$1.05 COP 3,662

55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$1.29 COP 4,515

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.41 PEN 8.20

$2.27 COP 7,927

6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 PEN 10.56

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-47.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PEN 2.87

$0.90 COP 3,146

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$33.11 PEN 113

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-60.43%

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

$10.73 PEN 36.48

$9.45 COP 33.0K

13.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.29 PEN 28.18

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-65.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.82 PEN 94.6

$25.31 COP 88.3K

9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.46 PEN 28.77

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-55.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 PEN 19.07

$4.10 COP 14.3K

36.83%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,698 PEN 9,171

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-54.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 PEN 284

$58.0 COP 202.6K

43.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.64 PEN 114

$32.56 COP 113.6K

3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.23 PEN 167

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-50.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.79 PEN 84.3

$109 COP 378.8K

-77.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 PEN 1,147

$482 COP 1.7M

-30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 864

$379 COP 1.3M

-33.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 PEN 2,862

$837 COP 2.9M

0.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 PEN 2,381

$723 COP 2.5M

-3.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 PEN 1,967

$541 COP 1.9M

6.97%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Iquitos versus $482 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 7% 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 – $73.0 in Iquitos vs $190 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 61%, 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 $950 per month in Iquitos and $1,525 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 159% 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 $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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $633, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.