Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $663 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $51,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Iquitos
🇵🇪 Peru
$663
/mo nomad
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,950
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iquitos and in New York, NY

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 New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $663 per month in Iquitos vs $4,950 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Iquitos $663
  • New York, NY $4,950

A couple spends around $1,185 per month in Iquitos vs $7,265 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Iquitos $1,185
  • New York, NY $7,265

A family of three spends $1,707 per month in Iquitos vs $9,581 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Iquitos $1,707
  • New York, NY $9,581

Iquitos is about 87% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Iquitos sits 51% below the global median, while New York, NY is 267% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.31 PEN 14.81
$24.65 $24.65
-82.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.44 PEN 132
$122 $122
-68.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.30 PEN 25.06
$13.91 $13.91
-47.52%
Cappuccino
$3.57 PEN 12.26
$6.59 $6.59
-45.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 PEN 2.92
$3.84 $3.84
-77.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 PEN 1.91
$2.87 $2.87
-80.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.82 PEN 9.69
$7.79 $7.79
-63.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.41 PEN 25.45
$9.85 $9.85
-24.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 PEN 6.05
$1.38 $1.38
27.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 PEN 7.91
$4.68 $4.68
-50.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$7.54 $7.54
-
Eggs
$2.56 PEN 8.80
$5.93 $5.93
-56.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$18.83 $18.83
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.28 PEN 11.26
$17.36 $17.36
-81.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$18.51 $18.51
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$6.74 $6.74
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$2.09 $2.09
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$6.07 $6.07
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$6.74 $6.74
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$4.05 $4.05
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$4.37 $4.37
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$2.89 $2.89
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 PEN 3.07
$2.60 $2.60
-65.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$18.72 $18.72
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$20.06 $20.06
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.25 $3.25
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.73 $3.73
-
🚌 Getting Around
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$3.06 $3.06
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$140 $140
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.04 $3.04
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.15 $2.15
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$41.82 $41.82
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.12 $1.12
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$35.5K $35.5K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.0K $26.0K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.73 PEN 119
$219 $219
-84.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.34 PEN 38.95
$73.2 $73.2
-84.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.74 PEN 30.03
$72.0 $72.0
-87.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.05 PEN 99.8
$123 $123
-76.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.75 PEN 30.06
$67.7 $67.7
-87.07%
Cinema Ticket
$5.64 PEN 19.37
$22.85 $22.85
-75.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$3,333 $3,333
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,789 PEN 9,576
$60.0K $60.0K
-95.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 PEN 301
$75.2 $75.2
16.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24 PEN 121
$52.4 $52.4
-32.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$52.9 PEN 182
$122 $122
-56.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$26.21 PEN 90.0
$133 $133
-80.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$343 PEN 1,180
$4,389 $4,389
-92.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$265 PEN 909
$3,130 $3,130
-91.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$882 PEN 3,029
$8,918 $8,918
-90.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$712 PEN 2,445
$5,354 $5,354
-86.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$19.4K $19.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,806 $6,806
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iquitos
New York, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$573 PEN 1,968
$5,343 $5,343
-89.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
6.82
-

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

Last update for Iquitos: October 11, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Iquitos
–
New York, NY
$3.1K
Groceries & Markets
Iquitos
–
New York, NY
$545
Eating Out
Iquitos
–
New York, NY
$404
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquitos
–
New York, NY
$364
Clothing & Footwear
Iquitos
–
New York, NY
$172
Sport & Entertainment
Iquitos
–
New York, NY
$168
Getting Around
Iquitos
–
New York, NY
$167

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $343 in Iquitos versus $4,389 in New York, NY. 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 832% higher in New York, NY, 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 $38.00 in Iquitos versus $122 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $78.0 vs $545 – making Iquitos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Iquitos
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🕒 Local time
09:12 9:12 AM
10:12 10:12 AM
1 h ahead of Iquitos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,853
8,804,190
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Iquitos New York, NY 4,940 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Iquitos
  • New York, NY

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is New York, NY cheaper than Iquitos?
Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 647%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $994 per month in Iquitos and $7,424 in New York, NY. 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 in New York, NY?
Groceries cost about 599% more in New York, NY, 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 in New York, NY?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Iquitos and $122 in New York, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Iquitos or in New York, NY?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $663, than in New York, NY at $4,950. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Iquitos or New York, NY 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, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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