Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Iquitos

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $656 a month against $1,042 in Lima, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$1,042

/mo nomad

Iquitos

🇵🇪 Peru

$656

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Iquitos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lima and in Iquitos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,042 per month in Lima vs $656 in Iquitos, rent included.

Lima $1,042
Iquitos $656

A couple spends around $1,651 per month in Lima vs $1,177 in Iquitos, rent included.

Lima $1,651
Iquitos $1,177

A family of three spends $2,259 per month in Lima vs $1,697 in Iquitos, rent included.

Lima $2,259
Iquitos $1,697

Lima costs about 59% more than Iquitos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lima and Iquitos are more affordable than the global median – Lima 23% lower, Iquitos 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.64 PEN 15.96

$4.23 PEN 14.56

9.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.34 PEN 118

$37.33 PEN 129

-8.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 PEN 24.13

$7.07 PEN 24.35

-0.85%

Cappuccino

$3.22 PEN 11.09

$3.41 PEN 11.75

-5.57%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.90

$0.83 PEN 2.85

36.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.09

$0.59 PEN 2.05

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 PEN 10.08

$2.92 PEN 10.06

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 PEN 14.64

$7.19 PEN 24.75

-40.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 PEN 5.44

$1.69 PEN 5.82

-6.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 PEN 8.98

$2.26 PEN 7.78

15.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.47

Eggs

$2.92 PEN 10.05

$2.60 PEN 8.95

12.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 PEN 32.83

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 PEN 19.66

$3.21 PEN 11.03

77.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.47 PEN 32.59

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.91

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.52

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.99

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.14

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.14

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 3.07

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 PEN 2.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 PEN 3.06

$0.91 PEN 3.14

-2.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 PEN 18.84

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 PEN 35.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 PEN 6.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 PEN 10.84

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 PEN 2.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.89 PEN 110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 PEN 11.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 PEN 6.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 PEN 33.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.89

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

$21.9K PEN 75.3K

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

$29.0K PEN 100.0K

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

$65.8 PEN 227

$35.08 PEN 121

87.66%

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

$15.26 PEN 52.5

$11.15 PEN 38.37

36.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.87 PEN 92.5

$8.58 PEN 29.55

213.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 PEN 113

$29.56 PEN 102

11.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.12 PEN 69.3

$8.89 PEN 30.61

126.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 PEN 24.50

$5.63 PEN 19.38

26.47%

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

$309 PEN 1,064

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K PEN 73.5K

$2,760 PEN 9,502

673.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 PEN 179

$87.4 PEN 301

-40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 PEN 123

$34.33 PEN 118

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 PEN 282

$52.4 PEN 180

56.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 PEN 268

$26.33 PEN 90.6

196.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 PEN 2,502

$347 PEN 1,195

109.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 PEN 1,284

$262 PEN 902

42.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 PEN 4,298

$858 PEN 2,953

45.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 PEN 2,544

$718 PEN 2,471

2.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,380 PEN 8,193

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,365 PEN 4,698

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,238

$580 PEN 1,995

12.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.38

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

Last update for Lima: October 31, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$373 35.8%

Iquitos

–

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$228 21.9%

Iquitos

–

Eating Out

Lima

$127 12.2%

Iquitos

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$111 10.7%

Iquitos

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$108 10.4%

Iquitos

–

Getting Around

Lima

$48 4.6%

Iquitos

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$47 4.5%

Iquitos

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Lima versus $347 in Iquitos. 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 12% higher in Lima, 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 $34 in Lima versus $37 in Iquitos. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Lima vs $77 in Iquitos – so Iquitos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇵🇪 Iquitos

🕒 Local time

14:19 2:19 PM

Same time as Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

32,853

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Lima Iquitos 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Iquitos

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

Lima vs Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lima is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,564 per month in Lima and $983 in Iquitos. 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 $727 in Lima.

Groceries cost about 197% more in Lima, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Lima and $37 in Iquitos. 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 Lima at $1,042. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lima has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $656 in Iquitos to $1,042 in Lima. 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, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.