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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $641 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,154 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,666 in Iquitos, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.08 PEN 14.36

45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$36.24 PEN 128

-9.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.84 PEN 24.08

5.26%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.36 PEN 11.82

-49.40%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.81 PEN 2.87

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.00 PEN 3.54

-28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.84 PEN 10.00

-41.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$7.13 PEN 25.09

-56.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.71 PEN 6.04

-38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.25 PEN 7.91

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.37 PEN 8.36

-4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.05 PEN 10.72

91.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.87 PEN 3.06

4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$33.44 PEN 118

151.08%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.80 PEN 38.01

-11.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$8.32 PEN 29.28

190.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$28.27 PEN 99.5

-8.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$8.16 PEN 28.71

133.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.48 PEN 19.30

-28.47%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,667 PEN 9,389

121.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$81.7 PEN 288

-29.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.05 PEN 116

-3.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$50.8 PEN 179

96.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$25.37 PEN 89.3

322.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$329 PEN 1,159

47.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$248 PEN 873

48.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$828 PEN 2,916

-0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$701 PEN 2,466

2.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$575 PEN 2,026

-5.20%

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 Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $329 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 5% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Iquitos. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $75.0 in Iquitos – 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

Medellin vs Iquitos: 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $962 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 154% 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Iquitos. 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 $641, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.