Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Iquitos Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Iquitos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $678 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,210 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,741 in Iquitos, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 145% more than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Iquitos is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$4.44 PEN 14.98

168.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$38.60 PEN 130

33.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$7.46 PEN 25.17

52.95%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$3.48 PEN 11.73

14.66%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.88 PEN 2.96

88.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.62 PEN 2.09

114.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$3.03 PEN 10.23

14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$7.28 PEN 24.55

-18.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.82 PEN 6.13

3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$2.43 PEN 8.20

33.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.66 PEN 8.96

9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.31 PEN 11.16

203.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.87 PEN 2.94

60.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$35.89 PEN 121

81.61%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$11.42 PEN 38.54

163.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$8.74 PEN 29.48

325.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$29.65 PEN 100

101.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$8.68 PEN 29.29

205.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.00 PEN 20.23

17.33%

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

$465 MX$7,976

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$2,904 PEN 9,798

357.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$87.5 PEN 295

-13.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$36.35 PEN 123

53.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$53.0 PEN 179

110.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$27.22 PEN 91.9

342.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$358 PEN 1,207

208.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$270 PEN 911

166.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$899 PEN 3,035

181.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$748 PEN 2,524

72.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$585 PEN 1,974

77.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $358 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 77% higher in Mexico City, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $39.00 in Iquitos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $80.0 – making Iquitos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mexico City vs Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 145%, 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 $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,018 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 331% more in Mexico City, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City and $39.00 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 $678, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.