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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $641 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,154 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,666 in Iquitos, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 131% more than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Iquitos is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.08 PEN 14.36

218.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$36.24 PEN 128

46.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.84 PEN 24.08

42.11%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.36 PEN 11.82

11.61%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.81 PEN 2.87

93.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.00 PEN 3.54

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.84 PEN 10.00

11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$7.13 PEN 25.09

-34.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.71 PEN 6.04

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.25 PEN 7.91

20.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.37 PEN 8.36

5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.05 PEN 10.72

171.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.87 PEN 3.06

28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$40.82 MX$714

$33.44 PEN 118

22.07%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$10.80 PEN 38.01

154.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$8.32 PEN 29.28

265.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$28.27 PEN 99.5

89.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$8.16 PEN 28.71

222.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.48 PEN 19.30

14.42%

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

$436 MX$7,632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$2,667 PEN 9,389

292.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$81.7 PEN 288

-30.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$33.05 PEN 116

35.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$50.8 PEN 179

102.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$25.37 PEN 89.3

325.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$329 PEN 1,159

203.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$248 PEN 873

150.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$828 PEN 2,916

157.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$701 PEN 2,466

76.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$575 PEN 2,026

85.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City 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 85% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $36.00 in Iquitos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $75.0 – 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 131%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City 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 282% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City 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 Mexico City at $1,484. 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.