Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Iquitos

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.

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

How much you'll spend in New York, NY 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 New York, NY and in Iquitos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

New York, NY costs about 647% more than Iquitos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Iquitos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.65 $24.65
$4.31 PEN 14.81
471.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$122 $122
$38.44 PEN 132
216.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.91 $13.91
$7.30 PEN 25.06
90.55%
Cappuccino
$6.59 $6.59
$3.57 PEN 12.26
84.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84 $3.84
$0.85 PEN 2.92
351.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 $2.87
$0.56 PEN 1.91
412.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.79 $7.79
$2.82 PEN 9.69
176.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.85 $9.85
$7.41 PEN 25.45
32.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Iquitos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 $1.38
$1.76 PEN 6.05
-21.59%
White Bread (500g)
$4.68 $4.68
$2.30 PEN 7.91
103.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.54 $7.54
-
-
Eggs
$5.93 $5.93
$2.56 PEN 8.80
131.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.83 $18.83
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.36 $17.36
$3.28 PEN 11.26
429.27%
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)
$2.60 $2.60
$0.89 PEN 3.07
192.13%
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
New York, NY
Iquitos
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
New York, NY
Iquitos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$34.73 PEN 119
530.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$73.2 $73.2
$11.34 PEN 38.95
545.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.0 $72.0
$8.74 PEN 30.03
723.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Iquitos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$123 $123
$29.05 PEN 99.8
322.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$67.7 $67.7
$8.75 PEN 30.06
673.37%
Cinema Ticket
$22.85 $22.85
$5.64 PEN 19.37
305.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Iquitos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,333 $3,333
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$60.0K $60.0K
$2,789 PEN 9,576
2051.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Iquitos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.2 $75.2
$87.7 PEN 301
-14.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.4 $52.4
$35.24 PEN 121
48.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 $122
$52.9 PEN 182
129.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 $133
$26.21 PEN 90.0
408.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Iquitos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,389 $4,389
$343 PEN 1,180
1177.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,130 $3,130
$265 PEN 909
1081.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$8,918 $8,918
$882 PEN 3,029
911.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,354 $5,354
$712 PEN 2,445
651.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$19.4K $19.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,806 $6,806
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Iquitos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,343 $5,343
$573 PEN 1,968
832.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
0
-

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

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

Last update for Iquitos: October 11, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

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

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

PEN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Iquitos 4,940 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • 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
New York, NY vs Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iquitos cheaper than New York, NY?
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 $7,424 per month in New York, NY and $994 in Iquitos. 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 New York, NY and in Iquitos?
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 New York, NY or in Iquitos?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in New York, NY and $38.00 in Iquitos. 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 New York, NY or in Iquitos?
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 New York, NY or Iquitos 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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