---
title: "Belém vs Iquitos for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/belem-vs-iquitos
description: "Under balanced weights Belém edges it, 52 to 47, winning 7 of the 9 factors. Belém is stronger on internet, air quality; Iquitos on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Belém vs Iquitos for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Belém edges it, 52 to 47, winning 7 of the 9 factors. Belém is stronger on internet, air quality; Iquitos on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Where they differ

- **Internet.** Belém leads on internet, 62 to 36, against Iquitos. Measured download: 22.8 Mbps vs 5.9 Mbps.
- **Air quality.** Belém leads on air quality, 72 to 58, against Iquitos. PM2.5: 17.6 µg/m³ vs 23.9 µg/m³.
- **Safety.** Iquitos leads on safety, 44 to 35, against Belém. Homicides per 100,000: 18.69 vs 8.6.

Where they are close: within five points on getting there & around, visa ease, cost of living, quality of life.

**Pick Belém if you want** to spend about $50 less a month; faster internet (22.8 Mbps measured); stronger healthcare; a dedicated digital-nomad visa; cleaner air.

**Pick Iquitos if you want** the safer country figures.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Belém | Iquitos | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 61 | 60 | Belém |
| Safety | 35 | 44 | Iquitos |
| Healthcare | 79 | 73 | Belém |
| Internet | 62 | 36 | Belém |
| Visa ease | 77 | 75 | Belém |
| Getting there & around | 19 | 15 | Belém |
| Climate | 8 | 0 | Belém |
| Air quality | 72 | 58 | Belém |
| Quality of life | 56 | 57 | Iquitos |

## Cost

| Metric | Belém | Iquitos | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,300 | $1,350 | Belém |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Belém | Iquitos | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 18.69 | 8.6 | Iquitos |
| Political stability (0–100) | 58.9 | 56.9 | Belém |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 84 | 68 | Belém |
| Life expectancy | 75.9 yrs | 78.4 yrs | Iquitos |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Belém | Iquitos | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 22.8 Mbps | 5.9 Mbps | Belém |
| Upload | 13.3 Mbps | 3.5 Mbps | Belém |

## Visa

| Metric | Belém | Iquitos | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad temporary visa (VITEM XIV) | none listed | Belém |
| Minimum income for the visa | $1,500/mo | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 180 days | Iquitos |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 180 days | Iquitos |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Belém | Iquitos | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 26 | 3 | Belém |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Belém | Iquitos | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 1 | 0 | Belém |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 17.6 µg/m³ | 23.9 µg/m³ | Belém |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Belém or Iquitos?

Belém is cheaper: about $1,300 per month versus $1,350 for one person.

### Is Belém or Iquitos safer?

Iquitos scores higher on safety (44 vs 35), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Belém or Iquitos?

Belém: a measured median of 22.8 Mbps versus 5.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Belém](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/belem) · [Iquitos](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/iquitos). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/belem-vs-iquitos