---
title: "Iquitos vs Manaus for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/iquitos-vs-manaus
description: "Under balanced weights Manaus edges it, 49 to 45, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Iquitos is stronger on air quality; Manaus on internet, getting there & around, healthcare. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Iquitos vs Manaus for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Manaus edges it, 49 to 45, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Iquitos is stronger on air quality; Manaus on internet, getting there & around, healthcare. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Iquitos | Manaus | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 48 | 50 | Manaus |
| Safety | 44 | 35 | Iquitos |
| Healthcare | 62 | 72 | Manaus |
| Internet | 36 | 63 | Manaus |
| Visa ease | 75 | 77 | Manaus |
| Getting there & around | 26 | 42 | Manaus |
| Climate | 0 | 8 | Manaus |
| Air quality | 58 | 38 | Iquitos |
| Quality of life | 55 | 54 | Iquitos |

## Cost

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

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Iquitos | Manaus | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 8.6 | 18.69 | Iquitos |
| Political stability (0–100) | 56.9 | 58.9 | Manaus |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 68 | 84 | Manaus |
| Life expectancy | 71.7 yrs | 72.4 yrs | Manaus |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Iquitos | Manaus | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 5.9 Mbps | 25 Mbps | Manaus |
| Upload | 3.5 Mbps | 13.2 Mbps | Manaus |

## Visa

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

## Getting there and around

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

## Climate and air

| Metric | Iquitos | Manaus | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 0 | 1 | Manaus |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 23.9 µg/m³ | 32.9 µg/m³ | Iquitos |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Iquitos or Manaus?

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

### Is Iquitos or Manaus 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, Iquitos or Manaus?

Manaus: a measured median of 25 Mbps versus 5.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Iquitos](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/iquitos) · [Manaus](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/manaus). 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/iquitos-vs-manaus