Iquitos vs San Martín de los Andes
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights San Martín de los Andes edges it, 52 to 45, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Iquitos is stronger on nothing outright; San Martín de los Andes on quality of life, safety, internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
The world's largest city unreachable by road, deep in the Peruvian Amazon
Full Iquitos profile →Where to stay in Iquitos →Alpine-style lake town on Lago Lácar, quieter and pricier than Bariloche
Full San Martín de los Andes profile →Where to stay in San Martín de los Andes →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Iquitos | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 48 | 55 ✓ |
| Safety | 44 | 61 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 62 | 73 ✓ |
| Internet | 36 | 49 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 75 ✓ | 71 |
| Getting there & around | 26 | 26 |
| Climate | 0 | 0 |
| Air quality | 58 ✓ | 52 |
| Quality of life | 55 | 79 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Iquitos | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,350 | $1,150 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Iquitos | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 8.6 | 3.94 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 56.9 | 68.4 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 68 | 80 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 71.7 yrs | 74.6 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Iquitos | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 5.9 Mbps | 11.7 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 3.5 Mbps | 7 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Iquitos | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad transitory residence ✓ |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Iquitos | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 3 | 3 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 ✓ | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Iquitos | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 0 | 0 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 23.9 µg/m³ ✓ | 26.4 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Iquitos or San Martín de los Andes?
- San Martín de los Andes is cheaper: about $1,150 per month versus $1,350 for one person.
- Is Iquitos or San Martín de los Andes safer?
- San Martín de los Andes scores higher on safety (61 vs 44), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Iquitos or San Martín de los Andes?
- San Martín de los Andes: a measured median of 11.7 Mbps versus 5.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Iquitos vs Cusco
- Iquitos vs Arequipa
- San Martín de los Andes vs El Calafate
- San Martín de los Andes vs Bariloche
- All comparisons
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. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.