Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Maracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Maracay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $642 in Maracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,125 in Maracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,608 in Maracay.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 261% more expensive than in Maracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Maracay is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$11.97 VES 8,796

47.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$54.7 VES 40.2K

27.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$7.35 VES 5,401

92.65%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.34 VES 985

108.96%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.23 VES 904

128.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.02 VES 751

101.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$1.54 VES 1,134

198.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$2.02 VES 1,487

132.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.82 VES 1,335

-32.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.71 VES 1,991

-25.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.07 VES 790

85.05%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.23 VES 1,641

56.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$6.81 VES 5,004

169.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$5.46 VES 4,014

80.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$7.37 VES 5,416

159.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$3.91 VES 2,876

-30.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.86 VES 1,369

27.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.17 VES 1,596

-4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$2.05 VES 1,509

34.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.64 VES 1,943

-25.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.14 VES 1,573

-16.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.29 VES 951

14.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.90 VES 1,400

-52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$2.54 VES 1,864

180.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$9.82 VES 7,217

-19.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.17 VES 861

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.73 VES 1,270

38.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.31 VES 230

870.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$2.94 VES 2,158

48.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.77 VES 2,038

-23.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$10.14 VES 7,452

191.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$0.51 VES 375

256.86%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$24.9K VES 18.3M

51.98%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$39.6K VES 29.1M

-18.15%

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

$189 €166

$10.06 VES 7,398

1779.03%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$13.14 VES 9,658

69.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$39.46 VES 29.0K

-5.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$53.0 VES 39.0K

9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$3.55 VES 2,606

206.20%

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

$706 €618

$130 VES 95.9K

441.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$5,448 VES 4.0M

172.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$24.53 VES 18.0K

264.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$29.53 VES 21.7K

23.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$79.5 VES 58.4K

30.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$102 VES 74.9K

17.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$444 VES 326.0K

1596.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$203 VES 149.0K

2483.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$179 VES 131.5K

1221.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

21.33

-84.11%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 1221% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $55.0 in Maracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $247 per month, with Maracay cheaper across the board.

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

Barcelona vs Maracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Maracay differ by about 261% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $642 including rent). Maracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1221% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $130 in Maracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Maracay – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $642 in Maracay versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Maracay but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Maracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Maracay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Maracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 261% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.