Cost of Living Comparison Between Barquisimeto and Maracaibo Cost of Living Comparison Between Barquisimeto and Maracaibo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Barquisimeto versus $734 in Maracaibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $939 in Barquisimeto versus $1,244 in Maracaibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,322 in Barquisimeto versus $1,754 in Maracaibo.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 24% less than in Maracaibo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 58% lower, Maracaibo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 VES 4,124

$10.37 VES 5,777

-28.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.54 VES 17.0K

$39.97 VES 22.3K

-23.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 VES 5,655

$8.82 VES 4,915

15.08%

Cappuccino

$1.01 VES 565

$2.65 VES 1,476

-61.89%

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

$1.18 VES 658

$1.20 VES 671

-1.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 VES 397

$1.30 VES 724

-45.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 VES 821

$2.32 VES 1,290

-36.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 856

$2.95 VES 1,643

-47.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 VES 850

$1.79 VES 996

-14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 VES 1,383

$1.94 VES 1,080

27.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 VES 550

$1.09 VES 607

-9.17%

Eggs

$1.62 VES 902

$3.19 VES 1,775

-49.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.10 VES 2,284

$5.95 VES 3,318

-31.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 VES 2,817

$5.39 VES 3,003

-6.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 VES 3,926

$6.08 VES 3,386

15.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 VES 2,734

$4.51 VES 2,513

8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 547

$1.38 VES 769

-28.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 VES 548

$1.71 VES 954

-42.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 VES 544

$1.47 VES 820

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 550

$1.16 VES 649

-14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 VES 819

$1.62 VES 905

-9.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 288

$1.01 VES 564

-48.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 566

$1.60 VES 889

-36.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 VES 1,713

$3.43 VES 1,914

-10.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.37 VES 7,453

$8.97 VES 4,997

49.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 VES 434

$1.06 VES 591

-26.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 567

$2.64 VES 1,473

-61.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 245

$0.51 VES 287

-13.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.83 VES 23.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 VES 2,847

$4.11 VES 2,290

24.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 VES 1,087

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 VES 9,900

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 286

$0.48 VES 269

6.25%

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

$24.7K VES 13.8M

$22.2K VES 12.4M

11.47%

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

$36.4K VES 20.3M

$31.0K VES 17.3M

17.41%

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

$20.08 VES 11.2K

$16.22 VES 9,038

23.80%

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

$10.08 VES 5,618

$9.02 VES 5,028

11.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 VES 22.5K

$25.85 VES 14.4K

56.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.57 VES 12.6K

$34.34 VES 19.1K

-34.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 VES 13.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 VES 2,501

$5.04 VES 2,807

-10.91%

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

$50.1 VES 27.9K

$112 VES 62.5K

-55.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K VES 7.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.93 VES 15.6K

$41.75 VES 23.3K

-33.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.91 VES 13.9K

$42.17 VES 23.5K

-40.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 VES 28.0K

$57.8 VES 32.2K

-13.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.45 VES 27.6K

$60.3 VES 33.6K

-18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 VES 110.9K

$180 VES 100.5K

10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.7 VES 28.2K

$101 VES 56.0K

-49.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 VES 136.9K

$330 VES 183.7K

-25.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 VES 82.9K

$209 VES 116.6K

-28.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$469 VES 261.3K

$759 VES 423.0K

-38.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$248 VES 138.4K

$502 VES 279.5K

-50.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 VES 105.9K

$196 VES 109.5K

-3.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.6

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maracaibo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Barquisimeto and $180 in Maracaibo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maracaibo pays 3% 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: $31.00 in Barquisimeto vs $40.00 in Maracaibo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $221 per month, with Barquisimeto 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

Barquisimeto vs Maracaibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barquisimeto and Maracaibo differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($557 vs $734 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Maracaibo earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $199 in Barquisimeto versus $180 in Maracaibo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Maracaibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $557 per month in Barquisimeto versus $734 in Maracaibo – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Barquisimeto gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Maracaibo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.