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: $861 in Barquisimeto versus $780 in Maracaibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Barquisimeto versus $1,279 in Maracaibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,083 in Barquisimeto versus $1,779 in Maracaibo.

Living in Barquisimeto is roughly 10% more expensive than in Maracaibo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 37% lower, Maracaibo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.95 VES 8,078

$10.68 VES 8,667

-6.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.50 VES 40.2K

$40.21 VES 32.6K

23.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 VES 9,350

$9.07 VES 7,363

27.01%

Cappuccino

$1.72 VES 1,393

$2.65 VES 2,153

-35.09%

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

$1.52 VES 1,236

$1.20 VES 972

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 VES 932

$1.30 VES 1,056

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 VES 1,038

$2.30 VES 1,864

-44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 VES 2,724

$3.02 VES 2,448

11.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 VES 2,420

$1.71 VES 1,385

74.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 VES 1,921

$2.11 VES 1,713

12.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 VES 1,734

$1.03 VES 837

107.77%

Eggs

$3.27 VES 2,657

$3.62 VES 2,939

-9.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 VES 6,375

$6.51 VES 5,286

20.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 VES 7,331

$6.42 VES 5,210

40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 VES 8,647

$7.27 VES 5,905

46.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 VES 3,730

$4.66 VES 3,780

-1.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 VES 1,637

$1.39 VES 1,130

45.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 VES 597

$1.60 VES 1,295

-53.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 VES 746

$1.42 VES 1,156

-35.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 VES 775

$1.18 VES 956

-19.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 VES 1,095

$1.68 VES 1,365

-19.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 VES 529

$1.02 VES 827

-36.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 VES 1,309

$2.06 VES 1,672

-21.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 VES 2,368

$2.97 VES 2,413

-1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 VES 9,590

$8.89 VES 7,214

32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 VES 1,018

$1.04 VES 847

20.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 VES 2,284

$2.69 VES 2,187

4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 VES 324

$0.46 VES 375

-13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.68 VES 32.2K

$42.28 VES 34.3K

-6.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 VES 4,026

$3.90 VES 3,164

27.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 VES 2,063

$2.03 VES 1,650

25.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 VES 12.4K

$17.43 VES 14.1K

-12.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 VES 611

$0.67 VES 542

11.94%

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

$25.1K VES 20.4M

$15.0K VES 12.2M

67.43%

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

$31.3K VES 25.4M

$28.5K VES 23.2M

9.66%

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

$15.36 VES 12.5K

$64.1 VES 52.0K

-76.04%

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

$7.87 VES 6,386

$7.37 VES 5,979

6.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.72 VES 29.8K

$24.72 VES 20.1K

48.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.48 VES 27.2K

$33.53 VES 27.2K

-0.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.72 VES 7,081

$28.26 VES 22.9K

-69.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 VES 4,100

$4.97 VES 4,037

1.61%

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

$56.4 VES 45.8K

$149 VES 120.8K

-62.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$494 VES 401.1K

$7,151 VES 5.8M

-93.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.83 VES 38.0K

$27.55 VES 22.4K

69.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.74 VES 32.3K

$32.66 VES 26.5K

21.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 VES 83.5K

$61.3 VES 49.7K

67.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 VES 66.1K

$57.7 VES 46.8K

41.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 VES 173.2K

$160 VES 129.8K

33.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 VES 115.3K

$94.5 VES 76.7K

50.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 VES 376.7K

$296 VES 239.9K

57.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 VES 261.2K

$200 VES 162.7K

60.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$474 VES 384.4K

$752 VES 610.1K

-36.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$253 VES 205.4K

$491 VES 398.2K

-48.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 VES 150.6K

$198 VES 161.0K

-6.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.00%

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Last update for Maracaibo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Barquisimeto and $160 in Maracaibo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maracaibo pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Barquisimeto vs $40.00 in Maracaibo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $239 per month, with Maracaibo 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 10% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $780 including rent). Maracaibo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Maracaibo. 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: $213 in Barquisimeto versus $160 in Maracaibo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maracaibo – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $49.00 in Barquisimeto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Barquisimeto versus $780 in Maracaibo – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Barquisimeto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.