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: $538 in Barquisimeto versus $745 in Maracaibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Barquisimeto versus $1,249 in Maracaibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,298 in Barquisimeto versus $1,753 in Maracaibo.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 28% less than in Maracaibo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 60% lower, Maracaibo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 VES 5,384

$10.59 VES 7,784

-30.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.12 VES 22.1K

$40.33 VES 29.6K

-25.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 VES 7,319

$8.79 VES 6,458

13.31%

Cappuccino

$0.97 VES 715

$2.75 VES 2,025

-64.73%

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

$1.20 VES 884

$1.15 VES 844

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 VES 540

$1.30 VES 956

-43.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 VES 1,085

$2.20 VES 1,614

-32.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 1,135

$3.03 VES 2,228

-49.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 VES 1,117

$1.72 VES 1,266

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 VES 1,859

$2.01 VES 1,476

25.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 VES 747

$1.11 VES 817

-8.11%

Eggs

$1.64 VES 1,207

$3.04 VES 2,236

-46.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.06 VES 2,983

$5.90 VES 4,335

-31.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 VES 3,698

$5.27 VES 3,874

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 VES 5,109

$6.34 VES 4,657

9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 VES 3,598

$4.31 VES 3,166

13.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 723

$1.37 VES 1,007

-28.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 VES 744

$1.68 VES 1,238

-39.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 VES 756

$1.48 VES 1,084

-30.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 727

$1.17 VES 861

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 VES 1,112

$1.69 VES 1,241

-10.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 384

$0.99 VES 726

-47.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 748

$1.63 VES 1,202

-37.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 VES 2,156

$3.44 VES 2,529

-14.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 VES 9,807

$9.27 VES 6,814

43.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 VES 583

$1.07 VES 783

-26.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 718

$2.65 VES 1,946

-63.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 323

$0.49 VES 358

-10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.21 VES 31.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 VES 3,584

$3.90 VES 2,866

25.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 VES 1,443

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.73 VES 13.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 359

$0.52 VES 380

-5.77%

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

$24.5K VES 18.0M

$22.8K VES 16.8M

7.42%

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

$35.7K VES 26.3M

$31.2K VES 22.9M

14.49%

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

$19.97 VES 14.7K

$16.36 VES 12.0K

22.07%

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

$10.07 VES 7,399

$8.61 VES 6,328

16.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 VES 29.5K

$25.41 VES 18.7K

58.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.92 VES 16.9K

$34.13 VES 25.1K

-32.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.62 VES 17.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 VES 3,294

$4.97 VES 3,650

-9.86%

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

$50.2 VES 36.9K

$111 VES 81.7K

-54.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K VES 10.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.49 VES 20.2K

$41.23 VES 30.3K

-33.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.55 VES 18.0K

$41.87 VES 30.8K

-41.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 VES 37.4K

$58.7 VES 43.1K

-13.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.06 VES 36.1K

$59.6 VES 43.8K

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 VES 148.7K

$181 VES 132.7K

12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.50 VES 36.4K

$102 VES 75.1K

-51.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 VES 185.9K

$327 VES 240.4K

-22.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 VES 110.7K

$213 VES 156.3K

-29.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$473 VES 348.0K

$763 VES 561.2K

-38.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$245 VES 180.3K

$497 VES 365.6K

-50.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 VES 138.4K

$198 VES 145.8K

-5.08%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Maracaibo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Barquisimeto and $181 in Maracaibo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maracaibo pays 5% 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: $30.00 in Barquisimeto vs $40.00 in Maracaibo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $220 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 38% in total monthly costs ($538 vs $745 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $202 in Barquisimeto versus $181 in Maracaibo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Maracaibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $538 per month in Barquisimeto versus $745 in Maracaibo – a 38% 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 38% less than in Maracaibo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.