Cost of Living Comparison Between Barquisimeto and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Barquisimeto and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Barquisimeto versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,298 in Barquisimeto versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barquisimeto is 60% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 VES 5,351

$13.07 MX$229

-43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.12 VES 22.0K

$53.8 MX$940

-43.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 VES 7,275

$9.68 MX$169

2.89%

Cappuccino

$0.97 VES 710

$3.74 MX$65.4

-74.06%

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

$1.20 VES 879

$1.62 MX$28.25

-25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 VES 537

$1.16 MX$20.31

-37.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 VES 1,078

$3.23 MX$56.4

-54.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 1,128

$4.74 MX$82.9

-67.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 VES 1,111

$1.65 MX$28.80

-7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 VES 1,848

$2.75 MX$48.15

-8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 VES 742

$1.87 MX$32.77

-45.45%

Eggs

$1.64 VES 1,200

$2.50 MX$43.72

-34.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.06 VES 2,965

$10.20 MX$178

-60.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 VES 3,676

$8.25 MX$144

-39.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 VES 5,078

$11.82 MX$207

-41.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 VES 3,576

$3.01 MX$52.6

62.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 719

$1.81 MX$31.67

-45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 VES 739

$2.00 MX$34.96

-49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 VES 752

$2.00 MX$34.89

-48.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 723

$2.08 MX$36.45

-52.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 VES 1,105

$2.27 MX$39.72

-33.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 381

$1.46 MX$25.47

-64.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 744

$1.08 MX$18.82

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 VES 2,143

$4.35 MX$76.0

-32.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 VES 9,748

$16.99 MX$297

-21.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 VES 580

$1.73 MX$30.31

-54.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 714

$3.58 MX$62.5

-72.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 321

$0.39 MX$6.77

12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 VES 3,563

$1.33 MX$23.18

266.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 357

$1.34 MX$23.37

-63.43%

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

$24.5K VES 17.9M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

26.29%

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

$35.7K VES 26.1M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

49.95%

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

$19.97 VES 14.6K

$40.69 MX$712

-50.92%

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

$10.07 VES 7,354

$26.87 MX$470

-62.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 VES 29.3K

$30.51 MX$534

31.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.92 VES 16.8K

$52.8 MX$923

-56.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 VES 3,275

$6.51 MX$114

-31.18%

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

$50.2 VES 36.7K

$428 MX$7,485

-88.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.49 VES 20.1K

$57.3 MX$1,001

-51.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.55 VES 17.9K

$45.50 MX$796

-46.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 VES 37.1K

$104 MX$1,819

-51.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.06 VES 35.8K

$108 MX$1,885

-54.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 VES 147.8K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-79.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.50 VES 36.2K

$623 MX$10.9K

-92.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 VES 184.8K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-88.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 VES 110.1K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-87.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$473 VES 345.9K

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-87.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$245 VES 179.2K

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-87.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 VES 137.5K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-81.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Barquisimeto and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 451% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $292 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barquisimeto and Mexico City differ by about 171% in total monthly costs ($538 vs $1,456 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 451% lower in Mexico City. 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 $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Mexico City. 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 $1,456 in Mexico City – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barquisimeto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Barquisimeto 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.

Expats usually find Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.