Cost of Living Comparison Between Caracas and Barquisimeto Cost of Living Comparison Between Caracas and Barquisimeto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in Caracas versus $557 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,989 in Caracas versus $939 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,775 in Caracas versus $1,322 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Caracas is roughly 116% more expensive than Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caracas 10% lower, Barquisimeto 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 VES 6,679

$7.40 VES 4,124

62.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 VES 30.7K

$30.54 VES 17.0K

80.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 VES 5,646

$10.15 VES 5,655

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$2.61 VES 1,457

$1.01 VES 565

158.42%

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

$1.25 VES 699

$1.18 VES 658

5.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 545

$0.71 VES 397

38.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 VES 855

$1.47 VES 821

4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 VES 1,708

$1.54 VES 856

98.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 VES 1,050

$1.53 VES 850

22.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 VES 1,500

$2.48 VES 1,383

8.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 VES 796

$0.99 VES 550

44.44%

Eggs

$2.84 VES 1,585

$1.62 VES 902

75.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 VES 5,398

$4.10 VES 2,284

136.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 VES 4,268

$5.05 VES 2,817

51.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 VES 4,290

$7.05 VES 3,926

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 VES 2,919

$4.91 VES 2,734

6.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 VES 1,009

$0.98 VES 547

84.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 VES 1,229

$0.98 VES 548

125.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,140

$0.98 VES 544

109.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 VES 1,497

$0.99 VES 550

171.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,142

$1.47 VES 819

39.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 VES 747

$0.52 VES 288

157.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 VES 1,044

$1.02 VES 566

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 VES 2,274

$3.07 VES 1,713

32.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 VES 6,033

$13.37 VES 7,453

-19.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 VES 837

$0.78 VES 434

92.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 VES 1,137

$1.02 VES 567

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 VES 425

$0.44 VES 245

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 VES 17.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 VES 2,801

$5.11 VES 2,847

-1.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 VES 1,485

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 VES 5,520

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 268

$0.51 VES 286

-5.88%

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

$25.2K VES 14.1M

$24.7K VES 13.8M

1.92%

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

$39.5K VES 22.0M

$36.4K VES 20.3M

8.62%

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

$20.26 VES 11.3K

$20.08 VES 11.2K

0.90%

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

$13.05 VES 7,271

$10.08 VES 5,618

29.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 VES 22.2K

$40.41 VES 22.5K

-1.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 VES 38.4K

$22.57 VES 12.6K

205.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.16 VES 8,446

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 VES 3,299

$4.49 VES 2,501

31.85%

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

$131 VES 73.0K

$50.1 VES 27.9K

161.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,363 VES 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 VES 35.7K

$27.93 VES 15.6K

129.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.66 VES 22.1K

$24.91 VES 13.9K

59.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 VES 57.8K

$50.3 VES 28.0K

106.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 VES 64.1K

$49.45 VES 27.6K

132.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 VES 251.1K

$199 VES 110.9K

126.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 VES 207.3K

$50.7 VES 28.2K

634.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 VES 545.3K

$246 VES 136.9K

298.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 VES 470.8K

$149 VES 82.9K

468.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,450 VES 807.9K

$469 VES 261.3K

209.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$687 VES 382.7K

$248 VES 138.4K

176.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$289 VES 161.0K

$190 VES 105.9K

52.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

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

Last update for Caracas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Caracas and $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caracas pays 52% 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: $55.0 in Caracas vs $31.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $201 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

Caracas vs Barquisimeto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caracas and Barquisimeto differ by about 116% in total monthly costs ($1,203 vs $557 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Caracas pays 52% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $451 in Caracas versus $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Caracas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,203 per month in Caracas versus $557 in Barquisimeto – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Barquisimeto versus $1,203 in Caracas, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barquisimeto but tight or insufficient in Caracas. 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 116% less than in Caracas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.