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: $1,313 in Caracas versus $861 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Caracas versus $1,472 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,162 in Caracas versus $2,083 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Caracas is roughly 52% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caracas 4% lower, Barquisimeto 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 VES 8,815

$9.95 VES 8,078

9.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 VES 55.6K

$49.50 VES 40.2K

38.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 VES 8,971

$11.52 VES 9,350

-4.08%

Cappuccino

$3.53 VES 2,862

$1.72 VES 1,393

105.23%

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

$1.49 VES 1,206

$1.52 VES 1,236

-1.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 VES 1,063

$1.15 VES 932

13.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 VES 1,647

$1.28 VES 1,038

58.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 VES 2,401

$3.36 VES 2,724

-11.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.75 VES 2,235

$2.98 VES 2,420

-7.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 VES 1,819

$2.37 VES 1,921

-5.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 VES 1,522

$2.14 VES 1,734

-12.62%

Eggs

$4.76 VES 3,865

$3.27 VES 2,657

45.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 VES 8,126

$7.85 VES 6,375

27.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 VES 7,391

$9.03 VES 7,331

0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 VES 9,126

$10.65 VES 8,647

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$7.11 VES 5,771

$4.59 VES 3,730

54.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 VES 1,609

$2.02 VES 1,637

-1.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 VES 1,766

$0.74 VES 597

194.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 VES 1,900

$0.92 VES 746

154.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 VES 1,925

$0.95 VES 775

149.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 VES 1,729

$1.35 VES 1,095

57.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 VES 1,277

$0.65 VES 529

141.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 VES 1,959

$1.61 VES 1,309

49.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 VES 3,789

$2.92 VES 2,368

59.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 VES 9,672

$11.82 VES 9,590

0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 VES 1,105

$1.25 VES 1,018

8.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 VES 1,664

$2.81 VES 2,284

-27.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 VES 425

$0.40 VES 324

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.55 VES 24.8K

$39.68 VES 32.2K

-23.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 VES 4,147

$4.96 VES 4,026

3.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 VES 2,295

$2.54 VES 2,063

11.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.28 VES 12.4K

$15.22 VES 12.4K

0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 VES 673

$0.75 VES 611

10.67%

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

$25.1K VES 20.4M

-0.11%

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

$38.5K VES 31.3M

$31.3K VES 25.4M

23.00%

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

$23.11 VES 18.8K

$15.36 VES 12.5K

50.46%

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

$11.85 VES 9,617

$7.87 VES 6,386

50.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.68 VES 29.8K

$36.72 VES 29.8K

-0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.0 VES 54.4K

$33.48 VES 27.2K

100.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.84 VES 14.5K

$8.72 VES 7,081

104.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 VES 5,352

$5.05 VES 4,100

30.50%

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

$161 VES 131.0K

$56.4 VES 45.8K

186.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,113 VES 5.0M

$494 VES 401.1K

1137.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 VES 60.5K

$46.83 VES 38.0K

59.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.55 VES 37.8K

$39.74 VES 32.3K

17.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 VES 99.6K

$103 VES 83.5K

19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 VES 114.2K

$81.5 VES 66.1K

72.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 VES 493.9K

$213 VES 173.2K

185.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 VES 351.7K

$142 VES 115.3K

205.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 VES 895.9K

$464 VES 376.7K

137.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 VES 703.0K

$322 VES 261.2K

169.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,457 VES 1.2M

$474 VES 384.4K

207.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$681 VES 552.9K

$253 VES 205.4K

169.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 VES 246.1K

$185 VES 150.6K

63.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-12.00%

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

Last update for Caracas: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $608 in Caracas and $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caracas pays 63% 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: $68.0 in Caracas vs $49.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $281 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,313 vs $861 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 63% higher in Caracas, 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: $608 in Caracas versus $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barquisimeto – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $68.0 in Caracas. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,313 per month in Caracas versus $861 in Barquisimeto – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Barquisimeto versus $1,313 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 52% less than in Caracas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.