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: $1,187 in Caracas versus $538 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Caracas versus $918 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Caracas versus $1,298 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Caracas is roughly 120% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caracas 11% lower, Barquisimeto 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 VES 8,967

$7.32 VES 5,384

66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 VES 39.8K

$30.12 VES 22.1K

79.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 VES 7,445

$9.96 VES 7,319

1.71%

Cappuccino

$2.52 VES 1,854

$0.97 VES 715

159.79%

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

$1.32 VES 969

$1.20 VES 884

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 VES 701

$0.73 VES 540

30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 VES 1,122

$1.48 VES 1,085

3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 VES 2,143

$1.54 VES 1,135

89.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 VES 1,368

$1.52 VES 1,117

22.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 VES 2,028

$2.53 VES 1,859

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 VES 1,043

$1.02 VES 747

39.22%

Eggs

$2.84 VES 2,091

$1.64 VES 1,207

73.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 VES 7,339

$4.06 VES 2,983

145.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 VES 5,375

$5.03 VES 3,698

45.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 VES 5,439

$6.95 VES 5,109

6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 VES 3,919

$4.89 VES 3,598

9.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 VES 1,354

$0.98 VES 723

87.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 VES 1,673

$1.01 VES 744

125.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 VES 1,460

$1.03 VES 756

93.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 VES 1,988

$0.99 VES 727

172.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 VES 1,515

$1.51 VES 1,112

36.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 VES 985

$0.52 VES 384

157.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 VES 1,446

$1.02 VES 748

93.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 VES 2,907

$2.93 VES 2,156

35.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 VES 8,966

$13.34 VES 9,807

-8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 VES 1,114

$0.79 VES 583

92.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 VES 1,453

$0.98 VES 718

102.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 VES 578

$0.44 VES 323

79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.41 VES 22.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 VES 3,577

$4.88 VES 3,584

-0.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 VES 1,995

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 VES 7,317

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 376

$0.49 VES 359

4.08%

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

$24.7K VES 18.2M

$24.5K VES 18.0M

0.95%

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

$40.0K VES 29.4M

$35.7K VES 26.3M

11.80%

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

$19.82 VES 14.6K

$19.97 VES 14.7K

-0.75%

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

$13.26 VES 9,745

$10.07 VES 7,399

31.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.50 VES 29.0K

$40.16 VES 29.5K

-1.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 VES 49.9K

$22.92 VES 16.9K

196.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 VES 11.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 VES 4,475

$4.48 VES 3,294

35.94%

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

$130 VES 95.4K

$50.2 VES 36.9K

158.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,392 VES 4.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 VES 46.7K

$27.49 VES 20.2K

130.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.35 VES 28.9K

$24.55 VES 18.0K

60.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 VES 76.5K

$50.8 VES 37.4K

104.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 VES 83.1K

$49.06 VES 36.1K

130.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 VES 333.2K

$202 VES 148.7K

124.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 VES 269.9K

$49.50 VES 36.4K

641.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 VES 722.3K

$253 VES 185.9K

288.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 VES 617.8K

$151 VES 110.7K

457.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,480 VES 1.1M

$473 VES 348.0K

212.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$666 VES 489.5K

$245 VES 180.3K

171.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$307 VES 225.4K

$188 VES 138.4K

62.86%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Caracas and $202 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: $54.0 in Caracas vs $30.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $202 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 120% in total monthly costs ($1,187 vs $538 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: $453 in Caracas versus $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Caracas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,187 per month in Caracas versus $538 in Barquisimeto – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,187 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 120% less than in Caracas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.