Cost of Living Comparison Between Caracas and Maracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Caracas and Maracay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,337 per month in Caracas vs $741 in Maracay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,250 per month in Caracas vs $1,242 in Maracay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,163 per month in Caracas vs $1,743 in Maracay, rent included.

Caracas costs about 80% more than Maracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Caracas and Maracay are more affordable than the global median – Caracas 2% lower, Maracay 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 VES 9,010

$5.08 VES 4,290

109.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 VES 56.6K

$32.23 VES 27.2K

107.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 VES 9,273

$7.68 VES 6,494

42.84%

Cappuccino

$3.69 VES 3,119

$1.70 VES 1,437

117.06%

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

$1.52 VES 1,284

$1.22 VES 1,027

24.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 VES 1,087

$1.15 VES 969

12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 VES 1,711

$1.22 VES 1,035

65.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 VES 2,475

$2.98 VES 2,518

-1.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 VES 2,357

$2.66 VES 2,250

4.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 VES 1,890

$2.21 VES 1,872

1.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 VES 1,542

$0.98 VES 829

85.71%

Eggs

$4.64 VES 3,925

$2.66 VES 2,249

74.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 VES 8,501

$6.71 VES 5,670

49.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 VES 7,650

$5.85 VES 4,943

54.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 VES 9,745

$8.41 VES 7,106

37.10%

Apples (1kg)

$7.27 VES 6,149

$4.07 VES 3,442

78.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 VES 1,709

$2.06 VES 1,740

-1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 VES 1,773

$2.13 VES 1,799

-1.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 VES 1,934

$2.24 VES 1,896

2.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 VES 2,000

$2.30 VES 1,943

3.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 VES 1,801

$2.13 VES 1,798

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 VES 1,323

$1.62 VES 1,368

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 VES 1,964

$2.18 VES 1,846

6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 VES 3,927

$2.47 VES 2,089

88.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.87 VES 10.0K

$10.02 VES 8,472

18.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 VES 1,196

$1.16 VES 981

21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 VES 1,815

$1.77 VES 1,494

21.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 VES 402

$0.51 VES 432

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.55 VES 25.8K

$20.38 VES 17.2K

49.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 VES 4,148

$3.08 VES 2,602

59.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 VES 2,281

$2.67 VES 2,258

1.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.07 VES 12.7K

$10.18 VES 8,606

48.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 VES 690

$0.66 VES 560

24.24%

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

$25.4K VES 21.4M

$25.5K VES 21.6M

-0.50%

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

$38.2K VES 32.3M

$37.4K VES 31.6M

2.19%

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

$23.33 VES 19.7K

$12.71 VES 10.7K

83.56%

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

$11.97 VES 10.1K

$10.81 VES 9,137

10.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.05 VES 31.3K

$37.23 VES 31.5K

-0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.8 VES 56.5K

$29.88 VES 25.3K

123.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 VES 14.6K

$15.28 VES 12.9K

13.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 VES 5,611

$3.97 VES 3,355

67.25%

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

$161 VES 136.2K

$74.5 VES 63.0K

116.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,194 VES 5.2M

$6,222 VES 5.3M

-0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.4 VES 62.9K

$53.2 VES 45.0K

39.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.06 VES 39.8K

$36.45 VES 30.8K

29.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 VES 104.2K

$83.3 VES 70.4K

47.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 VES 118.2K

$91.8 VES 77.6K

52.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 VES 522.3K

$224 VES 189.4K

175.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 VES 366.3K

$109 VES 91.7K

299.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 VES 943.1K

$560 VES 473.8K

99.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 VES 750.7K

$278 VES 235.2K

219.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,480 VES 1.3M

$443 VES 374.5K

234.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$668 VES 564.7K

$198 VES 167.0K

238.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 VES 254.6K

$205 VES 173.2K

47.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

2.33%

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

Last update for Caracas: September 14, 2026

Last update for Maracay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $618 in Caracas versus $224 in Maracay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 47% higher in Caracas, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Caracas versus $32.00 in Maracay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $264 – making Maracay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Maracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Caracas is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,005 per month in Caracas and $1,112 in Maracay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maracay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Maracay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Caracas and $74.5 in Maracay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maracay, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Caracas at $1,337. In Maracay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caracas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maracay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Maracay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caracas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.