Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Barquisimeto Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Barquisimeto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $780 in Maracaibo versus $861 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,279 in Maracaibo versus $1,472 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,779 in Maracaibo versus $2,083 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Maracaibo costs roughly 9% less than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 43% lower, Barquisimeto 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.68 VES 8,667

$9.95 VES 8,078

7.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.21 VES 32.6K

$49.50 VES 40.2K

-18.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 VES 7,363

$11.52 VES 9,350

-21.27%

Cappuccino

$2.65 VES 2,153

$1.72 VES 1,393

54.07%

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

$1.20 VES 972

$1.52 VES 1,236

-21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 1,056

$1.15 VES 932

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 VES 1,864

$1.28 VES 1,038

79.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 VES 2,448

$3.36 VES 2,724

-10.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 VES 1,385

$2.98 VES 2,420

-42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 VES 1,713

$2.37 VES 1,921

-10.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 VES 837

$2.14 VES 1,734

-51.87%

Eggs

$3.62 VES 2,939

$3.27 VES 2,657

10.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 VES 5,286

$7.85 VES 6,375

-17.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 VES 5,210

$9.03 VES 7,331

-28.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 VES 5,905

$10.65 VES 8,647

-31.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 VES 3,780

$4.59 VES 3,730

1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 VES 1,130

$2.02 VES 1,637

-31.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 VES 1,295

$0.74 VES 597

116.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 VES 1,156

$0.92 VES 746

54.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 VES 956

$0.95 VES 775

24.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 VES 1,365

$1.35 VES 1,095

24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 VES 827

$0.65 VES 529

56.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 VES 1,672

$1.61 VES 1,309

27.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 VES 2,413

$2.92 VES 2,368

1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 VES 7,214

$11.82 VES 9,590

-24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 VES 847

$1.25 VES 1,018

-16.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 VES 2,187

$2.81 VES 2,284

-4.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 VES 375

$0.40 VES 324

15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.28 VES 34.3K

$39.68 VES 32.2K

6.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 VES 3,164

$4.96 VES 4,026

-21.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 VES 1,650

$2.54 VES 2,063

-20.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.43 VES 14.1K

$15.22 VES 12.4K

14.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 VES 542

$0.75 VES 611

-10.67%

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

$15.0K VES 12.2M

$25.1K VES 20.4M

-40.28%

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

$28.5K VES 23.2M

$31.3K VES 25.4M

-8.81%

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

$64.1 VES 52.0K

$15.36 VES 12.5K

317.32%

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

$7.37 VES 5,979

$7.87 VES 6,386

-6.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.72 VES 20.1K

$36.72 VES 29.8K

-32.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.53 VES 27.2K

$33.48 VES 27.2K

0.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.26 VES 22.9K

$8.72 VES 7,081

224.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 VES 4,037

$5.05 VES 4,100

-1.58%

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

$149 VES 120.8K

$56.4 VES 45.8K

163.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,151 VES 5.8M

$494 VES 401.1K

1347.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.55 VES 22.4K

$46.83 VES 38.0K

-41.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.66 VES 26.5K

$39.74 VES 32.3K

-17.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 VES 49.7K

$103 VES 83.5K

-40.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.7 VES 46.8K

$81.5 VES 66.1K

-29.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 VES 129.8K

$213 VES 173.2K

-25.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.5 VES 76.7K

$142 VES 115.3K

-33.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 VES 239.9K

$464 VES 376.7K

-36.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 VES 162.7K

$322 VES 261.2K

-37.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$752 VES 610.1K

$474 VES 384.4K

58.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 VES 398.2K

$253 VES 205.4K

93.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 VES 161.0K

$185 VES 150.6K

6.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-20.00%

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

Last update for Maracaibo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $160 in Maracaibo and $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maracaibo pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Maracaibo vs $49.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $281 per month, with Maracaibo 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

Maracaibo vs Barquisimeto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maracaibo and Barquisimeto differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($780 vs $861 including rent). Maracaibo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Maracaibo, 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: $160 in Maracaibo versus $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maracaibo – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $49.00 in Barquisimeto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $780 per month in Maracaibo versus $861 in Barquisimeto – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Maracaibo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Maracaibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Barquisimeto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.