Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Barquisimeto

For one person, living costs are similar in Maracaibo and in Barquisimeto: $787 and $793 a month, rent and utilities included.

38

Cost of Living Index in Maracaibo
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Maracaibo Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Barquisimeto
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Barquisimeto Living Index

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Maracaibo

🇻🇪 Venezuela

$787

/mo nomad

Barquisimeto

🇻🇪 Venezuela

$793

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maracaibo and in Barquisimeto

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maracaibo and in Barquisimeto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in Maracaibo versus $793 in Barquisimeto.

Maracaibo $787
Barquisimeto $793

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Maracaibo versus $1,355 in Barquisimeto.

Maracaibo $1,306
Barquisimeto $1,355

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,825 in Maracaibo versus $1,917 in Barquisimeto.

Maracaibo $1,825
Barquisimeto $1,917

Monthly costs are close between Maracaibo and Barquisimeto; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 42% lower, Barquisimeto 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 VES 9,455

$9.81 VES 8,757

7.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.84 VES 35.6K

$49.18 VES 43.9K

-18.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 VES 7,921

$11.69 VES 10.4K

-24.12%

Cappuccino

$2.74 VES 2,444

$1.72 VES 1,540

59.30%

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

$1.18 VES 1,056

$1.54 VES 1,371

-23.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 VES 1,212

$1.13 VES 1,011

20.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 VES 2,067

$1.22 VES 1,092

90.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 VES 2,647

$3.27 VES 2,923

-9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 VES 1,814

$2.06 VES 1,838

-1.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 VES 1,927

$1.32 VES 1,181

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 VES 931

$1.31 VES 1,173

-20.61%

Eggs

$3.72 VES 3,319

$2.19 VES 1,950

69.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 VES 5,896

$6.19 VES 5,527

6.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 VES 5,782

$6.73 VES 6,008

-3.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 VES 6,626

$6.89 VES 6,155

7.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 VES 4,281

$4.42 VES 3,949

8.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 VES 1,264

$1.53 VES 1,370

-7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 VES 1,427

$0.78 VES 694

105.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 VES 1,253

$0.97 VES 865

44.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 VES 1,047

$0.94 VES 841

24.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 VES 1,524

$1.32 VES 1,177

29.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 VES 916

$0.64 VES 575

60.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 VES 1,742

$1.52 VES 1,361

28.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 VES 2,599

$2.94 VES 2,621

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.91 VES 7,952

$10.02 VES 8,949

-11.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 VES 972

$1.25 VES 1,117

-12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 VES 2,432

$2.75 VES 2,451

-1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 VES 419

$0.43 VES 384

9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.03 VES 37.5K

$40.79 VES 36.4K

3.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 VES 3,485

$4.99 VES 4,452

-21.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 VES 1,745

$1.53 VES 1,366

28.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.22 VES 15.4K

$14.95 VES 13.3K

15.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 VES 609

$0.73 VES 654

-6.85%

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

$14.9K VES 13.3M

$25.3K VES 22.6M

-41.13%

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

$28.1K VES 25.1M

$30.2K VES 27.0M

-7.07%

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

$64.2 VES 57.3K

$15.56 VES 13.9K

312.72%

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

$7.13 VES 6,367

$7.51 VES 6,702

-5.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.11 VES 22.4K

$36.87 VES 32.9K

-31.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.45 VES 29.9K

$33.58 VES 30.0K

-0.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.26 VES 25.2K

$8.39 VES 7,491

236.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 VES 4,397

$5.05 VES 4,509

-2.38%

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

$149 VES 133.2K

$57.5 VES 51.3K

159.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,312 VES 6.5M

$502 VES 448.2K

1356.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.95 VES 24.9K

$47.24 VES 42.2K

-40.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 VES 28.6K

$39.90 VES 35.6K

-19.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 VES 53.7K

$92.9 VES 82.9K

-35.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 VES 51.9K

$80.1 VES 71.5K

-27.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 VES 142.9K

$212 VES 189.3K

-24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.9 VES 82.9K

$142 VES 126.3K

-34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 VES 271.8K

$473 VES 421.9K

-35.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 VES 179.5K

$322 VES 287.3K

-37.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$747 VES 667.2K

$464 VES 414.0K

61.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 VES 454.9K

$248 VES 221.4K

105.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$218 VES 195.0K

$185 VES 165.2K

18.00%

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: October 31, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Maracaibo

$244 31.1%

Barquisimeto

$218 27.5% 10.8% $26

Eating Out

Maracaibo

$172 21.8%

Barquisimeto

$158 19.9% 8.3% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maracaibo

$96 12.3%

Barquisimeto

$60 7.6% 37.9% $37

Accommodation & Living

Maracaibo

$93 11.8%

Barquisimeto

$142 17.8% 52.3% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Maracaibo

$80 10.2%

Barquisimeto

$117 14.8% 45.9% $37

Getting Around

Maracaibo

$58 7.3%

Barquisimeto

$55 7% 4.2% $2.4

Sport & Entertainment

Maracaibo

$43 5.5%

Barquisimeto

$44 5.5% 0.9% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $160 in Maracaibo and $212 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maracaibo pays 18% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $40 in Maracaibo vs $49 in Barquisimeto. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $218, with Barquisimeto cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇻🇪 Maracaibo

🇻🇪 Barquisimeto

🕒 Local time

04:06 4:06 AM

Same time as Maracaibo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,000,000

1,240,714

💱 Currency

Venezuelan Bolívar VES Bs.S

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 VES = 11.2 USD

10,000 VES = 9.97 EUR

10,000 VES = 11.2 USD

10,000 VES = 9.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Maracaibo Barquisimeto 260 km

From you

Maracaibo
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Average pay runs 18% 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 $212 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Barquisimeto runs roughly 3% less than in Maracaibo. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Shoppers in Barquisimeto pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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.