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: $734 in Maracaibo versus $557 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,244 in Maracaibo versus $939 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Maracaibo versus $1,322 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Maracaibo is roughly 32% more expensive than Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 45% lower, Barquisimeto 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 VES 5,795

$7.40 VES 4,137

40.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 VES 22.3K

$30.54 VES 17.1K

30.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 VES 4,931

$10.15 VES 5,673

-13.10%

Cappuccino

$2.65 VES 1,480

$1.01 VES 567

162.38%

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

$1.20 VES 673

$1.18 VES 660

1.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 727

$0.71 VES 398

83.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 VES 1,294

$1.47 VES 824

57.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 VES 1,648

$1.54 VES 859

91.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 VES 999

$1.53 VES 853

16.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 VES 1,084

$2.48 VES 1,387

-21.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 VES 609

$0.99 VES 552

10.10%

Eggs

$3.19 VES 1,781

$1.62 VES 905

96.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.95 VES 3,328

$4.10 VES 2,291

45.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 VES 3,012

$5.05 VES 2,825

6.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.08 VES 3,397

$7.05 VES 3,939

-13.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 VES 2,521

$4.91 VES 2,743

-8.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 VES 771

$0.98 VES 549

40.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 VES 957

$0.98 VES 550

74.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 VES 822

$0.98 VES 546

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 VES 651

$0.99 VES 551

17.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 VES 908

$1.47 VES 822

10.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 VES 565

$0.52 VES 289

94.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 VES 892

$1.02 VES 568

56.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 VES 1,920

$3.07 VES 1,718

11.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 VES 5,012

$13.37 VES 7,476

-32.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 VES 593

$0.78 VES 435

35.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 VES 1,478

$1.02 VES 569

158.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 VES 288

$0.44 VES 245

15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.83 VES 23.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 2,297

$5.11 VES 2,856

-19.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 VES 1,091

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 VES 9,931

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 270

$0.51 VES 287

-5.88%

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

$22.2K VES 12.4M

$24.7K VES 13.8M

-10.29%

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

$31.0K VES 17.3M

$36.4K VES 20.3M

-14.83%

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

$16.22 VES 9,066

$20.08 VES 11.2K

-19.22%

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

$9.02 VES 5,044

$10.08 VES 5,635

-10.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.85 VES 14.5K

$40.41 VES 22.6K

-36.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 VES 19.2K

$22.57 VES 12.6K

52.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 VES 13.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 VES 2,816

$4.49 VES 2,508

12.25%

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

$112 VES 62.7K

$50.1 VES 28.0K

124.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K VES 7.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.75 VES 23.3K

$27.93 VES 15.6K

49.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 VES 23.6K

$24.91 VES 13.9K

69.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 VES 32.3K

$50.3 VES 28.1K

15.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 VES 33.7K

$49.45 VES 27.6K

22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 VES 100.8K

$199 VES 111.3K

-9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 VES 56.2K

$50.7 VES 28.3K

98.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 VES 184.2K

$246 VES 137.4K

34.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 VES 116.9K

$149 VES 83.1K

40.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$759 VES 424.3K

$469 VES 262.2K

61.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 VES 280.4K

$248 VES 138.8K

101.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 VES 109.8K

$190 VES 106.2K

3.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.6

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

Last update for Maracaibo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Maracaibo and $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maracaibo pays 3% 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: $40.00 in Maracaibo vs $31.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $201 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

Maracaibo vs Barquisimeto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maracaibo and Barquisimeto differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($734 vs $557 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Maracaibo pays 3% more on average, 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: $180 in Maracaibo versus $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Maracaibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $734 per month in Maracaibo versus $557 in Barquisimeto – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Barquisimeto 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 Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Maracaibo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.