Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Isla de Margarita Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Isla de Margarita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $731 per month in Maracaibo vs $663 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,243 per month in Maracaibo vs $1,232 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,755 per month in Maracaibo vs $1,801 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Maracaibo costs about 10% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Maracaibo and Isla de Margarita are more affordable than the global median – Maracaibo 45% lower, Isla de Margarita 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 VES 5,053

$9.96 VES 4,850

4.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.50 VES 19.7K

$79.1 VES 38.5K

-48.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 VES 4,342

Cappuccino

$2.78 VES 1,353

$2.51 VES 1,224

10.76%

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

$1.15 VES 559

$1.02 VES 495

12.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 631

$1.52 VES 742

-14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 VES 1,111

$0.98 VES 477

132.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 VES 1,449

$3.09 VES 1,504

-3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 VES 852

$1.96 VES 954

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 VES 976

$2.95 VES 1,435

-32.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 VES 525

$1.96 VES 957

-44.90%

Eggs

$3.06 VES 1,493

$2.45 VES 1,195

24.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 VES 2,991

$8.24 VES 4,013

-25.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 VES 2,576

$7.78 VES 3,792

-32.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 VES 3,049

$7.90 VES 3,849

-20.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 VES 2,117

$3.88 VES 1,891

12.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 VES 669

$1.52 VES 742

-9.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 VES 822

$2.01 VES 982

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 VES 714

$2.43 VES 1,181

-39.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 VES 592

$1.47 VES 717

-17.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 VES 798

$1.78 VES 866

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 VES 497

$0.99 VES 481

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 VES 776

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 VES 1,749

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 VES 4,492

$4.88 VES 2,378

88.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 VES 521

$0.98 VES 477

9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 VES 1,307

$1.52 VES 742

76.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 VES 255

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.06 VES 21.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 VES 1,961

$2.92 VES 1,423

37.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 VES 982

$3.02 VES 1,470

-33.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 VES 8,612

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 233

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

$22.8K VES 11.1M

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

$31.9K VES 15.5M

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

$16.35 VES 7,964

$29.45 VES 14.3K

-44.48%

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

$8.60 VES 4,188

$14.74 VES 7,178

-41.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.45 VES 12.4K

$40.33 VES 19.6K

-36.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.29 VES 16.7K

$50.9 VES 24.8K

-32.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.07 VES 11.7K

$14.73 VES 7,174

63.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 VES 2,493

$4.92 VES 2,398

4.07%

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

$110 VES 53.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K VES 7.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.60 VES 20.3K

$78.9 VES 38.4K

-47.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.21 VES 20.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.4 VES 28.4K

$101 VES 49.2K

-42.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 VES 29.2K

$102 VES 49.6K

-41.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 VES 90.4K

$298 VES 144.9K

-37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 VES 49.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 VES 159.4K

$498 VES 242.7K

-34.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 VES 104.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$750 VES 365.5K

$589 VES 286.8K

27.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 VES 239.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$202 VES 98.4K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $186 in Maracaibo versus $298 in Isla de Margarita. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Maracaibo versus $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $232 – making Maracaibo 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

Maracaibo vs Isla de Margarita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Maracaibo is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,096 per month in Maracaibo and $994 in Isla de Margarita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Maracaibo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Maracaibo and $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $731 in Maracaibo and $663 in Isla de Margarita, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Isla de Margarita – 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 Isla de Margarita. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maracaibo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.