Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Merida, Venezuela

Name: Merida
Address: Merida, VE

For one person, living is cheaper in Maracaibo: $787 a month against $814 in Merida, rent and utilities included – about $320 less a year. The total is higher in Merida despite lower rent and utilities.

38

Cost of Living Index in Maracaibo
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Maracaibo Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Merida
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Merida Living Index

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Maracaibo

🇻🇪 Venezuela

$787

/mo nomad

Merida

🇻🇪 Venezuela

$814

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maracaibo and in Merida

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 Merida actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in Maracaibo versus $814 in Merida.

Maracaibo $787
Merida $814

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Maracaibo versus $1,415 in Merida.

Maracaibo $1,306
Merida $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,825 in Maracaibo versus $2,015 in Merida.

Maracaibo $1,825
Merida $2,015

Living in Maracaibo costs roughly 3% less than in Merida, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 42% lower, Merida 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 VES 9,455

$12.12 VES 10.8K

-12.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.84 VES 35.6K

$58.9 VES 52.6K

-32.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 VES 7,921

$11.14 VES 9,947

-20.38%

Cappuccino

$2.74 VES 2,444

$2.44 VES 2,180

12.30%

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

$1.18 VES 1,056

$2.14 VES 1,906

-44.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 VES 1,212

$1.31 VES 1,167

3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 VES 2,067

$2.04 VES 1,819

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 VES 2,647

$2.96 VES 2,647

0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 VES 1,814

$2.05 VES 1,826

-0.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 VES 1,927

$3.26 VES 2,906

-33.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 VES 931

$1.92 VES 1,716

-45.83%

Eggs

$3.72 VES 3,319

$2.50 VES 2,236

48.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 VES 5,896

$6.78 VES 6,049

-2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 VES 5,782

$7.84 VES 7,001

-17.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 VES 6,626

$7.60 VES 6,786

-2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 VES 4,281

$5.02 VES 4,484

-4.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 VES 1,264

$1.40 VES 1,249

1.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 VES 1,427

$2.80 VES 2,502

-42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 VES 1,253

$2.27 VES 2,027

-38.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 VES 1,047

$2.06 VES 1,840

-43.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 VES 1,524

$1.31 VES 1,171

30.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 VES 916

$1.50 VES 1,337

-31.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 VES 1,742

$2.53 VES 2,254

-22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 VES 2,599

$3.71 VES 3,313

-21.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.91 VES 7,952

$10.91 VES 9,743

-18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 VES 972

$1.40 VES 1,250

-22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 VES 2,432

$2.20 VES 1,967

23.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 VES 419

$0.31 VES 281

51.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.03 VES 37.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 VES 3,485

$4.11 VES 3,670

-5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 VES 1,745

$1.52 VES 1,361

28.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.22 VES 15.4K

$5.93 VES 5,290

190.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 VES 609

$0.73 VES 652

-6.85%

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

$14.9K VES 13.3M

$44.6K VES 39.8M

-66.57%

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

$28.1K VES 25.1M

$49.2K VES 43.9M

-42.88%

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

$64.2 VES 57.3K

$12.43 VES 11.1K

416.65%

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

$7.13 VES 6,367

$10.35 VES 9,235

-31.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.11 VES 22.4K

$30.13 VES 26.9K

-16.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.45 VES 29.9K

$29.77 VES 26.6K

12.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.26 VES 25.2K

$15.15 VES 13.5K

86.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 VES 4,397

$4.96 VES 4,429

-0.60%

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

$149 VES 133.2K

$87.0 VES 77.7K

71.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,312 VES 6.5M

$2,440 VES 2.2M

199.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.95 VES 24.9K

$74.6 VES 66.6K

-62.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 VES 28.6K

$42.01 VES 37.5K

-23.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 VES 53.7K

$98.5 VES 88.0K

-38.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 VES 51.9K

$96.3 VES 86.0K

-39.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 VES 142.9K

$136 VES 121.1K

18.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.9 VES 82.9K

$91.5 VES 81.7K

1.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 VES 271.8K

$222 VES 198.1K

37.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 VES 179.5K

$192 VES 171.5K

4.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$747 VES 667.2K

$1,192 VES 1.1M

-37.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 VES 454.9K

$1,216 VES 1.1M

-58.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$218 VES 195.0K

$286 VES 255.3K

-23.61%

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 Merida: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Maracaibo

$244 31.1%

Merida

$287 35.3% 17.6% $43

Eating Out

Maracaibo

$172 21.8%

Merida

$190 23.3% 10.3% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maracaibo

$96 12.3%

Merida

$53 6.5% 45.1% $44

Accommodation & Living

Maracaibo

$93 11.8%

Merida

$91 11.2% 1.5% $1.4

Clothing & Footwear

Maracaibo

$80 10.2%

Merida

$140 17.2% 74.7% $60

Getting Around

Maracaibo

$58 7.3%

Merida

$13 * 1.6% 77.4% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Maracaibo

$43 5.5%

Merida

$40 4.9% 8.3% $3.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $160 in Maracaibo and $136 in Merida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Merida pays 31% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $40 in Maracaibo vs $59 in Merida for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $287 per month, with Maracaibo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇪 Maracaibo

🇻🇪 Merida

🕒 Local time

19:55 7:55 PM

Same time as Maracaibo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,000,000

250,303

💱 Currency

Venezuelan Bolívar VES Bs.S

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 VES = 11.2 USD

10,000 VES = 9.98 EUR

10,000 VES = 11.2 USD

10,000 VES = 9.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Maracaibo Merida 240 km

From you

Maracaibo
Merida

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 Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maracaibo is about 3% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Maracaibo. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $160 in Maracaibo versus $136 in Merida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $149 in Maracaibo versus $87 in Merida. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Maracaibo – a meal for two runs $40 versus $59 in Merida. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Maracaibo wins on affordability, Merida on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.