Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Porlamar Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Porlamar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Maracaibo versus $668 in Porlamar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,243 in Maracaibo versus $935 in Porlamar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,755 in Maracaibo versus $1,201 in Porlamar.

Living in Maracaibo is roughly 9% more expensive than Porlamar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 45% lower, Porlamar 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 VES 5,053

$4.54 VES 2,214

128.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.50 VES 19.7K

$49.78 VES 24.2K

-18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 VES 4,342

$7.83 VES 3,816

13.79%

Cappuccino

$2.78 VES 1,353

$1.54 VES 748

80.52%

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

$1.15 VES 559

$1.63 VES 796

-29.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 631

$0.79 VES 383

64.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 VES 1,111

$1.33 VES 647

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 VES 1,449

$2.26 VES 1,101

31.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 VES 852

$1.66 VES 809

5.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 VES 976

$1.52 VES 741

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 VES 525

$1.12 VES 546

-3.57%

Eggs

$3.06 VES 1,493

$2.03 VES 986

50.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 VES 2,991

$6.14 VES 2,992

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 VES 2,576

$6.36 VES 3,098

-16.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 VES 3,049

$7.60 VES 3,701

-17.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 VES 2,117

$4.15 VES 2,021

4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 VES 669

$1.80 VES 878

-23.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 VES 822

$1.47 VES 718

14.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 VES 714

$1.79 VES 873

-17.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 VES 592

$1.69 VES 825

-27.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 VES 798

$1.52 VES 741

7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 VES 497

$1.77 VES 864

-42.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 VES 776

$0.98 VES 477

62.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 VES 1,749

$2.94 VES 1,433

22.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 VES 4,492

$6.59 VES 3,212

39.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 VES 521

$0.77 VES 377

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 VES 1,307

$1.58 VES 771

69.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 VES 255

$0.49 VES 236

6.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.06 VES 21.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 VES 1,961

$5.03 VES 2,450

-20.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 VES 982

$2.94 VES 1,432

-31.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 VES 8,612

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 233

$0.52 VES 251

-7.69%

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

$29.69 VES 14.5K

-44.93%

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

$8.60 VES 4,188

$9.93 VES 4,837

-13.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.45 VES 12.4K

$35.06 VES 17.1K

-27.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.29 VES 16.7K

$50.4 VES 24.5K

-31.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.07 VES 11.7K

$10.08 VES 4,908

138.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 VES 2,493

$2.94 VES 1,431

74.15%

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

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.21 VES 20.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.4 VES 28.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 VES 29.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 VES 90.4K

$198 VES 96.5K

-6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 VES 49.5K

$202 VES 98.3K

-49.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 VES 159.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 VES 104.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$750 VES 365.5K

$399 VES 194.1K

88.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 VES 239.2K

$152 VES 73.8K

224.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$202 VES 98.4K

$217 VES 105.8K

-7.02%

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 Porlamar: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $186 in Maracaibo and $198 in Porlamar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Porlamar pays 8% 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 $50.0 in Porlamar. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $211, with Porlamar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Porlamar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Porlamar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Porlamar earns 8% less. 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: $186 in Maracaibo versus $198 in Porlamar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Maracaibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Porlamar – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $40.00 in Maracaibo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Porlamar 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 Porlamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Maracaibo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.