Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Punto Fijo Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Punto Fijo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Maracaibo versus $651 in Punto Fijo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,244 in Maracaibo versus $1,086 in Punto Fijo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Maracaibo versus $1,521 in Punto Fijo.

Living in Maracaibo is roughly 13% more expensive than Punto Fijo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 45% lower, Punto Fijo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 VES 5,777

$6.12 VES 3,412

69.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 VES 22.3K

$24.55 VES 13.7K

62.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 VES 4,915

$8.72 VES 4,861

1.15%

Cappuccino

$2.65 VES 1,476

$1.50 VES 835

76.67%

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

$1.20 VES 671

$1.08 VES 603

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 724

$0.56 VES 312

132.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 VES 1,290

$1.33 VES 739

74.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 VES 1,643

$2.67 VES 1,486

10.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 VES 996

$1.70 VES 947

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 VES 1,080

$1.50 VES 837

29.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 VES 607

$1.08 VES 600

0.93%

Eggs

$3.19 VES 1,775

$2.80 VES 1,560

13.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.95 VES 3,318

$4.17 VES 2,326

42.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 VES 3,003

$5.78 VES 3,223

-6.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.08 VES 3,386

$5.68 VES 3,167

7.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 VES 2,513

$5.10 VES 2,844

-11.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 VES 769

$0.79 VES 438

74.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 VES 954

$0.77 VES 430

122.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 VES 820

$0.97 VES 543

51.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 VES 649

$0.98 VES 547

18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 VES 905

$0.98 VES 545

65.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 VES 564

$0.78 VES 433

29.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 VES 889

$1.11 VES 618

44.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 VES 1,914

$3.95 VES 2,201

-13.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 VES 4,997

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 VES 591

$1.23 VES 685

-13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 VES 1,473

$2.43 VES 1,355

8.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 VES 287

$1.02 VES 570

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.83 VES 23.3K

$60.0 VES 33.4K

-30.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 2,290

$6.39 VES 3,561

-35.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 VES 1,087

$3.48 VES 1,940

-43.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 VES 9,900

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 269

$0.52 VES 292

-7.69%

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

$22.2K VES 12.4M

$30.5K VES 17.0M

-27.13%

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

$31.0K VES 17.3M

$24.5K VES 13.7M

26.30%

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

$16.22 VES 9,038

$22.36 VES 12.5K

-27.46%

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

$9.02 VES 5,028

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.85 VES 14.4K

$32.19 VES 17.9K

-19.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 VES 19.1K

$20.82 VES 11.6K

64.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 VES 13.1K

$4.89 VES 2,725

379.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 VES 2,807

$7.65 VES 4,260

-34.12%

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

$112 VES 62.5K

$50.3 VES 28.0K

122.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K VES 7.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.75 VES 23.3K

$44.17 VES 24.6K

-5.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 VES 23.5K

$34.49 VES 19.2K

22.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 VES 32.2K

$78.4 VES 43.7K

-26.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 VES 33.6K

$99.6 VES 55.5K

-39.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 VES 100.5K

$100 VES 55.8K

80.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 VES 56.0K

$81.3 VES 45.3K

23.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 VES 183.7K

$350 VES 195.0K

-5.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 VES 116.6K

$224 VES 124.7K

-6.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$759 VES 423.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 VES 279.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 VES 109.5K

$204 VES 113.5K

-3.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.6

10.83%

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

Last update for Maracaibo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Punto Fijo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Maracaibo and $100 in Punto Fijo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Punto Fijo pays 4% 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 $25.00 in Punto Fijo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $177 per month, with Punto Fijo 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 Punto Fijo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Punto Fijo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Punto Fijo earns 4% 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: $180 in Maracaibo versus $100 in Punto Fijo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $112 in Maracaibo versus $50.3 in Punto Fijo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Maracaibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Punto Fijo 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 Punto Fijo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Maracaibo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.