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: $745 in Maracaibo versus $658 in Punto Fijo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,249 in Maracaibo versus $1,118 in Punto Fijo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,753 in Maracaibo versus $1,579 in Punto Fijo.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 44% lower, Punto Fijo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 VES 7,784

$5.93 VES 4,361

78.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.33 VES 29.6K

$25.01 VES 18.4K

61.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 VES 6,458

$8.71 VES 6,401

0.92%

Cappuccino

$2.75 VES 2,025

$1.57 VES 1,157

75.16%

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

$1.15 VES 844

$1.13 VES 829

1.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 956

$0.60 VES 444

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 VES 1,614

$1.38 VES 1,017

59.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 VES 2,228

$2.68 VES 1,971

13.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 VES 1,266

$1.69 VES 1,242

1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 VES 1,476

$1.56 VES 1,150

28.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 VES 817

$1.08 VES 793

2.78%

Eggs

$3.04 VES 2,236

$2.67 VES 1,962

13.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.90 VES 4,335

$4.13 VES 3,038

42.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 VES 3,874

$5.63 VES 4,138

-6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 VES 4,657

$5.75 VES 4,225

10.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 VES 3,166

$5.13 VES 3,769

-15.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 VES 1,007

$0.74 VES 542

85.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 VES 1,238

$0.76 VES 561

121.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 VES 1,084

$0.98 VES 724

51.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 VES 861

$1.01 VES 745

15.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 VES 1,241

$1.02 VES 750

65.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 VES 726

$0.77 VES 565

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 VES 1,202

$1.14 VES 842

42.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 VES 2,529

$4.03 VES 2,962

-14.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 VES 6,814

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 VES 783

$1.28 VES 944

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 VES 1,946

$2.45 VES 1,799

8.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 VES 358

$0.98 VES 722

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.21 VES 31.0K

$59.8 VES 44.0K

-29.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 VES 2,866

$6.35 VES 4,666

-38.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 VES 1,443

$3.60 VES 2,647

-45.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.73 VES 13.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 380

$0.52 VES 382

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

$22.8K VES 16.8M

$30.3K VES 22.3M

-24.75%

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

$31.2K VES 22.9M

$25.3K VES 18.6M

23.14%

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

$16.36 VES 12.0K

$21.96 VES 16.1K

-25.50%

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

$8.61 VES 6,328

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.41 VES 18.7K

$31.90 VES 23.5K

-20.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.13 VES 25.1K

$20.58 VES 15.1K

65.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.62 VES 17.4K

$5.14 VES 3,779

359.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 VES 3,650

$7.55 VES 5,551

-34.17%

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

$111 VES 81.7K

$50.5 VES 37.1K

120.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K VES 10.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 VES 30.3K

$45.48 VES 33.4K

-9.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 VES 30.8K

$34.97 VES 25.7K

19.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 VES 43.1K

$80.9 VES 59.5K

-27.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 VES 43.8K

$99.7 VES 73.3K

-40.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 VES 132.7K

$101 VES 74.4K

78.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 VES 75.1K

$78.6 VES 57.8K

30.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 VES 240.4K

$347 VES 255.3K

-5.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 VES 156.3K

$221 VES 162.6K

-3.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$763 VES 561.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 VES 365.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 VES 145.8K

$201 VES 148.0K

-1.52%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Punto Fijo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Maracaibo and $101 in Punto Fijo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Punto Fijo pays 2% 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 $220 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, salaries run 2% lower in Punto Fijo. 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: $181 in Maracaibo versus $101 in Punto Fijo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $111 in Maracaibo versus $50.5 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.