Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracay and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracay and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $642 in Maracay versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,125 in Maracay versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,608 in Maracay versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Maracay costs roughly 72% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maracay is 52% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 VES 8,796

$17.66 €15.45

-32.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 VES 40.2K

$69.7 €61.0

-21.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 VES 5,401

$14.16 €12.39

-48.09%

Cappuccino

$1.34 VES 985

$2.80 €2.45

-52.14%

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

$1.23 VES 904

$2.81 €2.46

-56.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 751

$2.06 €1.81

-50.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 VES 1,134

$4.60 €4.02

-66.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 VES 1,487

$4.69 €4.10

-56.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 VES 1,335

$1.23 €1.08

47.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 VES 1,991

$2.03 €1.78

33.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 VES 790

$1.98 €1.73

-45.96%

Eggs

$2.23 VES 1,641

$3.49 €3.05

-36.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 VES 5,004

$18.33 €16.04

-62.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 VES 4,014

$9.83 €8.60

-44.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 VES 5,416

$19.13 €16.73

-61.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 VES 2,876

$2.73 €2.38

43.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 VES 1,369

$2.38 €2.09

-21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 VES 1,596

$2.08 €1.82

4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,509

$2.75 €2.41

-25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 VES 1,943

$1.96 €1.72

34.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 VES 1,573

$1.79 €1.57

19.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 VES 951

$1.48 €1.29

-12.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 VES 1,400

$0.91 €0.80

108.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 VES 1,864

$7.13 €6.24

-64.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 VES 7,217

$7.88 €6.89

24.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 VES 861

$1.38 €1.21

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 VES 1,270

$2.39 €2.09

-27.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 VES 230

$3.01 €2.63

-89.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 VES 2,158

$4.36 €3.82

-32.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 VES 2,038

$2.13 €1.86

30.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.14 VES 7,452

$29.60 €25.90

-65.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 375

$1.82 €1.59

-71.98%

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

$24.9K VES 18.3M

$37.9K €33.1K

-34.20%

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

$39.6K VES 29.1M

$32.4K €28.3K

22.18%

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

$10.06 VES 7,398

$189 €165

-94.68%

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

$13.14 VES 9,658

$22.29 €19.50

-41.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 VES 29.0K

$37.16 €32.51

6.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 VES 39.0K

$58.0 €50.8

-8.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 VES 2,606

$10.87 €9.51

-67.34%

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

$130 VES 95.9K

$706 €618

-81.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,448 VES 4.0M

$14.9K €13.0K

-63.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.53 VES 18.0K

$89.4 €78.3

-72.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.53 VES 21.7K

$36.60 €32.02

-19.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 VES 58.4K

$104 €91.0

-23.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 VES 74.9K

$119 €104

-14.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$444 VES 326.0K

$7,527 €6,585

-94.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$203 VES 149.0K

$5,239 €4,584

-96.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 VES 131.5K

$2,364 €2,068

-92.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

3.39

529.20%

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

Last update for Maracay: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 1221% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Maracay vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $320 per month, with Maracay 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

Maracay vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maracay and Barcelona differ by about 261% in total monthly costs ($642 vs $2,320 including rent). Maracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1221% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $130 in Maracay versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Maracay – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $642 in Maracay versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Maracay but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Maracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Maracay and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Maracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 261% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.