Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracay and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Maracay: $735 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Maracay, Venezuela
Barcelona, Spain
Maracay
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$735
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maracay and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maracay and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $735 in Maracay versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Maracay $735
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,245 in Maracay versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Maracay $1,245
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,755 in Maracay versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Maracay $1,755
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Maracay costs roughly 70% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maracay is 46% below, Barcelona is 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.93 VES 4,366
$17.59 €15.80
-71.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.44 VES 28.7K
$67.5 €60.6
-51.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.96 VES 7,056
$13.53 €12.15
-41.17%
Cappuccino
$1.62 VES 1,439
$3.19 €2.87
-49.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 VES 1,069
$2.91 €2.62
-58.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 VES 1,058
$1.89 €1.70
-37.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.17 VES 1,035
$4.01 €3.60
-70.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 VES 2,627
$4.53 €4.07
-34.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.68 VES 2,371
$1.31 €1.17
104.58%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 VES 2,066
$2.02 €1.81
15.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.03 VES 916
$1.85 €1.66
-44.32%
Eggs
$2.72 VES 2,411
$4.83 €4.34
-43.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.55 VES 5,807
$16.74 €15.03
-60.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.59 VES 4,951
$9.12 €8.19
-38.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.14 VES 7,210
$19.64 €17.64
-58.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.10 VES 3,636
$2.98 €2.68
37.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 VES 1,818
$2.02 €1.81
1.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 VES 1,903
$2.70 €2.43
-20.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 VES 2,013
$2.80 €2.52
-18.93%
Potato (1kg)
$2.32 VES 2,053
$2.09 €1.87
11.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 VES 1,944
$2.07 €1.86
5.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 VES 1,433
$1.46 €1.31
10.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 VES 2,015
$0.94 €0.84
141.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.52 VES 2,231
$6.87 €6.17
-63.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.88 VES 8,750
$7.89 €7.08
25.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 VES 1,001
$1.41 €1.26
-19.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 VES 1,525
$2.54 €2.28
-32.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.48 VES 424
$3.14 €2.82
-84.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.18 VES 17.9K
$25.45 €22.86
-20.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 VES 2,675
$2.99 €2.69
1.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.71 VES 2,398
$1.49 €1.34
81.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.94 VES 8,808
$33.37 €29.98
-70.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.69 VES 610
$1.80 €1.61
-61.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K VES 22.2M
$33.2K €29.8K
-24.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K VES 34.8M
$31.7K €28.5K
24.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$12.72 VES 11.3K
$180 €162
-92.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.71 VES 10.4K
$13.84 €12.43
-15.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.69 VES 34.3K
$33.70 €30.27
14.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.13 VES 25.8K
$51.5 €46.27
-43.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.30 VES 13.6K
$15.96 €14.34
-4.14%
Cinema Ticket
$3.97 VES 3,516
$10.99 €9.88
-63.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$75.3 VES 66.7K
$917 €823
-91.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,991 VES 5.3M
$16.5K €14.8K
-63.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.4 VES 46.4K
$87.0 €78.2
-39.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.03 VES 31.9K
$38.51 €34.59
-6.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.4 VES 73.0K
$106 €95.1
-22.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.0 VES 84.1K
$120 €108
-20.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$221 VES 195.6K
$1,699 €1,527
-87.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$108 VES 96.0K
$1,355 €1,217
-92.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$571 VES 505.6K
$2,603 €2,338
-78.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$274 VES 242.8K
$2,062 €1,853
-86.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$445 VES 393.9K
$6,915 €6,211
-93.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$198 VES 175.7K
$5,128 €4,606
-96.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maracay
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$209 VES 185.4K
$2,211 €1,986
-90.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
21.5
3.28
555.49%

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

Last update for Maracay: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Maracay
$264
Barcelona
$322 22% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Maracay
$120
Barcelona
$158 32.1% $38
Accommodation & Living
Maracay
$108
Barcelona
$1.4K 1151% $1.2K
Eating Out
Maracay
$104
Barcelona
$268 157% $164
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maracay
$63
Barcelona
$228 261% $165
Getting Around
Maracay
$39
Barcelona
$48 25.4% $9.8
Sport & Entertainment
Maracay
$37
Barcelona
$74 98.3% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Maracay and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays about 11 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Maracay vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $322 per month, with Maracay cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇻🇪 Maracay
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
16:29 4:29 PM
21:29 9:29 PM
5 h ahead of Maracay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
425,606
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to VES – Venezuelan Bolívar Converter

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 886 VES (1,000 VES = 1.13 USD). 1 EUR = 986 VES (1,000 VES = 1.01 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maracay Barcelona 7,570 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Maracay
  • Barcelona

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
Maracay vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Maracay and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $735 in Maracay and $2,453 in Barcelona, so Maracay is about 70% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Maracay. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Maracay and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $221 in Maracay versus $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Maracay and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $75 in Maracay versus $917 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How does quality of life compare between Maracay and Barcelona?
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.
Where should expats move: Maracay or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Maracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Maracay vs other spots: cost of living compared

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