Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Maracaibo Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Maracaibo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $809 in Merida versus $791 in Maracaibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Merida versus $1,318 in Maracaibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,047 in Merida versus $1,845 in Maracaibo.

Living in Merida is roughly 2% more expensive than in Maracaibo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Merida 41% lower, Maracaibo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.90 VES 10.0K

$10.32 VES 8,714

15.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 VES 51.0K

$40.26 VES 34.0K

50.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 VES 9,169

$9.25 VES 7,811

17.41%

Cappuccino

$2.56 VES 2,165

$2.62 VES 2,214

-2.29%

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

$2.11 VES 1,782

$1.20 VES 1,013

75.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 VES 1,108

$1.30 VES 1,095

0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 VES 1,658

$2.22 VES 1,876

-11.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 VES 2,571

$3.05 VES 2,573

-0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 VES 1,673

$1.79 VES 1,514

10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 VES 2,758

$2.19 VES 1,853

49.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 VES 1,638

$1.09 VES 917

77.98%

Eggs

$2.47 VES 2,085

$3.72 VES 3,145

-33.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 VES 5,539

$6.44 VES 5,442

1.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 VES 6,452

$6.20 VES 5,231

23.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 VES 6,178

$7.28 VES 6,143

0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 VES 4,285

$4.64 VES 3,918

9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 VES 1,237

$1.40 VES 1,183

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 VES 2,452

$1.62 VES 1,371

79.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 VES 1,909

$1.45 VES 1,226

55.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 VES 1,683

$1.21 VES 1,024

64.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 VES 1,141

$1.77 VES 1,499

-23.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 VES 1,269

$0.97 VES 822

54.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 VES 2,179

$1.99 VES 1,680

29.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 VES 3,220

$2.98 VES 2,515

27.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 VES 9,339

$8.90 VES 7,518

24.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 VES 1,171

$1.08 VES 914

28.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 VES 1,781

$2.63 VES 2,222

-19.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 245

$0.44 VES 370

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.07 VES 36.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 3,472

$3.93 VES 3,316

4.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 VES 1,297

$1.97 VES 1,664

-21.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 VES 4,916

$17.64 VES 14.9K

-67.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 VES 640

$0.66 VES 556

15.15%

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

$44.4K VES 37.5M

$15.2K VES 12.8M

191.89%

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

$50.3K VES 42.5M

$28.3K VES 23.9M

77.77%

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

$12.69 VES 10.7K

$62.3 VES 52.6K

-79.64%

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

$10.46 VES 8,831

$7.35 VES 6,206

42.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.08 VES 25.4K

$25.23 VES 21.3K

19.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 VES 25.2K

$34.31 VES 29.0K

-13.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 VES 12.7K

$27.98 VES 23.6K

-46.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 VES 4,207

$4.92 VES 4,157

1.22%

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

$89.2 VES 75.3K

$153 VES 129.0K

-41.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,377 VES 2.0M

$7,190 VES 6.1M

-66.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 VES 60.8K

$27.26 VES 23.0K

164.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.21 VES 34.8K

$32.75 VES 27.7K

25.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 VES 83.1K

$59.8 VES 50.5K

64.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 VES 82.9K

$56.6 VES 47.8K

73.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 VES 111.8K

$160 VES 135.0K

-17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.6 VES 77.4K

$91.9 VES 77.6K

-0.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 VES 189.6K

$295 VES 249.2K

-23.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 VES 158.5K

$198 VES 167.3K

-5.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,186 VES 1.0M

$754 VES 637.1K

57.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,215 VES 1.0M

$507 VES 427.9K

139.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 VES 240.6K

$203 VES 171.5K

40.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.00%

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

Last update for Merida: September 14, 2026

Last update for Maracaibo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $132 in Merida and $160 in Maracaibo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Merida pays 40% 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: $60.0 in Merida vs $40.00 in Maracaibo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $240 per month, with Maracaibo 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

Merida vs Maracaibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maracaibo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Merida, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $132 in Merida versus $160 in Maracaibo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $89.2 in Merida versus $153 in Maracaibo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Maracaibo – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $60.0 in Merida. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Merida. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.