Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Barquisimeto Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Barquisimeto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $557 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $939 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,322 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 163% more expensive than Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Barquisimeto is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$7.40 VES 4,124

78.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$30.54 VES 17.0K

76.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$10.15 VES 5,655

-7.19%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.01 VES 565

251.49%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.18 VES 658

37.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.71 VES 397

56.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.47 VES 821

112.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.54 VES 856

200.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.53 VES 850

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.48 VES 1,383

9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.99 VES 550

92.93%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.62 VES 902

56.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.10 VES 2,284

144.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.05 VES 2,817

60.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.05 VES 3,926

64.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$4.91 VES 2,734

-39.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$0.98 VES 547

84.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.98 VES 548

105.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.98 VES 544

107.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.99 VES 550

114.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.47 VES 819

54.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.52 VES 288

169.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.02 VES 566

10.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.07 VES 1,713

39.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$13.37 VES 7,453

16.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.78 VES 434

125.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.02 VES 567

252.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.44 VES 245

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$5.11 VES 2,847

-72.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.51 VES 286

154.90%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$24.7K VES 13.8M

-24.49%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$36.4K VES 20.3M

-36.46%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$20.08 VES 11.2K

103.49%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$10.08 VES 5,618

165.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$40.41 VES 22.5K

-25.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$22.57 VES 12.6K

130.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.49 VES 2,501

40.31%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$50.1 VES 27.9K

771.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$27.93 VES 15.6K

102.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$24.91 VES 13.9K

78.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$50.3 VES 28.0K

104.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$49.45 VES 27.6K

113.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$199 VES 110.9K

413.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$50.7 VES 28.2K

1145.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$246 VES 136.9K

769.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$149 VES 82.9K

735.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$469 VES 261.3K

732.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$248 VES 138.4K

731.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$190 VES 105.9K

486.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 487% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $31.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $201 per month, with Barquisimeto 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

Mexico City vs Barquisimeto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Barquisimeto differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $557 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 487% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $557 in Barquisimeto – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Barquisimeto versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barquisimeto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Barquisimeto 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.

Expats usually find Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.