Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Barquisimeto

For one person, living is cheaper in Barquisimeto: $793 a month against $1,674 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Barquisimeto
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$793
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Barquisimeto

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Mexico City versus $793 in Barquisimeto.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Barquisimeto $793

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,606 in Mexico City versus $1,355 in Barquisimeto.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Barquisimeto $1,355

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,537 in Mexico City versus $1,917 in Barquisimeto.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Barquisimeto $1,917

Living in Mexico City is roughly 111% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Barquisimeto is 41% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$198
$9.81 VES 8,757
7.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$972
$49.18 VES 43.9K
5.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$201
$11.69 VES 10.4K
-8.21%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$71.0
$1.72 VES 1,540
120.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.16
$1.54 VES 1,371
4.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.67
$1.13 VES 1,011
7.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.4
$1.22 VES 1,092
160.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$102
$3.27 VES 2,923
66.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.13
$2.06 VES 1,838
-16.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.5
$1.32 VES 1,181
125.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$36.02
$1.31 VES 1,173
47.33%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$51.9
$2.19 VES 1,950
26.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$218
$6.19 VES 5,527
88.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$177
$6.73 VES 6,008
40.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$288
$6.89 VES 6,155
123.08%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$58.1
$4.42 VES 3,949
-29.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.67
$1.53 VES 1,370
28.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$37.07
$0.78 VES 694
153.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.68
$0.97 VES 865
141.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.85
$0.94 VES 841
114.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$34.13
$1.32 VES 1,177
37.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$28.89
$0.64 VES 575
140.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.54
$1.52 VES 1,361
-13.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$100
$2.94 VES 2,621
81.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$303
$10.02 VES 8,949
61.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.64
$1.25 VES 1,117
56.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.4
$2.75 VES 2,451
58.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.70
$0.43 VES 384
-30.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$365
$40.79 VES 36.4K
-52.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$35.86
$4.99 VES 4,452
-61.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.84
$1.53 VES 1,366
-69.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$101
$14.95 VES 13.3K
-63.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.75
$0.73 VES 654
102.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$399.7K
$25.3K VES 22.6M
-15.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$444.3K
$30.2K VES 27.0M
-21.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,160
$15.56 VES 13.9K
298.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$533
$7.51 VES 6,702
279.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$638
$36.87 VES 32.9K
-7.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,092
$33.58 VES 30.0K
73.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$458
$8.39 VES 7,491
192.01%
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$123
$5.05 VES 4,509
30.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,122
$57.5 VES 51.3K
654.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$262.5K
$502 VES 448.2K
2695.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,278
$47.24 VES 42.2K
44.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,025
$39.90 VES 35.6K
37.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,073
$92.9 VES 82.9K
19.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,169
$80.1 VES 71.5K
44.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$22.1K
$212 VES 189.3K
456.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.4K
$142 VES 126.3K
444.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$48.1K
$473 VES 421.9K
443.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.6K
$322 VES 287.3K
341.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$67.1K
$464 VES 414.0K
673.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.6K
$248 VES 221.4K
732.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Barquisimeto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.8K
$185 VES 165.2K
441.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
25
-54.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Barquisimeto
$142 81.6% $629
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Barquisimeto
$218 32.6% $105
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Barquisimeto
$158 21.4% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Barquisimeto
$117 25.7% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Barquisimeto
$60 51.9% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Barquisimeto
$44 39% $28
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Barquisimeto
$55 121% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,179 in Mexico City and $212 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays about 5.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $52 in Mexico City vs $49 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $218 per month, with Barquisimeto cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇻🇪 Barquisimeto
🕒 Local time
07:16 7:16 AM
09:16 9:16 AM
2 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
1,240,714
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VES, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 21.01 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 893 VES (1,000 VES = 1.12 USD). 1 EUR = 1,003 VES (10,000 VES = 9.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Barquisimeto 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Barquisimeto

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
Mexico City vs Barquisimeto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Barquisimeto?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,674 in Mexico City and $793 in Barquisimeto, so Barquisimeto is about 53% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Barquisimeto?
Average pay in Mexico City is about 5.4 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Barquisimeto?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,179 in Mexico City versus $212 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Barquisimeto – a meal for two runs $49 versus $52 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mexico City or Barquisimeto?
All in, you’ll spend $1,674 per month in Mexico City versus $793 in Barquisimeto – Barquisimeto is about 53% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $793 in Barquisimeto versus $1,674 in Mexico City, a $1,200 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.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Barquisimeto?
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.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Barquisimeto?
It comes down to priorities – Barquisimeto wins on affordability, Mexico City on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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