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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $538 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $918 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,298 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 171% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Barquisimeto is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$7.32 VES 5,384

78.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$30.12 VES 22.1K

78.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$9.96 VES 7,319

-2.81%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$0.97 VES 715

285.57%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.20 VES 884

35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.73 VES 540

58.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.48 VES 1,085

118.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$1.54 VES 1,135

207.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.52 VES 1,117

8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.53 VES 1,859

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.02 VES 747

83.33%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.64 VES 1,207

52.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.06 VES 2,983

151.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$5.03 VES 3,698

64.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$6.95 VES 5,109

70.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$4.89 VES 3,598

-38.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$0.98 VES 723

84.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.01 VES 744

98.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.03 VES 756

94.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.99 VES 727

110.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.51 VES 1,112

50.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.52 VES 384

180.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.02 VES 748

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.93 VES 2,156

48.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$13.34 VES 9,807

27.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.79 VES 583

118.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$0.98 VES 718

265.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.44 VES 323

-11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$4.88 VES 3,584

-72.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.49 VES 359

173.47%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$24.5K VES 18.0M

-20.81%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$35.7K VES 26.3M

-33.31%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$19.97 VES 14.7K

103.76%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$10.07 VES 7,399

166.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$40.16 VES 29.5K

-24.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$22.92 VES 16.9K

130.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$4.48 VES 3,294

45.31%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$50.2 VES 36.9K

753.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$27.49 VES 20.2K

108.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$24.55 VES 18.0K

85.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$50.8 VES 37.4K

104.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$49.06 VES 36.1K

119.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$202 VES 148.7K

396.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$49.50 VES 36.4K

1158.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$253 VES 185.9K

733.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$151 VES 110.7K

708.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$473 VES 348.0K

720.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$245 VES 180.3K

728.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$188 VES 138.4K

451.28%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 451% 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 $30.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $202 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 171% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $538 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 451% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $538 in Barquisimeto – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,456 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 171% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.