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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $861 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,472 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,083 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 91% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Barquisimeto is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$9.95 VES 8,078

21.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$882

$49.50 VES 40.2K

5.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$11.52 VES 9,350

-5.38%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$1.72 VES 1,393

135.47%

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

$1.72 MX$28.96

$1.52 VES 1,236

13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.26

$1.15 VES 932

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$1.28 VES 1,038

171.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$3.36 VES 2,724

72.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.30

$2.98 VES 2,420

-37.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$2.37 VES 1,921

35.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.21

$2.14 VES 1,734

-2.34%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.12

$3.27 VES 2,657

-11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$7.85 VES 6,375

59.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$9.03 VES 7,331

11.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$10.65 VES 8,647

49.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$4.59 VES 3,730

-27.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.91

$2.02 VES 1,637

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$0.74 VES 597

195.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.33

$0.92 VES 746

166.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.96

$0.95 VES 775

130.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.16

$1.35 VES 1,095

40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.28

$0.65 VES 529

149.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.79

$1.61 VES 1,309

-16.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$2.92 VES 2,368

85.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$11.82 VES 9,590

48.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.92

$1.25 VES 1,018

65.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$2.81 VES 2,284

69.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.40 VES 324

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

$39.68 VES 32.2K

-45.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.45

$4.96 VES 4,026

-58.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.76

$2.54 VES 2,063

-77.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$15.22 VES 12.4K

-60.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.28

$0.75 VES 611

116.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.2K

$25.1K VES 20.4M

-9.22%

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

$26.7K MX$450.2K

$31.3K VES 25.4M

-14.84%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$15.36 VES 12.5K

324.74%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$7.87 VES 6,386

279.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$36.72 VES 29.8K

-0.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$33.48 VES 27.2K

82.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$8.72 VES 7,081

206.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$5.05 VES 4,100

35.64%

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

$453 MX$7,656

$56.4 VES 45.8K

704.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.8K

$494 VES 401.1K

2605.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,266

$46.83 VES 38.0K

60.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$39.74 VES 32.3K

39.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,918

$103 VES 83.5K

10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,071

$81.5 VES 66.1K

50.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$213 VES 173.2K

431.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$142 VES 115.3K

401.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$464 VES 376.7K

453.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$322 VES 261.2K

307.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

$474 VES 384.4K

743.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$253 VES 205.4K

727.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$185 VES 150.6K

464.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-54.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 464% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $49.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $281 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 91% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $861 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 464% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barquisimeto – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $861 in Barquisimeto – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Barquisimeto versus $1,646 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 91% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.