Cost of Living Comparison Between Porlamar and Maracaibo Cost of Living Comparison Between Porlamar and Maracaibo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $669 in Porlamar versus $729 in Maracaibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $936 in Porlamar versus $1,233 in Maracaibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,204 in Porlamar versus $1,737 in Maracaibo.

Living in Porlamar costs roughly 8% less than in Maracaibo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Porlamar 50% lower, Maracaibo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 VES 2,635

$10.41 VES 6,102

-56.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 VES 29.7K

$39.47 VES 23.1K

28.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 VES 4,740

$9.25 VES 5,418

-12.54%

Cappuccino

$1.54 VES 900

$2.66 VES 1,557

-42.11%

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

$1.69 VES 989

$1.20 VES 702

40.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 VES 438

$1.29 VES 757

-41.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 VES 779

$2.22 VES 1,302

-40.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 VES 1,345

$3.04 VES 1,782

-24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 VES 983

$1.78 VES 1,046

-5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 VES 894

$1.98 VES 1,161

-22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 VES 661

$1.07 VES 627

5.61%

Eggs

$1.95 VES 1,145

$3.06 VES 1,792

-36.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 VES 3,555

$6.01 VES 3,519

1.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 VES 3,920

$5.33 VES 3,124

25.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 VES 4,411

$6.37 VES 3,732

18.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 VES 2,474

$4.45 VES 2,606

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 VES 1,003

$1.33 VES 779

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 VES 895

$1.62 VES 951

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 VES 1,014

$1.47 VES 862

17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 VES 974

$1.23 VES 720

34.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 VES 889

$1.66 VES 976

-8.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 VES 1,068

$1.02 VES 599

78.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 574

$1.63 VES 957

-39.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 VES 1,721

$3.42 VES 2,003

-14.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 VES 3,773

$8.73 VES 5,117

-26.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 VES 465

$1.06 VES 622

-25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 VES 964

$2.72 VES 1,595

-39.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 VES 288

$0.52 VES 307

-5.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.98 VES 24.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 VES 2,942

$3.93 VES 2,302

27.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 VES 1,798

$1.98 VES 1,160

55.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.25 VES 10.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 304

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

$22.3K VES 13.1M

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

$32.1K VES 18.8M

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

$29.43 VES 17.2K

$15.95 VES 9,343

84.51%

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

$9.86 VES 5,775

$8.54 VES 5,002

15.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.40 VES 20.2K

$26.13 VES 15.3K

31.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 VES 29.1K

$33.51 VES 19.6K

48.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.07 VES 5,898

$23.54 VES 13.8K

-57.22%

Cinema Ticket

$2.99 VES 1,749

$5.05 VES 2,956

-40.79%

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

$111 VES 64.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K VES 8.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.83 VES 25.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.52 VES 24.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.1 VES 34.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 VES 35.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 VES 116.1K

$180 VES 105.4K

10.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 VES 119.1K

$104 VES 61.1K

94.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 VES 192.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 VES 126.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$401 VES 234.7K

$738 VES 432.5K

-45.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$150 VES 87.7K

$491 VES 287.8K

-69.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 VES 124.4K

$199 VES 116.5K

6.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.6

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

Last update for Porlamar: June 7, 2026

Last update for Maracaibo: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Porlamar and $180 in Maracaibo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Porlamar pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Porlamar vs $39.00 in Maracaibo. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $221, with Porlamar cheaper for home cooking.

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

Porlamar vs Maracaibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Porlamar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Porlamar pays 7% 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: $198 in Porlamar versus $180 in Maracaibo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Maracaibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Porlamar – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $39.00 in Maracaibo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Porlamar 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 Porlamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Maracaibo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.