Cost Of Living For a Student in Caracas 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: VES
Average monthly spending for students in Caracas
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Caracas?
Students in Caracas spend around 21,000 VES per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 3,100 VES or as high as 140,000 VES. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Caracas
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
| 250 VES | 380 VES | 1,500 VES |
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 90,000 VES | 180,000 VES | 240,000 VES |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
| 120 VES | 830 VES | 5,500 VES |
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
| 200 VES | 250 VES | 1,300 VES |
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 3,300 VES | 4,900 VES | 13,000 VES |
1-bedroom apartment
| 4,900 VES | 7,900 VES | 20,000 VES |
2-bedroom apartment
| 6,600 VES | 9,900 VES | 26,000 VES |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 660,000 VES | 990,000 VES | 2M VES |
1-bedroom apartment
| 790,000 VES | 1.3M VES | 4.9M VES |
2-bedroom apartment
| $37,000 | $110,000 | $220,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 3,600 VES | 4,500 VES | 6,000 VES |
Double Bed
| 2,400 VES | 3,600 VES | 4,500 VES |
Single Bed
| 2,100 VES | 2,800 VES | 3,600 VES |
Living Room
| 4,000 VES | 5,100 VES | 18,000 VES |
Dining Table
| 1,800 VES | 2,400 VES | 4,500 VES |
Sofa or Couch
| 2,400 VES | 3,300 VES | 7,200 VES |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 2,400 VES | 3,600 VES | 7,200 VES |
Fridge or Freezer
| 2,100 VES | 3,300 VES | 4,500 VES |
Washing Machine
| 2,800 VES | 4,000 VES | 7,200 VES |
Stove or Cooker
| 2,600 VES | 3,300 VES | 4,500 VES |
Mobile Phone
| 3,000 VES | 3,600 VES | 5,100 VES |
Laptop or Computer
| 3,300 VES | 4,000 VES | 7,200 VES |
How do students spend their money in Caracas?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost15%
15% of total expenses on average (10% to 21%)
| LOW | $21 740 VES |
| AVERAGE | $140 5,000 VES |
| HIGH | $920 33,000 VES |
| Per Month |
Students in Caracas typically spend from 10% to 21% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 15% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 5,000 VES with expenditure ranging from 740 VES to 33,000 VES. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities8%
8% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $3.4 120 VES |
| AVERAGE | $23 830 VES |
| HIGH | $150 5,500 VES |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Caracas ranges from 6% to 12% of total expenses with 8% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 830 VES with 120 VES and 5,500 VES being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel3%
3% of total expenses on average (3% to 9%)
| LOW | $6 220 VES |
| AVERAGE | $40 1,500 VES |
| HIGH | $270 9,700 VES |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 220 VES to 9,700 VES in a month on commuting with 1,500 VES being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 3% of total spending on average but can go as low as 3% or as high as 9%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost24%
24% of total expenses on average (18% to 28%)
| LOW | $17 620 VES |
| AVERAGE | $120 4,100 VES |
| HIGH | $770 28,000 VES |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Caracas is 4,100 VES. The cost of groceries can range between 620 VES to 28,000 VES. Students spend on average about 24% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 18% and 28% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare10%
10% of total expenses on average (7% to 13%)
| LOW | $5.2 190 VES |
| AVERAGE | $35 1,200 VES |
| HIGH | $230 8,300 VES |
| Per Month |
Students in Caracas allocate 7% to 13% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 10%. The range of medical expenses range from 190 VES to 8,300 VES with 1,200 VES being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping1%
1% of total expenses on average (1% to 5%)
| LOW | $4.3 150 VES |
| AVERAGE | $29 1,000 VES |
| HIGH | $190 6,900 VES |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 150 VES to 6,900 VES with 1,000 VES being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 1% to 5% of total expenses with an average of 1% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $16 590 VES |
| AVERAGE | $110 3,900 VES |
| HIGH | $730 26,000 VES |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 3,900 VES per month with 590 VES being the minimum spent amount and 26,000 VES being the maximum.
Other Expenses20%
20% of total expenses on average (14% to 26%)
| LOW | $13 460 VES |
| AVERAGE | $86 3,100 VES |
| HIGH | $580 21,000 VES |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Caracas
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Caracas?
Around 45% of surveyed students think that living in Caracas is affordable with proper budgeting while 55% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Caracas
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options56%
Few low-cost options44%
Based on the survey, 56% of the students living in Caracas have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 44% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Caracas whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes43%
No57%
Based on the survey, 57% of the students living in Caracas said that they don't have an emergency fund while 43% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Venezuela
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy38%
We asked student guardians and parents in Caracas whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 62% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 38% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Venezuela have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 56% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 44% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance56%
Easily manages finances44%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Caracas
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Caracas
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,300 VES | 4,900 VES | 13,000 VES |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 4,900 VES | 7,900 VES | 20,000 VES |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 6,600 VES | 9,900 VES | 26,000 VES |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 7,900 VES | 13,000 VES | 36,000 VES |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 16,000 VES | 40,000 VES | 79,000 VES |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 13,000 VES | 20,000 VES | 57,000 VES |
House monthly rent cost
| 16,000 VES | 40,000 VES | 79,000 VES |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 20,000 VES | 49,000 VES | 79,000 VES |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Caracas ranges between 3,300 VES and 13,000 VES, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 4,900 VES to 20,000 VES. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 6,600 VES and 26,000 VES per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 7,900 VES to 36,000 VES. The average rent of a townhouse in Caracas is around 20,000 VES while house rental costs can be as high as 40,000 VES per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 20,000 VES to 79,000 VES per month.
Apartment and house prices in Caracas
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 660,000 VES | 990,000 VES | 2M VES |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 790,000 VES | 1.3M VES | 4.9M VES |
2-bedroom apartment price
| $37,000 | $110,000 | $220,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 4.4M VES | 6.6M VES | 20M VES |
| $120,000 | $180,000 | $550,000 |
Townhouse price
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Caracas can range from 660,000 VES to 2M VES depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 790,000 VES to 4.9M VES. A villa can cost you 44M VES on average with prices ranging from 7.9M VES to 66M VES.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Caracas will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 28 | x78 monthly income | 194 |
Property prices in Caracas can be x78 to x194 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x78 multiples of the average monthly salary in Caracas.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Caracas is around 29%. This means that people pay 29% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 18% to 39% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
26% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Caracas
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Caracas
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
| 120 VES | 830 VES | 5,500 VES |
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 830 VES. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 180 VES to 480 VES with 360 VES being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 240 VES but can range between 140 VES and 720 VES depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Caracas is around 7.4%. This means that people pay 7.4% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 4.2% to 12% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Caracas
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Caracas
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Caracas is approximatly 72 VES with meal cost ranging from 36 VES to 120 VES. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 130 VES and 380 VES with 190 VES being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Caracas.
Fine dining meal for one price
| 250 VES | 380 VES | 1,500 VES |
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 250 VES to 1,500 VES with the average cost being 380 VES for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Caracas.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Caracas is around 48 VES. Price ranges between 30 VES and 72 VES depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Caracas is 29 VES. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 36 VES and the minimum being 24 VES depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 24 VES on average with 18 VES and 36 VES being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Caracas is between 41 VES and 75 VES depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 53 VES.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 72 VES. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Caracas costs around 26 VES on average with prices rangeing between 19 VES and 37 VES depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 7.2 VES to 18 VES. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 17 VES on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Caracas is around 30%. This means that students spend 30% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 21% to 36% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 620 VES to 28,000 VES with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
