What monthly budget do you need for Venezuela in 2026?

A careful single who cooks mostly local food, limits Las Mercedes restaurant weeks, and rents a modest secured flat in Mérida often lands near $600–1,100 per month all-in: Mérida cost of living. That assumes local buses and occasional taxis, basic utilities, and a modest private health buffer rather than a top international plan.

A comfortable eastern Caracas pattern with a Chacao, Altamira, or similar one-bed, regular dining, and ride-app nights commonly needs about $1,100–1,800: Caracas cost of living. Leaner capital living outside the densest eastern belts with more home cooking can sit nearer $800–1,400 when the lease is realistic and social life stays food-first rather than club-first: Social life.

Couples sharing a mid-range secured Caracas flat frequently start near $1,800–3,000 before international school fees. Mérida couples who cook and skip capital nightlife can land lower. Families should model bilingual or international school fees as a separate line; they can dwarf rent. Convenience-heavy stacks with more imports, generators, and private care push toward higher bands than the careful single sheet.

Keep setup cash outside the monthly total: lease deposit (often one to three months), furniture top-ups, first utility and internet installs, and residency errands such as rentista passive income planning. Food and utilities detail: Groceries and eating out and Utilities, internet, and transport. National frame: How expensive is Venezuela. Recheck whether rent is quoted in USD the week you sign, because that choice moves a “comfortable” band faster than arepa prices do. Build a cash buffer beyond the spreadsheet so a clinic bill or power-cut week does not force a bad payment decision.