Caracas vs Sharjah Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Caracas leads on CPI (20.9 vs 53, NYC=100), Caracas leads on rent index, and Sharjah leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Caracas
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Purchasing Power (621% gap, Sharjah ahead); Housing (241% gap, Caracas ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $1,086 lower in Caracas than in Sharjah (~242% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $1,086 (favoring Caracas).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Caracas | CPI 20.9 vs 53 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Caracas | Rent index 11.8 vs 40.2 (lower is better) |
| Food | Caracas | Groceries index 32.4 vs 45.5 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Sharjah | One-way ticket 4.77 vs 15.66 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Sharjah | Utilities (85m²) 295.07 vs 1180 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Sharjah | Internet 169.55 vs 567 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Caracas | Restaurant index 24 vs 49.9 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Caracas | Avg net salary 41540 vs 21980.36 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Sharjah | PP index 96.6 vs 13.4 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Purchasing Power: Sharjah leads with a 621% gap.
PP index 96.6 vs 13.4 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Caracas — Lower housing / rent index (241% gap).
- Families: Caracas — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Caracas; purchasing power favors Sharjah.
- Remote Workers: Caracas — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Caracas (~154% gap).
- Budget Living: Caracas — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Caracas is the overall cost winner on CPI (~154% lower everyday-cost index than Sharjah).
- Housing: Caracas leads on rent index (241% gap).
- Food / groceries: Caracas is lower (40% gap).
- Purchasing power: Sharjah scores higher (621% gap).
- Largest category gap: Purchasing Power (621%), favoring Sharjah.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$1,086 cheaper in Caracas.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 20.9/53, rent 11.8/40.2, purchasing power 13.4/96.6. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Nearby
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Nearby.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.