Moving to United States from Venezuela

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Venezuela to United States — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Venezuela to United States, you would find that United States is 4.1 times more expensive than Venezuela overall. A VEF748,088 salary in Venezuela would need to be roughly $167,218 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 86°F in Caracas, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Venezuela to United States.

What does your salary buy?

VEF748,088 $167,218

To maintain the same standard of living in United States

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 89.8% more

Groceries

pay 71.4% more

Transportation

pay 53.4% more

Housing

pay 7.9 times more

Childcare

pay 11.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.7 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 VEF = 0.1003 USD (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Venezuela to United States, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
17,550 ↓ 12% vs 2022

people moved from Venezuela to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Venezuela to United States.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

VE
12.6
US
6.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

VE
13.2
US
14.2

Venezuela generally does better on safety, though United States leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

VE
$186
US
$13,473
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

VE
16.6
US
36.1

Venezuela generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

VE
32.0
US
14.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

VE
3.4t
US
13.6t

Venezuela generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

VE
9.6
US
37.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

VE
7.5%
US
28.2%

United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Venezuela leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

VE
5.5%
US
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

VE
$7,704
US
$73,600

United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Venezuela leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

VE
73.3 yrs
US
80.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

VE
17.7
US
5.2

United States performs significantly better than Venezuela across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministerio del Poder Popular de Finanzas, SENIAT, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Caracas Rain: 35.9 in/yr (913 mm)
86° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Caracas Washington
Jan–Mar 87°/58°F (31°/14°C) 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/64°F (31°/18°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/62°F (30°/17°C) 85°/62°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) 57°/35°F (14°/2°C)
View all months
Month Caracas Washington
Jan 84°/56°F (29.0°/13.1°C) 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C)
Feb 88°/58°F (31.0°/14.5°C) 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C)
Mar 89°/60°F (31.7°/15.3°C) 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C)
Apr 88°/61°F (31.1°/16.2°C) 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C)
May 89°/65°F (31.8°/18.2°C) 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C)
Jun 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.1°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C)
Jul 88°/62°F (31.0°/16.9°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C)
Aug 85°/62°F (29.3°/16.6°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C)
Sep 86°/62°F (30.1°/16.8°C) 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C)
Oct 85°/62°F (29.7°/16.4°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C)
Nov 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.7°C) 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C)
Dec 83°/58°F (28.4°/14.2°C) 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (INAMEH) Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (INAMEH), National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Venezuela and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Venezuela passport

Venezuela passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Venezuela passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Venezuela

Visa Required
United States passport holders need a visa to enter Venezuela.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in United States than Venezuela?

No — United States is on average about 123% more expensive than Venezuela. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to United States?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $41,804 in United States on a VEF748,088 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United States?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United States has 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is United States safe for expats?

Venezuela generally does better on safety, though United States leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 12.6 in Venezuela.

How is healthcare in United States compared to Venezuela?

Venezuela generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 16.6 in Venezuela. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Venezuela: 75).

What's the weather like in United States compared to Venezuela?

The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 86°F in Caracas. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Caracas gets 35.9 in.

What language do they speak in United States?

The official language in United States is English. In Venezuela, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

VE US
Population 29,789,730 337,341,954
Currency Venezuelan Bolívar Fuerte (VEF) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Spanish English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +58 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 171 911