Caracas has a lovely climate most of the year, and plenty of unique cultural offerings, so there would normally be plenty of reasons to come for a visit. But then when you research you discover that it’s one of the world’s most violent and dangerous cities, and on top of that it’s incredibly expensive for tourists (depending on how you do things).
The prices can be deceiving, however. Part of Venezuela’s big mess is a currency crisis that promotes a thriving black market on exchanges. On the black market you can get as much as double the “official” exchange rate, and even though it’s at least a little risky for both parties in the transaction, it can obviously cut costs in half. Even with a favorable exchange rate, this city is far more expensive than most South American capitals.
| Population | 3,200,000 |
| Area | 3,200,000 |
| Timezone | UTC-4:30 |
Due to Venezuela’s infamous inflation situation, we stopped tracking food and other prices there many years ago. If you decide to visit under the current situation, godspeed.
| Budget breakfast | This is a typical range that locals will pay for breakfast. International hotels will charge much more. | $0.00 - $0.00 |
| Budget lunch | Again, follow locals to cheaper restaurants in town rather than touristy or hotel restaurants. | $0.00 - $0.00 |
| Budget dinner | Even nicer sit-down meals can be very affordable in Caracas if you've exchanged money the right way and go to the right places. | $0.00 - $0.00 |
| Beer (.33l bottle) | The local lager will be cheap if you avoid fancy places. | $0.00 - $0.00 |
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 84 | 56 | 0.6 |
| February | 88 | 58 | 0.5 |
| March | 89 | 60 | 0.4 |
| April | 88 | 61 | 2.3 |
| May | 89 | 65 | 3.2 |
| June | 87 | 65 | 5.3 |
| July | 88 | 62 | 4.7 |
| August | 85 | 62 | 4.9 |
| September | 86 | 62 | 4.5 |
| October | 86 | 62 | 5.0 |
| November | 85 | 60 | 2.9 |
| December | 83 | 58 | 1.6 |
Caracas is not far from the equator and at a moderate elevation, so it has a fairly consistent and reasonably mild climate all year, at least compared to many other tropical cities. The dry season runs from December through April, with pleasant warm days and little rainfall. Even during the hotter and wetter months from May through November, nighttime lows are mild enough that it’s comfortable.
| 21 Mar | 6:02am | 6:09pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:37am | 6:22pm |
| 21 Sep | 5:47am | 5:55pm |
| 21 Dec | 6:11am | 5:41pm |
There are plenty of cheap hotels in Caracas, but they tend to be in bad neighborhoods, and are often rented out by the hour. In order to get something that even approaches international standards you’ll be spending a fortune. Those who venture into Venezuela are often quite happy about it, but it’s not a place to go without doing your research.
Caracas hotels are surprisingly expensive all year round, with high season generally running from December through March. There are no hostels at all, but there are some budget hotels that aren’t bookable on the internet, though standards at those are low and they are in bad neighborhoods. For international quality rooms you’ll be paying a fortune.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 30.00 - 60.00 |
| 55.00 - 78.00 |
| 65.00 - 110.00 |
| 70.00 - 138.00 |
| 210.00 - 220.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | - |