What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Caracas

Relocating to Caracas

About the City

Caracas sits in the north of Venezuela, in the Caracas Valley within the Venezuelan Central Range, separated from the Caribbean coast by the Cerro El Avila mountain range. In the past, Caracas has experienced some earthquakes, and it is still susceptible today. The city is quite hilly, with altitudes varying from 870 m to 1,043 m above sea level. The Guaire River runs through the city, eventually emptying into the Tuy River. Expatriates moving to Caracas will find themselves living in one of the five municipalities of Baruta, El Hatillo, Chacao, Libertador or Sucre. These municipalities are also known as the Metropolitan District of Caracas and together house around 5.4 million inhabitants. The Capital District sits within the Libertador municipality and is home to many government buildings, as well as between two to three million residents. Some of the largest skyscrapers in Latin America can be found in the city and much of the accommodation to be found is in high-rise blocks. There is an abundance of expats living in Caracas, with immigrants from western Europe, as well as Syria and the Lebanon.

The Climate in Caracas

Caracas is classified as having a tropical savanna climate with wet and dry seasons. The city can receive between 900 and 1,300 mm of rain annually, with up to 2,000 mm in the mountains. While the climate is considered intertropical, the altitude means that expats moving to Caracas will experience temperatures lower than typical tropical locations. The annual average temperature is around 23°C, with only two degrees differentiation between the coldest month of January and the warmest month of July, meaning a mild and constant temperature throughout the year. The cooler months are noticeably colder in the evening and at night, however, and other weather occurrences include fog, hail storms and electrical storms.

Finding Accommodation

There is a wide range of property to both rent and purchase in Caracas. Much of the architecture is modern, due to earthquakes or wars having damaged older buildings, as well as the rapid rate of growth that the city has experienced. There are apartments both inside and outside of the city at a good range of prices, though the cost of renting and living in Caracas is comparatively high. There are a number of websites that offer sublets, short term and long term rents and also properties to buy. Bearing in mind the city’s relatively high crime rates, expats living in Caracas may want to consider a gated or serviced apartment.