Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belize City and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Belize City: $1,218 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Belize City
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Belize City Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Belize City

🇧🇿 Belize

$1,218

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belize City and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Belize City and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Belize City versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Belize City $1,218
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,805 in Belize City versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Belize City $1,805
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,391 in Belize City versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Belize City $2,391
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Belize City costs roughly 55% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belize City is 9% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.34 BZD 12.67

$20.22 $20.22

-68.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.01 BZD 98.0

$85.0 $85.0

-42.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 BZD 19.12

$12.35 $12.35

-22.59%

Cappuccino

$3.52 BZD 7.04

$5.47 $5.47

-35.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BZD 3.33

$3.82 $3.82

-56.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BZD 2.80

$2.50 $2.50

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 BZD 5.05

$8.06 $8.06

-68.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BZD 5.92

$8.99 $8.99

-67.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.71 BZD 7.43

$1.13 $1.13

228.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 BZD 4.98

$3.78 $3.78

-34.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 BZD 6.79

$3.25 $3.25

4.31%

Eggs

$3.54 BZD 7.08

$4.14 $4.14

-14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 BZD 13.23

$13.08 $13.08

-49.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 BZD 19.38

$14.31 $14.31

-32.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 BZD 18.04

$15.96 $15.96

-43.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 BZD 5.58

$4.38 $4.38

-36.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 BZD 3.66

$1.45 $1.45

26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 BZD 5.57

$4.54 $4.54

-38.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 BZD 5.90

$4.19 $4.19

-29.59%

Potato (1kg)

$4.14 BZD 8.28

$2.63 $2.63

57.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 BZD 5.65

$2.36 $2.36

19.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 BZD 4.64

$1.76 $1.76

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 BZD 3.05

$2.16 $2.16

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 BZD 9.11

$9.81 $9.81

-53.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.72 BZD 19.44

$14.72 $14.72

-33.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 BZD 4.81

$2.78 $2.78

-13.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 BZD 4.25

$3.48 $3.48

-38.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 BZD 8.07

$1.49 $1.49

171.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 BZD 10.12

$2.67 $2.67

89.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.50 BZD 4.99

$0.99 $0.99

152.53%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$10.5K BZD 21.0K

$35.8K $35.8K

-70.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.2K $27.2K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$367 BZD 734

$219 $219

67.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.86 BZD 99.7

$58.0 $58.0

-14.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.07 BZD 54.2

$68.4 $68.4

-60.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.19 BZD 50.4

$57.9 $57.9

-56.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.42 BZD 4.83

$14.82 $14.82

-83.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 BZD 9.76

$14.13 $14.13

-65.46%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$65.3 BZD 131

$1,509 $1,509

-95.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$666 BZD 1,332

$21.5K $21.5K

-96.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.73 BZD 65.5

$51.7 $51.7

-36.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.42 BZD 48.84

$44.05 $44.05

-44.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.85 BZD 73.7

$85.1 $85.1

-56.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.54 BZD 75.1

$105 $105

-64.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 BZD 697

$1,932 $1,932

-81.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 BZD 382

$1,272 $1,272

-85.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 BZD 1,150

$3,670 $3,670

-84.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 BZD 653

$2,525 $2,525

-87.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$845 BZD 1,691

$5,105 $5,105

-83.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

6.79

69.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Belize City: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belize City

$444 36.4%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 22.1% $98

Groceries & Markets

Belize City

$317 26%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 27% $86

Accommodation & Living

Belize City

$191 15.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 567% $1.1K

Eating Out

Belize City

$152 12.5%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 128% $196

Clothing & Footwear

Belize City

$59 4.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 118% $70

Sport & Entertainment

Belize City

$35 2.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 147% $51

Getting Around

Belize City

$21 * 1.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 169% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Belize City and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 504% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Belize City vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $403 per month, with Belize City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇿 Belize City

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

07:00 7:00 AM

08:00 8:00 AM

1 h ahead of Belize City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

63,999

974,447

💱 Currency

Belize Dollar BZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BZD = 0.5 USD

1 BZD = 0.446 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BZD – Belize Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇿 Belize Dollar ($)

Belize Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2 BZD (1 BZD = 0.5 USD). 1 EUR = 2.24 BZD (1 BZD = 0.446 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to BZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Belize City Austin, TX 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Belize City
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Belize City vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belize City wins on cost – living expenses run 122% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Belize City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 504% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $349 in Belize City versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $65.3 in Belize City versus $1,509 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Belize City – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Belize City versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Belize City but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Belize City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Belize City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.