Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belize City and Caye Caulker

For one person, living is cheaper in Belize City: $1,227 a month against $1,895 in Caye Caulker, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Belize City
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Belize City Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Caye Caulker
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Caye Caulker Living Index

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Belize City

🇧🇿 Belize

$1,227

/mo nomad

Caye Caulker

🇧🇿 Belize

$1,895

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belize City and in Caye Caulker

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 Caye Caulker actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,227 in Belize City versus $1,895 in Caye Caulker.

Belize City $1,227
Caye Caulker $1,895

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,795 in Belize City versus $2,731 in Caye Caulker.

Belize City $1,795
Caye Caulker $2,731

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,362 in Belize City versus $3,567 in Caye Caulker.

Belize City $2,362
Caye Caulker $3,567

Living in Belize City costs roughly 35% less than in Caye Caulker, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belize City is 9% below, Caye Caulker is 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 BZD 12.93

$8.34 BZD 16.69

-22.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 BZD 102

$32.40 BZD 64.8

57.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 BZD 18.94

$7.31 BZD 14.63

29.55%

Cappuccino

$3.46 BZD 6.91

$4.07 BZD 8.13

-14.99%

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

$1.65 BZD 3.31

$1.46 BZD 2.93

13.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 BZD 2.91

$1.70 BZD 3.41

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 BZD 5.17

$2.99 BZD 5.98

-13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BZD 5.92

$4.38 BZD 8.77

-32.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.74 BZD 7.47

$2.96 BZD 5.92

26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 BZD 4.78

$1.79 BZD 3.57

33.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 BZD 6.76

$4.37 BZD 8.74

-22.65%

Eggs

$3.54 BZD 7.07

$4.09 BZD 8.18

-13.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.71 BZD 13.41

$11.00 BZD 22.00

-39.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 BZD 19.15

$7.69 BZD 15.39

24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 BZD 18.52

$13.34 BZD 26.68

-30.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 BZD 5.42

$8.28 BZD 16.57

-67.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 BZD 3.57

$1.08 BZD 2.16

64.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 BZD 5.36

$1.39 BZD 2.79

92.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 BZD 5.98

$2.90 BZD 5.80

3.10%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 BZD 8.17

$5.41 BZD 10.82

-24.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 BZD 5.38

$4.51 BZD 9.02

-40.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 BZD 4.53

$3.21 BZD 6.42

-29.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 BZD 3.05

$1.80 BZD 3.59

-15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 BZD 8.87

$4.44 BZD 8.88

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 BZD 19.14

$22.29 BZD 44.58

-57.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 BZD 4.95

$2.25 BZD 4.50

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 BZD 4.07

$2.47 BZD 4.94

-17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 BZD 7.90

$5.11 BZD 10.23

-22.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.36 BZD 44.73

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 BZD 9.69

$3.47 BZD 6.94

39.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 BZD 6.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 BZD 9.71

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 BZD 5.04

$3.09 BZD 6.17

-18.45%

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

$10.3K BZD 20.6K

$10.6K BZD 21.1K

-2.36%

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

$21.2K BZD 42.4K

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

$379 BZD 758

$204 BZD 407

86.02%

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

$48.95 BZD 97.9

$35.62 BZD 71.3

37.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.07 BZD 54.2

$75.4 BZD 151

-64.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.11 BZD 50.2

$34.93 BZD 69.9

-28.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.50 BZD 5.00

$13.74 BZD 27.47

-81.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 BZD 10.04

$11.89 BZD 23.78

-57.78%

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

$63.7 BZD 127

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$663 BZD 1,326

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.97 BZD 66.0

$74.9 BZD 150

-55.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.36 BZD 50.7

$60.6 BZD 121

-58.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.73 BZD 75.5

$152 BZD 305

-75.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.78 BZD 75.6

$49.27 BZD 98.6

-23.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 BZD 679

$1,018 BZD 2,037

-66.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 BZD 377

$754 BZD 1,507

-74.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 BZD 1,110

$776 BZD 1,552

-28.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 BZD 655

$1,244 BZD 2,489

-73.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$845 BZD 1,690

$2,001 BZD 4,004

-57.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

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

Last update for Belize City: October 19, 2026

Last update for Caye Caulker: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belize City

$455 37.1%

Caye Caulker

$315 16.6% 30.8% $140

Groceries & Markets

Belize City

$315 25.7%

Caye Caulker

$381 20.1% 20.9% $66

Accommodation & Living

Belize City

$188 15.4%

Caye Caulker

$754 39.8% 300% $565

Eating Out

Belize City

$153 12.5%

Caye Caulker

$174 9.2% 13.7% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Belize City

$60 4.9%

Caye Caulker

$152 8% 152% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Belize City

$35 2.9%

Caye Caulker

$59 3.1% 67% $24

Getting Around

Belize City

$21 * 1.7%

Caye Caulker

$62 3.3% 199% $41

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 $339 in Belize City and $1,018 in Caye Caulker. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caye Caulker pays 137% 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: $51.0 in Belize City vs $32.00 in Caye Caulker. Groceries flip the comparison at $315 vs $381, with Belize City cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇧🇿 Belize City

🇧🇿 Caye Caulker

🕒 Local time

07:24 7:24 AM

Same time as Belize City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

63,999

2,729

💱 Currency

Belize Dollar BZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BZD = 0.5 USD

1 BZD = 0.445 EUR

1 BZD = 0.5 USD

1 BZD = 0.445 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Belize City Caye Caulker 33 km

From you

Belize City
Caye Caulker

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 Caye Caulker: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belize City wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Caye Caulker. 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 137% lower in Caye Caulker. 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: $339 in Belize City versus $1,018 in Caye Caulker. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Belize City versus $1,895 in Caye Caulker – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Caye Caulker. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,227 in Belize City versus $1,895 in Caye Caulker, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Belize City but tight or insufficient in Caye Caulker. 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.

Safety-wise, Belize City and Caye Caulker are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Belize City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Caye Caulker. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.