Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belize City and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Belize City: $1,236 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Belize City, Belize
Lisbon, Portugal
Belize City
🇧🇿 Belize
$1,236
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belize City and in Lisbon

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,236 in Belize City versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Belize City $1,236
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,798 in Belize City versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Belize City $1,798
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,360 in Belize City versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Belize City $2,360
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Belize City costs roughly 44% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belize City is 9% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.40 BZD 12.81
$16.65 €14.91
-61.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.73 BZD 99.5
$61.7 €55.3
-19.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.65 BZD 19.30
$11.36 €10.17
-15.05%
Cappuccino
$3.59 BZD 7.17
$2.97 €2.66
20.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 BZD 3.44
$2.29 €2.05
-24.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 BZD 2.83
$1.74 €1.56
-18.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 BZD 5.17
$3.40 €3.05
-23.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 BZD 6.13
$3.31 €2.96
-7.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.68 BZD 7.36
$1.16 €1.04
217.24%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 BZD 5.03
$1.91 €1.71
31.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.45 BZD 6.91
$1.51 €1.35
128.48%
Eggs
$3.65 BZD 7.30
$4.02 €3.60
-9.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.54 BZD 13.08
$12.94 €11.59
-49.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.80 BZD 19.61
$7.77 €6.96
26.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 BZD 18.22
$17.76 €15.91
-48.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 BZD 5.39
$2.30 €2.06
17.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 BZD 3.70
$1.73 €1.55
6.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 BZD 5.40
$1.86 €1.66
45.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.01 BZD 6.02
$2.59 €2.32
16.22%
Potato (1kg)
$4.06 BZD 8.12
$1.82 €1.63
123.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.76 BZD 5.52
$1.97 €1.76
40.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 BZD 4.55
$1.47 €1.32
54.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 BZD 3.16
$0.72 €0.65
119.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.52 BZD 9.05
$6.58 €5.90
-31.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.93 BZD 19.87
$5.61 €5.02
77.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.38 BZD 4.76
$1.36 €1.22
75.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 BZD 4.04
$2.14 €1.91
-5.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.03 BZD 8.06
$2.33 €2.09
72.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.01
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.92 BZD 9.85
$3.85 €3.45
27.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.07 €0.96
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.46 €14.74
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.49 BZD 4.98
$2.20 €1.97
13.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$10.7K BZD 21.4K
$34.2K €30.6K
-68.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$38.7K €34.7K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$376 BZD 753
$161 €144
133.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$50.3 BZD 101
$18.41 €16.49
172.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.00 BZD 54.0
$32.74 €29.32
-17.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.75 BZD 49.51
$44.55 €39.90
-44.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.45 BZD 4.89
$19.10 €17.10
-87.17%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 BZD 10.15
$9.60 €8.60
-47.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$65.5 BZD 131
$668 €598
-90.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$684 BZD 1,369
$17.6K €15.8K
-96.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.81 BZD 65.6
$102 €91.4
-67.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.95 BZD 49.90
$44.46 €39.82
-43.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$37.57 BZD 75.2
$98.5 €88.2
-61.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$37.85 BZD 75.7
$124 €111
-69.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$344 BZD 687
$1,608 €1,440
-78.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$193 BZD 386
$1,190 €1,066
-83.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$563 BZD 1,127
$2,812 €2,519
-79.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$321 BZD 641
$2,013 €1,803
-84.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,839 €7,021
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,576 €4,098
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belize City
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$849 BZD 1,698
$1,575 €1,411
-46.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.5
3.85
198.70%

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

Last update for Belize City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belize City
$454
Lisbon
$212 53.2% $241
Groceries & Markets
Belize City
$318
Lisbon
$272 14.4% $46
Accommodation & Living
Belize City
$193
Lisbon
$1.2K 516% $997
Eating Out
Belize City
$155
Lisbon
$243 56.7% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Belize City
$60
Lisbon
$166 177% $106
Sport & Entertainment
Belize City
$35
Lisbon
$64 82.6% $29
Getting Around
Belize City
$21 *
Lisbon
$63 200% $42

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 $344 in Belize City and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 86% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $50 in Belize City vs $62 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $272, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇧🇿 Belize City
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
12:57 12:57 PM
18:57 6:57 PM
6 h ahead of Belize City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
63,999
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to BZD – Belize Dollar Converter

Belize Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2 BZD (1 BZD = 0.5 USD). 1 EUR = 2.23 BZD (1 BZD = 0.448 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belize City Lisbon 7,870 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Belize City
  • Lisbon

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Belize City or Lisbon?
Belize City wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Belize City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Belize City or in Lisbon?
On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Belize City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Belize City compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $344 in Belize City versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Belize City or in Lisbon?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Belize City compared to Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $1,236 per month in Belize City versus $2,210 in Lisbon – Belize City is about 44% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Belize City or in Lisbon?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Belize City is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Belize City or Lisbon?
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.
Should I move to Belize City or to Lisbon?
It comes down to priorities – Belize City wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Belize City vs other spots: cost of living compared

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