Cost of Living Comparison Between Belize and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Belize and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $565 in Belize versus $2,643 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $818 in Belize versus $3,857 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,070 in Belize versus $5,070 in United States.

Living in Belize costs about 79% less than in United States on average.

Belize (58% below) and United States (97% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.16 BZD 18.31

$20.04 $20.04

-54.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.25 BZD 66.5

$76.0 $76.0

-56.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BZD 15.12

$11.42 $11.42

-33.80%

Cappuccino

$3.59 BZD 7.18

$5.39 $5.39

-33.40%

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

$1.24 BZD 2.48

$2.55 $2.55

-51.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 BZD 2.44

$2.04 $2.04

-40.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 BZD 4.90

$6.14 $6.14

-60.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 BZD 7.98

$7.18 $7.18

-44.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 BZD 5.67

$1.04 $1.04

172.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 BZD 2.91

$3.65 $3.65

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 BZD 5.40

$4.73 $4.73

-42.92%

Eggs

$2.34 BZD 4.69

$4.38 $4.38

-46.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 BZD 18.47

$12.76 $12.76

-27.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 BZD 12.66

$12.42 $12.42

-49.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 BZD 13.77

$16.41 $16.41

-58.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 BZD 11.29

$5.42 $5.42

4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 BZD 2.18

$1.65 $1.65

-33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 BZD 3.43

$4.59 $4.59

-62.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 BZD 6.28

$4.91 $4.91

-36.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 BZD 5.84

$2.92 $2.92

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 BZD 5.07

$3.13 $3.13

-19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 BZD 5.60

$2.26 $2.26

23.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BZD 2.29

$2.30 $2.30

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 BZD 9.90

$9.89 $9.89

-49.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 BZD 30.06

$15.10 $15.10

-0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 BZD 3.96

$1.91 $1.91

3.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 BZD 5.41

$3.66 $3.66

-25.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 BZD 4.03

$2.48 $2.48

-18.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.53 BZD 43.06

$64.8 $64.8

-66.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 BZD 7.09

$3.84 $3.84

-7.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 BZD 6.86

$1.76 $1.76

94.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.03 BZD 20.06

$30.58 $30.58

-67.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 BZD 3.59

$0.96 $0.96

86.46%

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

$10.5K BZD 21.1K

$30.5K $30.5K

-65.45%

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

$21.4K BZD 42.9K

$26.4K $26.4K

-18.75%

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

$132 BZD 263

$204 $204

-35.55%

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

$49.98 BZD 100.0

$57.3 $57.3

-12.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 BZD 115

$71.2 $71.2

-19.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.82 BZD 69.7

$46.67 $46.67

-25.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 BZD 12.87

$22.12 $22.12

-70.93%

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 BZD 20.50

$13.84 $13.84

-25.94%

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

$64.5 BZD 129

$1,384 $1,384

-95.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$672 BZD 1,344

$22.7K $22.7K

-97.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.31 BZD 72.6

$53.0 $53.0

-31.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.65 BZD 53.3

$43.17 $43.17

-38.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 BZD 175

$90.6 $90.6

-3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 BZD 138

$114 $114

-39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 BZD 839

$1,766 $1,766

-76.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 BZD 710

$1,459 $1,459

-75.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 BZD 1,380

$2,832 $2,832

-75.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 BZD 1,273

$2,411 $2,411

-73.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,439 BZD 2,878

$3,287 $3,287

-56.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,583 BZD 3,165

$2,650 $2,650

-40.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,137 BZD 2,275

$4,379 $4,379

-74.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.83

6.51

112.44%

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

Last update for Belize: June 1, 2026

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $269 in Belize, $1,637 in United States. Capital cities: $453 in Belmopan vs $2,591 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $1,391 in Belize, $4,500 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 509% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 356% more in United States.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 224% higher in United States, giving Belize stronger purchasing power.

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 vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $947 per month in Belize and $3,212 in United States, there's a 239% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Belize is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States beats Belize across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Belize, $3,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Belize wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.