Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belize and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Belize: $1,558 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Belize
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Belize Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇧🇿 Belize

$1,558

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belize and in the United States

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,558 in Belize versus $2,734 in the United States.

Belize $1,558
United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Belize versus $3,985 in the United States.

Belize $2,204
United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,851 in Belize versus $5,235 in the United States.

Belize $2,851
United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $18–$1,884 in Belize. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Belize costs about 43% less than in the United States on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Belize 14% above, the United States 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.16 BZD 18.32

$20.03 $20.03

-54.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.78 BZD 81.6

$80.0 $80.0

-49.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 BZD 20.32

$11.80 $11.80

-13.90%

Cappuccino

$4.12 BZD 8.23

$5.55 $5.55

-25.77%

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

$1.41 BZD 2.82

$2.66 $2.66

-46.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 BZD 2.95

$2.17 $2.17

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 BZD 5.16

$6.12 $6.12

-57.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 BZD 7.88

$7.94 $7.94

-50.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.16 BZD 8.32

$1.04 $1.04

300.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 BZD 4.12

$3.59 $3.59

-42.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 BZD 7.69

$4.52 $4.52

-15.04%

Eggs

$2.94 BZD 5.88

$4.28 $4.28

-31.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 BZD 21.99

$13.22 $13.22

-16.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.67 BZD 17.34

$12.60 $12.60

-31.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 BZD 20.69

$17.60 $17.60

-41.25%

Apples (1kg)

$6.36 BZD 12.72

$5.30 $5.30

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 BZD 3.01

$1.69 $1.69

-11.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 BZD 5.10

$4.44 $4.44

-42.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 BZD 9.66

$4.77 $4.77

1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$5.11 BZD 10.21

$2.97 $2.97

72.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.56 BZD 7.13

$3.15 $3.15

13.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 BZD 5.55

$2.20 $2.20

25.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 BZD 2.92

$2.35 $2.35

-37.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 BZD 8.75

$10.98 $10.98

-60.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 BZD 29.79

$15.05 $15.05

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 BZD 4.15

$2.06 $2.06

0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 BZD 5.20

$3.79 $3.79

-31.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 BZD 7.87

$1.94 $1.94

102.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.60 BZD 45.21

$59.4 $59.4

-61.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 BZD 7.15

$3.58 $3.58

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.10 BZD 8.21

$1.88 $1.88

118.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 BZD 10.07

$29.84 $29.84

-83.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 BZD 4.37

$1.02 $1.02

114.71%

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

$10.5K BZD 21.1K

$28.8K $28.8K

-63.39%

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

$21.0K BZD 41.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-19.99%

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

$155 BZD 309

$218 $218

-29.06%

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

$48.81 BZD 97.6

$62.5 $62.5

-21.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 BZD 126

$74.5 $74.5

-15.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.61 BZD 69.2

$41.86 $41.86

-17.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.24 BZD 12.47

$22.81 $22.81

-72.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.76 BZD 17.52

$14.70 $14.70

-40.41%

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

$63.7 BZD 127

$1,489 $1,489

-95.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$677 BZD 1,353

$25.3K $25.3K

-97.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 BZD 109

$54.3 $54.3

0.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 BZD 86.5

$42.71 $42.71

1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 BZD 205

$94.1 $94.1

9.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.92 BZD 87.8

$114 $114

-61.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 BZD 1,136

$1,659 $1,659

-65.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 BZD 1,026

$1,348 $1,348

-61.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 BZD 2,342

$2,682 $2,682

-56.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 BZD 1,261

$2,169 $2,169

-70.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,705 BZD 5,410

$3,283 $3,283

-17.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,635 BZD 3,271

$2,482 $2,482

-34.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,100 BZD 2,199

$4,296 $4,296

-74.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

6.55

75.57%

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

Last update for Belize: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Belize

$513 32.9%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 163% $834

Groceries & Markets

Belize

$368 23.6%

United States

$415 15.2% 12.8% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belize

$266 17.1%

United States

$355 13% 33.2% $88

Eating Out

Belize

$185 11.9%

United States

$328 12% 76.9% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Belize

$110 7.1%

United States

$137 5% 24.7% $27

Getting Around

Belize

$62 4%

United States

$80 2.9% 28.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Belize

$52 3.4%

United States

$71 2.6% 36.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $662 in Belize, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $446 in Belmopan vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $1,278 in Belize, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 145% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 97% more in the United States.

Public transport is 186% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 3.6 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇧🇿 Belize

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

01:35 1:35 AM

03:35 3:35 AM

2 h ahead of Belize

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

411,106

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Belize Dollar BZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BZD = 0.5 USD

1 BZD = 0.449 EUR

1 USD = 0.899 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2 BZD (1 BZD = 0.5 USD). 1 EUR = 2.23 BZD (1 BZD = 0.449 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

USD to BZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Belize United States 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Belize
United States

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 vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,558 per month in Belize and $2,734 in the United States, there’s a 76% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Belize: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $662 in Belize. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Belize, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and 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; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.