Cost of Living Comparison Between Belmopan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Belmopan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,116 per month in Belmopan vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,610 per month in Belmopan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,105 per month in Belmopan vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Belmopan costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Belmopan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Belmopan 17% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.68 BZD 9.37

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-21.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.86 BZD 33.73

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-48.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BZD 15.06

$7.09 COP 25.3K

6.21%

Cappuccino

$4.54 BZD 9.07

$1.71 COP 6,115

165.50%

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

$0.78 BZD 1.55

$1.10 COP 3,924

-29.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 BZD 1.04

$0.78 COP 2,781

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 BZD 2.90

$1.68 COP 5,997

-13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BZD 4.56

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-25.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 BZD 4.15

$1.09 COP 3,906

90.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 BZD 3.18

$1.26 COP 4,508

26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 BZD 3.31

$1.38 COP 4,922

20.29%

Eggs

$1.89 BZD 3.79

$2.19 COP 7,827

-13.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 BZD 17.25

$4.40 COP 15.7K

95.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 BZD 13.13

$5.63 COP 20.1K

16.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BZD 24.52

$8.89 COP 31.8K

37.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 BZD 2.25

$1.06 COP 3,777

6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 BZD 4.35

$1.50 COP 5,374

44.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 BZD 11.31

$1.38 COP 4,924

309.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 BZD 2.89

$0.84 COP 2,997

72.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 BZD 35.56

$10.64 COP 38.0K

67.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 BZD 4.44

$1.20 COP 4,284

85.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 BZD 4.40

$2.47 COP 8,824

-10.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 BZD 7.95

$0.86 COP 3,056

361.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 BZD 6.15

$1.47 COP 5,264

109.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 BZD 5.87

$1.96 COP 7,009

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 BZD 3.57

$0.95 COP 3,409

88.42%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$152 BZD 303

$82.3 COP 293.7K

84.22%

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

$50.8 BZD 102

$9.50 COP 33.9K

434.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.47 BZD 73.0

$24.23 COP 86.5K

50.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.07 BZD 88.2

$25.89 COP 92.4K

70.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 BZD 18.39

$3.93 COP 14.0K

133.84%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.52 BZD 79.1

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-32.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.11 BZD 44.23

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-31.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 BZD 100

$103 COP 366.4K

-51.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 BZD 126

$108 COP 387.2K

-41.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 BZD 906

$476 COP 1.7M

-4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 BZD 635

$379 COP 1.4M

-16.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 BZD 1,075

$724 COP 2.6M

-25.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Belmopan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Belmopan versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Belmopan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Belmopan vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Belmopan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,116 in Belmopan, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 10% apart. Belmopan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,674 per month in Belmopan and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Belmopan and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,116 in Belmopan and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Belmopan at $1,116. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belmopan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,116 in Belmopan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belmopan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.