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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,138 per month in Belmopan vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,612 per month in Belmopan vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,086 per month in Belmopan vs $2,167 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 15% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 BZD 9.72

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-21.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.79 BZD 33.58

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-48.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 BZD 14.52

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$4.42 BZD 8.83

$1.72 COP 5,600

156.98%

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

$0.78 BZD 1.55

$1.05 COP 3,420

-25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 BZD 0.95

$0.77 COP 2,515

-37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 BZD 2.92

$1.69 COP 5,488

-13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 BZD 4.41

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-30.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BZD 4.02

$1.05 COP 3,423

91.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 BZD 3.20

$1.30 COP 4,236

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 BZD 3.33

$1.40 COP 4,544

18.57%

Eggs

$1.89 BZD 3.77

$2.16 COP 7,047

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 BZD 18.06

$4.39 COP 14.3K

105.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 BZD 13.46

$5.88 COP 19.1K

14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 BZD 24.07

$8.64 COP 28.1K

39.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 BZD 2.16

$1.11 COP 3,604

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 BZD 4.45

$1.53 COP 4,983

45.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 BZD 10.77

$1.35 COP 4,410

299.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 BZD 3.02

$0.91 COP 2,975

65.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

Wine (Bottle)

$17.24 BZD 34.49

$12.37 COP 40.3K

39.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 BZD 4.60

$1.20 COP 3,909

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BZD 4.56

$2.49 COP 8,104

-8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 BZD 8.05

$0.84 COP 2,728

379.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 BZD 6.03

$1.42 COP 4,623

111.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 BZD 5.87

$1.92 COP 6,235

53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 BZD 3.52

$0.99 COP 3,223

77.78%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$148 BZD 296

$80.8 COP 263.1K

83.21%

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

$50.6 BZD 101

$9.95 COP 32.4K

408.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.36 BZD 72.7

$24.18 COP 78.7K

50.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 BZD 89.6

$25.08 COP 81.7K

78.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 BZD 17.99

$3.98 COP 13.0K

125.88%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.37 BZD 78.8

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-32.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.21 BZD 44.43

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-31.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.17 BZD 98.4

$101 COP 327.9K

-51.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 BZD 125

$108 COP 350.8K

-41.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 BZD 893

$477 COP 1.6M

-6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BZD 640

$376 COP 1.2M

-14.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 BZD 1,090

$730 COP 2.4M

-25.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 in Belmopan versus $477 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 $193 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: $1,138 in Belmopan, $1,031 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 $1,707 per month in Belmopan and $1,546 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 $1,138 in Belmopan and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Belmopan at $1,138. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,138 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.