Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Caye Caulker and Placencia

For one person, living is cheaper in Placencia: $1,373 a month against $1,882 in Caye Caulker, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Caye Caulker
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Caye Caulker Living Index

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Caye Caulker

🇧🇿 Belize

$1,882

/mo nomad

Placencia

🇧🇿 Belize

$1,373

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Caye Caulker and in Placencia

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

A single person spends $1,882 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,373 in Placencia, rent included.

Caye Caulker $1,882
Placencia $1,373

A couple spends around $2,735 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,529 in Placencia, rent included.

Caye Caulker $2,735
Placencia $1,529

A family of three spends $3,588 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,685 in Placencia, rent included.

Caye Caulker $3,588
Placencia $1,685

Caye Caulker costs about 37% more than Placencia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Caye Caulker and Placencia sit above the global median – Caye Caulker by 39%, Placencia by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.55 BZD 17.10

$14.33 BZD 28.66

-40.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.59 BZD 67.2

$62.3 BZD 125

-46.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 BZD 14.82

$11.92 BZD 23.84

-37.84%

Cappuccino

$3.96 BZD 7.92

$4.11 BZD 8.22

-3.65%

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

$1.54 BZD 3.09

$1.02 BZD 2.03

50.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BZD 3.46

$0.49 BZD 0.97

253.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 BZD 6.08

$2.54 BZD 5.08

19.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 BZD 8.76

$3.08 BZD 6.16

42.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 BZD 6.08

$3.45 BZD 6.91

-11.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 BZD 3.73

$3.27 BZD 6.53

-42.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 BZD 8.89

$2.17 BZD 4.34

104.61%

Eggs

$4.10 BZD 8.19

$2.51 BZD 5.03

63.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 BZD 21.80

$29.82 BZD 59.6

-63.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 BZD 15.75

$10.81 BZD 21.63

-27.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 BZD 26.68

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 BZD 17.01

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 BZD 2.23

$1.34 BZD 2.69

-16.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 BZD 2.68

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 BZD 5.81

Potato (1kg)

$5.59 BZD 11.18

Onion (1kg)

$4.50 BZD 9.01

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 BZD 6.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 BZD 3.55

$1.02 BZD 2.04

74.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 BZD 8.89

Wine (Bottle)

$22.34 BZD 44.69

$15.28 BZD 30.57

46.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 BZD 4.53

$1.74 BZD 3.49

29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 BZD 4.89

$2.96 BZD 5.91

-17.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.12 BZD 10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.57 BZD 45.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 BZD 7.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 BZD 6.18

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 BZD 9.97

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.98 BZD 5.97

$1.81 BZD 3.61

64.64%

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

$10.5K BZD 21.1K

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

$21.4K BZD 42.8K

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

$204 BZD 407

$91.9 BZD 184

121.61%

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

$34.98 BZD 70.0

$49.21 BZD 98.4

-28.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 BZD 151

$70.8 BZD 142

6.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.43 BZD 70.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.82 BZD 27.64

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 BZD 23.70

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 BZD 149

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 BZD 122

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 BZD 303

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.95 BZD 99.9

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 BZD 2,008

$1,112 BZD 2,225

-9.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 BZD 1,471

$641 BZD 1,282

14.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 BZD 1,547

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 BZD 2,493

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 BZD 4,041

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

Last update for Caye Caulker: October 11, 2026

Last update for Placencia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Caye Caulker

$735 39.1%

Placencia

–

Groceries & Markets

Caye Caulker

$385 20.5%

Placencia

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Caye Caulker

$314 16.7%

Placencia

–

Eating Out

Caye Caulker

$175 9.3%

Placencia

–

Clothing & Footwear

Caye Caulker

$152 8.1%

Placencia

–

Getting Around

Caye Caulker

$62 3.3%

Placencia

–

Sport & Entertainment

Caye Caulker

$59 3.1%

Placencia

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,004 in Caye Caulker versus $1,112 in Placencia. 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 $34.00 in Caye Caulker versus $62.0 in Placencia. Groceries tell a different story – $385 in Caye Caulker vs $295 in Placencia – so Placencia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇿 Caye Caulker

🇧🇿 Placencia

🕒 Local time

23:11 11:11 PM

Same time as Caye Caulker

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,729

4,300

💱 Currency

Belize Dollar BZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BZD = 0.5 USD

1 BZD = 0.445 EUR

1 BZD = 0.5 USD

1 BZD = 0.445 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Caye Caulker Placencia 140 km

From you

Caye Caulker
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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

Caye Caulker vs Placencia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caye Caulker costs about 37% more than Placencia, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,823 per month in Caye Caulker and $2,059 in Placencia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,882 in Caye Caulker and $1,373 in Placencia. That's a gap of about 37%.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Caye Caulker, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Placencia, where all-in costs run around $1,373, than in Caye Caulker at $1,882. In Placencia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caye Caulker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Placencia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Placencia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caye Caulker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.