Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Caye Caulker and San Ignacio

For one person, living is cheaper in San Ignacio: $982 a month against $1,895 in Caye Caulker, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities 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

$1,895

/mo nomad

San Ignacio

🇧🇿 Belize

$982

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Caye Caulker and in San Ignacio

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 San Ignacio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,895 per month in Caye Caulker vs $982 in San Ignacio, rent included.

Caye Caulker $1,895
San Ignacio $982

A couple spends around $2,731 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,270 in San Ignacio, rent included.

Caye Caulker $2,731
San Ignacio $1,270

A family of three spends $3,567 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,558 in San Ignacio, rent included.

Caye Caulker $3,567
San Ignacio $1,558

Caye Caulker costs about 93% more than San Ignacio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Caye Caulker sits 40% above the global median, while San Ignacio is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 BZD 16.69

$15.17 BZD 30.34

-45.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.40 BZD 64.8

$44.66 BZD 89.3

-27.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 BZD 14.63

Cappuccino

$4.07 BZD 8.13

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

$1.46 BZD 2.93

$1.03 BZD 2.05

41.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BZD 3.41

$0.97 BZD 1.95

75.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 BZD 5.98

$2.92 BZD 5.84

2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 BZD 8.77

$3.91 BZD 7.81

12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.96 BZD 5.92

$8.16 BZD 16.32

-63.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 BZD 3.57

$2.56 BZD 5.11

-30.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 BZD 8.74

Eggs

$4.09 BZD 8.18

$4.88 BZD 9.77

-16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 BZD 22.00

$15.12 BZD 30.25

-27.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 BZD 15.39

$3.76 BZD 7.51

104.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 BZD 26.68

Apples (1kg)

$8.28 BZD 16.57

$4.86 BZD 9.72

70.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 BZD 2.16

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 BZD 2.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 BZD 5.80

$2.92 BZD 5.85

-0.68%

Potato (1kg)

$5.41 BZD 10.82

$1.52 BZD 3.03

255.92%

Onion (1kg)

$4.51 BZD 9.02

$1.52 BZD 3.05

196.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 BZD 6.42

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 BZD 3.59

$1.01 BZD 2.03

78.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 BZD 8.88

Wine (Bottle)

$22.29 BZD 44.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 BZD 4.50

$1.52 BZD 3.04

48.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 BZD 4.94

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.11 BZD 10.23

$2.02 BZD 4.04

152.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.36 BZD 44.73

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 BZD 6.94

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 BZD 6.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 BZD 9.71

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.09 BZD 6.17

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

$10.6K BZD 21.1K

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

$21.2K BZD 42.4K

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

$204 BZD 407

$70.4 BZD 141

189.20%

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

$35.62 BZD 71.3

$150 BZD 300

-76.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 BZD 151

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.93 BZD 69.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.74 BZD 27.47

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 BZD 23.78

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 BZD 150

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 BZD 121

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 BZD 305

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.27 BZD 98.6

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 BZD 2,037

$608 BZD 1,216

67.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 BZD 1,507

$344 BZD 689

118.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 BZD 1,552

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 BZD 2,489

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,001 BZD 4,004

$989 BZD 1,977

102.47%

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

Last update for Caye Caulker: October 19, 2026

Last update for San Ignacio: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Caye Caulker

$754 39.8%

San Ignacio

–

Groceries & Markets

Caye Caulker

$381 20.1%

San Ignacio

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Caye Caulker

$315 16.6%

San Ignacio

–

Eating Out

Caye Caulker

$174 9.2%

San Ignacio

–

Clothing & Footwear

Caye Caulker

$152 8%

San Ignacio

–

Getting Around

Caye Caulker

$62 3.3%

San Ignacio

–

Sport & Entertainment

Caye Caulker

$59 3.1%

San Ignacio

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Caye Caulker versus $608 in San Ignacio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 102% higher in Caye Caulker, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Caye Caulker versus $45.00 in San Ignacio. Groceries tell a different story – $381 in Caye Caulker vs $257 in San Ignacio – so San Ignacio wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇿 Caye Caulker

🇧🇿 San Ignacio

🕒 Local time

05:39 5:39 AM

Same time as Caye Caulker

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,729

17,878

💱 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 San Ignacio 130 km

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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 San Ignacio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caye Caulker costs about 93% more than San Ignacio, 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 $2,843 per month in Caye Caulker and $1,472 in San Ignacio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Ignacio, 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 $1,895 in Caye Caulker and $982 in San Ignacio. That's a gap of about 93%.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 San Ignacio, where all-in costs run around $982, than in Caye Caulker at $1,895. In San Ignacio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caye Caulker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Ignacio – 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 San Ignacio. 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.