Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Belize City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Belize City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,076 in Belize City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,657 in Belize City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,238 in Belize City.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Belize City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Belize City 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.34 BZD 12.67

-2.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$39.37 BZD 78.7

-17.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.87 BZD 11.75

25.04%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.69 BZD 7.38

-53.39%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.35 BZD 2.70

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.28 BZD 2.56

-39.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.22 BZD 4.43

-23.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.49 BZD 6.98

-9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$3.19 BZD 6.38

-67.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.27 BZD 2.54

2.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.24 BZD 4.48

-37.50%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.33 BZD 4.66

-7.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.17 BZD 14.35

-38.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.61 BZD 13.23

-11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.58 BZD 11.17

54.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.73 BZD 7.46

-38.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.45 BZD 2.91

-23.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.09 BZD 4.19

-26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.99 BZD 5.98

-54.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.99 BZD 5.98

-62.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.38 BZD 4.77

-52.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.16 BZD 4.32

-60.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.86 BZD 1.71

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.99 BZD 7.98

-41.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.09 BZD 20.18

22.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.79 BZD 3.57

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.26 BZD 6.51

-23.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.97 BZD 3.94

-57.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$20.17 BZD 40.34

101.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.09 BZD 8.18

-65.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.89 BZD 7.79

-50.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.87 BZD 3.75

-47.06%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$10.5K BZD 21.0K

71.95%

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)

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$209 BZD 417

-61.26%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$49.60 BZD 99.2

-79.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$54.1 BZD 108

-55.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$28.19 BZD 56.4

-11.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$2.52 BZD 5.04

659.92%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.28 BZD 16.57

-51.93%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$63.7 BZD 127

379.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$681 BZD 1,362

789.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$37.29 BZD 74.6

55.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.98 BZD 54.0

19.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$82.0 BZD 164

22.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$88.3 BZD 177

22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$278 BZD 556

71.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$180 BZD 360

108.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$612 BZD 1,225

37.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$353 BZD 705

107.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$197 BZD 394

1533.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,231 BZD 2,463

-49.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.83

-2.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Belize City: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $278 in Belize City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belize City pays 100% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Belize City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $253 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Medellin vs Belize City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Belize City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 100% lower in Belize City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $278 in Belize City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Belize City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $39.00 in Belize City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,076 in Belize City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Belize City. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Belize City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.