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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Belmopan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$4.68 BZDΒ 9.37
27.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.4K
$16.86 BZDΒ 33.73
94.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$7.53 BZDΒ 15.06
-5.84%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,115
$4.54 BZDΒ 9.07
-62.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,924
$0.78 BZDΒ 1.55
41.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,781
$0.52 BZDΒ 1.04
50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,997
$1.45 BZDΒ 2.90
15.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 11.0K
$2.28 BZDΒ 4.56
34.65%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,906
$2.08 BZDΒ 4.15
-47.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,508
$1.59 BZDΒ 3.18
-20.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,922
$1.66 BZDΒ 3.31
-16.87%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,827
$1.89 BZDΒ 3.79
15.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$8.62 BZDΒ 17.25
-48.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$6.56 BZDΒ 13.13
-14.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.8K
$12.26 BZDΒ 24.52
-27.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,349
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,777
$1.13 BZDΒ 2.25
-6.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,374
$2.17 BZDΒ 4.35
-30.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,924
$5.65 BZDΒ 11.31
-75.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,111
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,155
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,182
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,997
$1.45 BZDΒ 2.89
-42.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,145
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 38.0K
$17.78 BZDΒ 35.56
-40.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,284
$2.22 BZDΒ 4.44
-45.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,824
$2.20 BZDΒ 4.40
12.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,056
$3.97 BZDΒ 7.95
-78.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,264
$3.08 BZDΒ 6.15
-52.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 7,009
$2.94 BZDΒ 5.87
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,409
$1.79 BZDΒ 3.57
-46.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.7M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.6M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.7K
$152 BZDΒ 303
-45.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$50.8 BZDΒ 102
-81.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.5K
$36.47 BZDΒ 73.0
-33.56%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.4K
$44.07 BZDΒ 88.2
-41.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$9.19 BZDΒ 18.39
-57.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
-
-
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.5K
$39.52 BZDΒ 79.1
48.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.5K
$22.11 BZDΒ 44.23
46.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 366.4K
$50.1 BZDΒ 100
105.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 387.2K
$62.9 BZDΒ 126
72.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$453 BZDΒ 906
5.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$317 BZDΒ 635
19.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$537 BZDΒ 1,075
34.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 10.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
-
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Belmopan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Belmopan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $453 in Belmopan. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Belmopan. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $258 in Belmopan – 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
Medellin vs Belmopan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and Belmopan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,116 in Belmopan – roughly 10% apart. Belmopan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Belmopan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,674 in Belmopan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Belmopan?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Belmopan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Belmopan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,116 in Belmopan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
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.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Belmopan?
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.
Is Medellin or Belmopan safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Medellin and Belmopan?
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.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities