Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Belize City

For one person, living is cheaper in Belize City: $1,218 a month against $2,003 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,003
/mo nomad
Belize City
🇧🇿 Belize
$1,218
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Belize City

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,003 in Montreal versus $1,218 in Belize City.

  • Montreal $2,003
  • Belize City $1,218

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,048 in Montreal versus $1,805 in Belize City.

  • Montreal $3,048
  • Belize City $1,805

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,092 in Montreal versus $2,391 in Belize City.

  • Montreal $4,092
  • Belize City $2,391

Living in Montreal is roughly 64% more expensive than in Belize City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montreal is 49% above, Belize City is 9% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.31 CA$27.52
$6.34 BZD 12.67
204.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.5 CA$108
$49.01 BZD 98.0
54.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.63 CA$15.15
$9.56 BZD 19.12
11.19%
Cappuccino
$3.93 CA$5.60
$3.52 BZD 7.04
11.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.73
$1.67 BZD 3.33
14.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 CA$2.11
$1.40 BZD 2.80
5.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.30 CA$8.98
$2.53 BZD 5.05
149.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 CA$10.24
$2.96 BZD 5.92
142.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 CA$3.17
$3.71 BZD 7.43
-40.16%
White Bread (500g)
$3.06 CA$4.36
$2.49 BZD 4.98
22.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.94 CA$4.19
$3.39 BZD 6.79
-13.27%
Eggs
$3.53 CA$5.03
$3.54 BZD 7.08
-0.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.19 CA$18.79
$6.61 BZD 13.23
99.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.24 CA$16.02
$9.69 BZD 19.38
16.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.81 CA$19.69
$9.02 BZD 18.04
53.10%
Apples (1kg)
$3.40 CA$4.85
$2.79 BZD 5.58
21.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.06
$1.83 BZD 3.66
-21.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 CA$4.65
$2.79 BZD 5.57
16.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 CA$4.10
$2.95 BZD 5.90
-2.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 CA$2.65
$4.14 BZD 8.28
-55.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 CA$2.60
$2.82 BZD 5.65
-35.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 CA$3.46
$2.32 BZD 4.64
4.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 CA$2.17
$1.53 BZD 3.05
-0.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.45 CA$16.32
$4.56 BZD 9.11
151.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.36 CA$14.76
$9.72 BZD 19.44
6.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 CA$3.16
$2.40 BZD 4.81
-7.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$4.02
$2.13 BZD 4.25
32.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.58 CA$3.67
$4.04 BZD 8.07
-36.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.9 CA$110
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 CA$4.64
$5.06 BZD 10.12
-35.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.11
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.04 CA$47.09
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.94
$2.50 BZD 4.99
-45.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K CA$39.1K
$10.5K BZD 21.0K
161.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K CA$28.5K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.1 CA$109
$367 BZD 734
-79.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.68 CA$49.43
$49.86 BZD 99.7
-30.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.69 CA$60.9
$27.07 BZD 54.2
57.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.94 CA$41.26
$25.19 BZD 50.4
14.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.33 CA$28.97
$2.42 BZD 4.83
740.08%
Cinema Ticket
$11.21 CA$15.98
$4.88 BZD 9.76
129.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$505 CA$720
$65.3 BZD 131
673.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K CA$22.8K
$666 BZD 1,332
2304.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$83.4
$32.73 BZD 65.5
78.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.00 CA$54.2
$24.42 BZD 48.84
55.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.7 CA$132
$36.85 BZD 73.7
151.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 CA$151
$37.54 BZD 75.1
181.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,240 CA$1,768
$349 BZD 697
255.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$986 CA$1,405
$191 BZD 382
416.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 CA$2,996
$575 BZD 1,150
265.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,615 CA$2,302
$326 BZD 653
394.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,043 CA$7,188
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,830 CA$5,459
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Belize City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,920 CA$4,163
$845 BZD 1,691
245.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.46
11.5
-61.22%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Last update for Belize City: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$986
Belize City
$191 80.7% $795
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$344
Belize City
$317 7.7% $26
Eating Out
Montreal
$293
Belize City
$152 48% $140
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$154
Belize City
$444 189% $290
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Belize City
$59 55.4% $74
Getting Around
Montreal
$98
Belize City
$21 * 78.3% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$51
Belize City
$35 32% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,240 in Montreal and $349 in Belize City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 245% 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: $75.0 in Montreal vs $49.00 in Belize City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $317 per month, with Belize City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇧🇿 Belize City
🕒 Local time
10:15 10:15 AM
08:15 8:15 AM
2 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
63,999
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BZD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

Belize Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2 BZD (1 BZD = 0.5 USD). 1 EUR = 2.24 BZD (1 BZD = 0.446 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Belize City 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Belize City

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
Montreal vs Belize City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Belize City?
Belize City wins on cost – living expenses run 64% lower than in Montreal. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Belize City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Montreal or in Belize City?
Average pay runs 245% higher in Montreal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Montreal compared to Belize City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,240 in Montreal versus $349 in Belize City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in Belize City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Montreal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Montreal compared to Belize City?
All in, you'll spend $2,003 per month in Montreal versus $1,218 in Belize City – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Montreal or in Belize City?
At $1,218 in Belize City versus $2,003 in Montreal, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Belize City but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Belize City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Montreal or Belize City?
Both work as nomad bases, but Belize City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,218 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Belize City hard to pass up.
How safe is Montreal compared to Belize City?
Safety-wise, Montreal and Belize City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Belize City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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