Gates Carbon Drive vs single-speed chain, long term lifespan and maintenance I'm looking to get a new bike which will require the smallest amount of maintenance.

The bike will have an internally-geared hub and I have the choice of single speed chain or belt drive.

I have been looking at the Gates Carbon Drive and investigating maintenance costs:

A CDX belt is around 8 times more expensive than a chain where I live.
Also the chainring and rear sprocket are round 4 times more expensive.

What is the lifespan of a Gates belt against a Single Speed chain? I've looked up online but peoples opinions are conflicting. Some say in similar conditions a belt will have a similar lifespan, while others claim up to 10 times longer use.
What is the actual lifespan of a belt compared to a well maintained single speed chain in similar conditions?

I understand a belt drive is not maintenance free but much less than a chain.
If a belt can last 4 times longer than chain then I would consider this worth the investment.



Also is there an expected life difference between 11 speed and single speed chains? As comparison to my current bike.
On single sped vs. 11 speed chains. A SS chain should last a lot longer than a derailleur chain. SS chains will have wider side-plates and therefore larger bearing surfaces. The big difference is that SS chains are run with the chain ring and sprocket aligned. Derailleur chains spend most of their time being run with the chain ring and sprocket offset so the chain has to cope with lateral forces.