Make Your Move and Turn Your Retirement Dream into a Reality.
Paradise is more affordable than you think!
One of the key benefits for ex-pats who decide to retire in Belize is the country’s Qualified Retirement Program. Created to facilitate eligible retirees who have met the income requirements to live and retire in Belize, the Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) requires pensioners or recipients of annuities who are 45 years or older to make monthly deposits of USD $2,000 in a Belizean bank, credit union, or licensed financial institution. Members of this program receive remarkable duty exemptions on personal and household items, including 1 personal boat, 1 small aircraft, and 1 personal vehicle. In addition to this, members of the QRP are exempted from all taxes and duties on income from sources outside of Belize, capital gains tax, and inheritance tax.
For those considering permanently moving to Belize, one of the main concerns would be finding a home to either purchase or rent. In Belize, the cost of property varies greatly from area to area. A retiree can purchase a small home in a rural area for as little as USD $40,000, or maybe even with the right deal. Similarly, retirees can purchase several acres of land in rural areas and build homes for as little as USD $100,000. However, in destinations such as Placencia and San Pedro, which are popular among ex-pats, the cost of a property can exceed USD $500,000. When it comes to renting, the dynamics are similar. In certain rural areas, houses can be rented for as little as USD $500 monthly, while units in Placencia or San Pedro can cost around USD $1,500 or more. Between these extremes, there is a wide range of prices to suit almost any budget.
In comparison to larger nations such as the United States, Belize is not a very materialistic or consumerist society. There aren’t many large department stores to buy unnecessary items and the local lifestyle tends to be more laid-back. Many people use bicycles, scooters, and motorbikes as their primary means of transportation. Because of this, retirees can expect to see huge savings, particularly those retirees from first-world nations. One area where retirees can expect to see significant savings is when it comes to the cost of groceries. While there are certainly expensive imported products to be found in stores, there are many local products, such as fresh local produce, juice, poultry, beer, rum, and so forth that cost significantly less than they do in the United States. If you do not mind cooking, groceries can cost as little as USD $75-$100 weekly at the low end. In terms of utilities, internet services start at around USD $35 for speeds of around 30 Mbps. The electricity rate is USD $0.223 per kilowatt-hour, which makes it higher than rates in North America and much of Europe, but still lower than the Caribbean regional rate. Water rates vary across the country, but in most places, monthly water bills can be kept between U.S. $30-$50 for the average household. The cost of Cable TV starts at approximately USD $35 per month and includes hundreds of U.S. channels, including premium channels such as Starz, Showtime, HBO, and ESPN, among others.
Healthcare in Belize is extremely inexpensive in comparison with the United States and other first-world nations. A doctor’s visit in Belize can be scheduled for as little as USD $30. Also, vital medications, such as insulin, for example, is available for only a fraction of what it costs in the United States. However, the lower cost of healthcare in Belize is somewhat offset by the lack of advanced procedures and treatments. Fortunately, Belize’s ideal location offers close proximity to large cities in Mexico and Guatemala where more advanced medical treatments and procedures are available.
Ultimately, the decision to move to Belize will depend on personal preferences and lifestyle choices. By purchasing local, fresh products and enjoying a more relaxed, less consumerist lifestyle, one can benefit from significant savings and an exceptional quality of life in Belize.
Whether you seek luxurious beachfront living, a budget lifestyle in a small town, or a secluded jungle escape, the best version of those golden years can be found in Belize. Here, we invite you to embrace real estate opportunities complete with stunning vistas and affordable price tags, making your retirement dreams a reality.
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information and updates on new listings, price reductions, tips on where and when to invest, investment returns and other news of interest.
Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
_GRECAPTCHA | 5 months 27 days | This cookie is set by the Google recaptcha service to identify bots to protect the website against malicious spam attacks. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement | 1 year | Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
elementor | never | This cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time. |
PHPSESSID | session | This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed. |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
bcookie | 2 years | LinkedIn sets this cookie from LinkedIn share buttons and ad tags to recognize browser ID. |
bscookie | 2 years | LinkedIn sets this cookie to store performed actions on the website. |
lang | session | LinkedIn sets this cookie to remember a user's language setting. |
lidc | 1 day | LinkedIn sets the lidc cookie to facilitate data center selection. |
UserMatchHistory | 1 month | LinkedIn sets this cookie for LinkedIn Ads ID syncing. |
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
_ga | 2 years | The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. |
_ga_3SY1MY0381 | 2 years | This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. |
_gat_gtag_UA_70667891_1 | 1 minute | Set by Google to distinguish users. |
_gcl_au | 3 months | Provided by Google Tag Manager to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services. |
_gid | 1 day | Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. |
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
_fbp | 3 months | This cookie is set by Facebook to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising, after visiting the website. |
fr | 3 months | Facebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin. |
personalization_id | 2 years | Twitter sets this cookie to integrate and share features for social media and also store information about how the user uses the website, for tracking and targeting. |
test_cookie | 15 minutes | The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. |
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
AnalyticsSyncHistory | 1 month | No description |
CookieLawInfoConsent | 1 year | No description |
li_gc | 2 years | No description |