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An International Living report • www.InternationalLiving.com

BELIZE

Find the Perfect RETIREMENT LOCATION

in…

Find the Perfect Retirement Location in…Belize

An International Living report

Designer: Lorie Drozdenko

Cover photo: ©Fotolia.com/Kara-Kotsya

©Creative Commons/Lara Danielle

© Copyright 2014. International Living Publishing Ltd., Elysium House, Ballytruckle, Waterford, Ireland. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without the express written consent of the publisher. The information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Registered in Ireland No. 285214.

1Find the Perfect Retirement Location in…Belize

WELCOME TO BELIZE

Want to live in the alluring Caribbean…but think that it’s way out of your price range? Don’t give up on your dream of a new life overseas just yet. We may have found just the place…where you can soak up

the Caribbean sun and live the relaxing life you’ve always dreamed of—for a lot less than you might imagine.

As a Caribbean destination, Belize is not only quite affordable, the country also offers some big advantages—economic stability, a strong retiree program, and a wonderful climate. Belize has a beautiful coastline, where people from all over the world come to enjoy the sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling diving, fishing, and sailing.

Moreover, Belize is an English-speaking country. If you feel you are ready to retire abroad but don’t want the hassle of having to learn a new language, Belize could be the ideal place for your second home or retirement destination, and the perfect place to start a business.

©IL/Jason Holland

2 Find the Perfect Retirement Location in…Belize

Belize is a beautiful little Central-American nation that draws people with a spirit for adventure. Attractions include the warm, English-speaking people, the natural beauty, and an air of freedom and opportunity. This is picture postcard Caribbean…divers, sailors, and anyone looking for an affordable way to enjoy total privacy are found among these cayes and islands.

To an increasing number of expats weary of regimented, rule-laden lives at home, free-wheeling, casual, affordable Belize has proved almost irresistible. Here, you are blissfully free from commuter crush, 24-hour news, and workaday stress. It’s a country where you can explore and develop, and there’s room to breathe, with a pervasive, heady sense that almost anything goes.

Belize has an unusual culture. It’s a land of Maya temples, seaside condos, jungle lodges, and colonial mansions. Though the predominant language is English, your next-door neighbors might speak Spanish, Creole, French, German, or any of a dozen other languages. Belize is a country where you can dine out on Mexican food while Garifuna music plays in the background.

Belize is also a diverse nation. And because it’s small—only about the size of Rhode Island—you can go from the beach to the highlands in a couple of hours. From the Caribbean shore to its jungle interior, Belize boasts great natural beauty. Near Sittee Point there is a jaguar preserve where you can venture into the jungle in search of these elusive cats. Bird watching in Belize is a treat; you’ll spot parrots, toucans, flycatchers, and herons in their natural habitat. Belize is also the site of many Maya ruins, towering waterfalls, rainforests, and rivers you can explore.

Our favorite locations in BelizeBelize has a lot going for it. For a tiny country, it packs a big wallop when

it comes to charm and scenery. There are many seaside villages, pine-covered mountains, rainforests, and hundreds of tiny islands that dot the coast.

Ambergris CayeOver the last few decades, expats flocked to Ambergris Caye and for

good reason. Ambergris and the small nearby islands are among the most beautiful in this part of the world. This area is Belize’s center for ocean sports during the day and for partying at night.

3www.InternationalLiving.com

San Pedro is the major population hub on Ambergris. Along the sandy street, golf carts are a favorite means of transportation from home to the beach or to dozens of restaurants, nightclubs Internet cafés, and friendly mom-and-pop stores. With the Caribbean Sea to the east and the San Pedro Lagoon to the west, the natural beauty of Ambergris is just one of the many draws for expats. While some real estate here can be expensive, as long as you’re not looking for a luxurious waterfront residence, you can still find an affordable property on Ambergris Caye.

Real estate examples in Ambergris Caye:

• A beach view lot in Punta Azul, on the north end of Ambergris Caye. The area has easy access to the fertile sport fishing grounds of Rocky Point and the Bacalar Chico World Heritage site. Pristine coral reef, tranquil white-sand beaches, towering coconut palms, and untouched natural beauty abounds here. The property has access to electricity, wireless Internet, and telephone. Price: $35,000.

Ambergris is a center for ocean sports and is one of the most beautiful islands in Belize

©IL/Jason Holland


• A one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 750-square-foot, beachfront condo just two-and-a-half miles from San Pedro. The private veranda overlooks the Caribbean Sea and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The property includes an open-plan living/kitchen and dining area that opens onto the veranda. The home is fully furnished. Price: $194,000.

• A two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,100-square-foot beach view apartment near San Pedro. The unit comes fully furnished and includes a storage closet, large master bathroom with jetted tub and shower, and separate master bedroom veranda. Includes access to the Banyan Bay Resort amenities which feature a large reception, large swimming pool, turnkey management, beachfront bar and restaurant, and tour/dive shop. Price: $339,000.

CorozalCorozal continues to gain popularity among expats and native Belizeans.

Real estate prices here are much less than what they are in San Pedro or Placencia. Corozal is also less than a half-hour from the Mexican city of Chetumal, where shopping and nightlife abound. Even closer is the Belizean duty-free zone, where Mexicans and expats can buy bargain-priced goods.

If you want to experience the town’s diverse background, go to the open-air market. It’s a place where residents often mingle, at least when they’re not sailing, fishing, swimming, visiting historic Maya sites, or just enjoying the laidback social life.

Some property shoppers are put off by Corozal’s beaches, many of which are rocky. But it’s not difficult for homeowners or developers to smooth out a beach so it’s just as sandy as it would be farther south. Here, many waterfront houses have great vistas.

Real estate examples in Corozal:

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom house in Corozal Town. The property includes a large, U-shaped kitchen, open living room, laundry room, storage room, garage, side yard, covered patio at the front and rear of the property, and stair access to the roof. There is a rainwater collection tank and landscaped yard including various flowering shrubs and trees. Price: $95,000.


• A three-bedroom, one-bathroom home in the San Andres area of Corozal Town. The property includes a fully furnished kitchen, master bedroom with solid wood closet, and water heater. Price: $120,000.

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom, 1,600-square-foot house in the south of Corozal Town. The property includes a duplex with each unit featuring one bedroom and one bathroom. The main house includes a kitchen, dining area, living room, laundry facilities, and loft. The main house comes fully furnished with access to a boat dock, a shop/storage building, and a garden area. The duplex comes fully furnished with decks to the front and back with views of Corozal Bay. Price: $275,000.

Corozal has a laidback atmosphere that draws people to the area©Creative Commons/Lara Danielle


PlacenciaPlacencia is a 19-mile spit of land that parallels the mainland. Here water

is vivid blue, and the beaches are of white sand. Palms sway in the breeze, the vast open sea lies to one side of the peninsula, and a tranquil lagoon lies to the other. The sea is ideal for fishing as well as for diving, snorkeling, boating, or just watching the wildlife. The flight from Belize City to the airstrip in Placencia usually takes less than a half-hour, compared with about three hours of driving on Hummingbird Highway.

The central and southern coast of Belize is beautiful, and despite the many new resorts, condo developments, and sophisticated restaurants, the area hasn’t lost its rustic charm. Food, entertainment, and the area’s general appearance all have Caribbean flavor. Beaches are wider, whiter and, in many places, almost empty except for the occasional egret or ibis. Brightly painted wooden buildings house restaurants, bars, bakeries, and ice cream shops in the village.

White-sand beaches and vivid blue water is just some of what makes Placencia beautiful.

©IL/Suzan Haskins


Real estate examples in Placencia:

• A waterfront canal lot in a Placencia gated community. There are several finished residences in the development and a world-class hotel is located directly across the road from the community. Price: $99,000.

• A four-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Placencia. The home includes a large kitchen and living area. Price: $160,000.

• A one-bedroom, two-bathroom, beachfront home on the Placencia Peninsula. Located on 2.15 acres of land, the open plan house has an artistic appeal, ad comes fully furnished. It is close to amenities including the airport, banks, bowling, gas station, post office, public transport, and tennis courts. Price: $225,000.

The property buying process in BelizeYou can soak up the sun in Belize, enjoy a relaxing lifestyle, and find real

estate for a lot less than you might imagine. Real estate transactions are comparatively easy and inexpensive, thanks to a reduction in taxes and new rules for land registration. The tax on property sales is 5% of the price, with the first $10,000 being exempt. Property owners do not have to pay capital gains tax and have low property taxes.

Belize places few restrictions on real estate agents. Belize has two associations of real estate agents—the Association of Real Estate Brokers of Belize and the Belize National Association of Realtors. To find an attorney, ask for recommendations from your bank in Belize or from your attorney in the U.S. Ask prospective attorneys for several references and check them out thoroughly. Most attorneys in Belize charge 1.5% to 2% of the purchase price of the property. Once you find a property that you want to buy, don’t delay in making an offer.

With the help of a real estate agent, prepare an Offer of Purchase to present to the owner. The offer should include your name, the name of the seller, the property’s legal description, the purchase price you’re offering, and the terms of the deal. You submit this with a deposit—usually 10%.

Closing costs are likely to be about 7% to 8% of the sales prices.


Visas and residenceBelize makes it easy for expats to select the type of residence that

works best to their advantage. For some residents, the advantages can be substantial and if circumstances change, the government makes it easy to change your residence status.

Tourist visa:

When you visit Belize, there’s no need for a visa if you’re a citizen of the U.S., Canada, a country in the European Union, or the Caribbean Community (except for Haiti), Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, Iceland, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, Tunisia, or Uruguay. Visas are also not required of citizens of most British Commonwealth countries. Argentina, Brazil, and Chile also have approved visa waivers.

If you’re from one of these countries, you can stay 30 days without a visa. To stay longer, you can pay $50 for a single-entry, 90-day visa, or $100 for a multiple-entry visa. If you’re from a country that’s not among those listed, check with the Belize government to find out whether you need a visa and/or prior clearance from the Department of Immigration and Nationality Services before entering the country.

The Qualified Retired Persons (QRP) Program:

The QRP Program offers advantages to people with a guaranteed income. To qualify for the QRP Program, you have to be at least 45 years old and have a minimum monthly income of $2,000 from a pension or annuity generated outside of Belize. You do not necessarily have to be retired, you can be from any country in the world, and include your spouse and dependents under the age of 18 in the program.

One of the major advantages of the QRP is the ability to bring personal goods to Belize tax-free and to pay no Belizean taxes on any foreign-earned income. You can import household goods tax free up to a total of $15,000. You can also bring in a vehicle (car, light aircraft, or boat) tax free. Under this program you can still work as long as you don’t generate income inside Belize.


To apply for this visa you will need to submit the following documents in addition to the application:

• Birth certificate

• Marriage certificate

• Police report

• A notarized copy of each page (including blank ones) in your passport

• Proof of income

• Medical certificate

• Four recent passport-size photos of you and any dependents included in the application.

• A non-refundable $150 application fee plus a “program fee” of $1,000 for yourself and $750 for each dependent. If accepted, you’ll owe an additional $200 for the actual Qualified Persons Residence Card.

The Permanent Residence visa:

This is another program with expat benefits, including the ability to work and earn income in Belize. This visa is available to anyone regardless of age. To apply you must:

• Live in Belize for at least one year. To do this, enter on a tourist visa, apply for residence and then renew your visa until residence is granted.

• Pay a non-refundable fee of $1,000 if you’re from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., most other nationals pay slightly higher amounts.

To apply you must submit:

• A medical report

• A police report

• Three passport photos of yourself and of other family members applying for residence

• Birth certificates for all applying

• Marriage certificate if applicable


• Sworn declaration of support from your spouse if you do not work and will be supported by them

• Recent local bank statement

• A temporary employment permit if you are working or wish to work.

Cost of livingYou’ll need less money to live well in Belize than in most places in the U.S.,

Canada, or Europe. However some items—especially imported ones—can be expensive. The cost of living in any country depends on two important factors: Where you live and the lifestyle you choose. San Pedro and Placencia are considered the most expensive places in the country and Corozal and Punta Gorda are seen as the least expensive.

To estimate your expenses in Belize, speak with other expats in the area where you plan to relocate. Ask specifically about expenses that they overlooked, such as the frequency of traveling back home and the need for air conditioning. Also ask about ways that expats were able to save money, such as living in areas where breezes from the sea cut down on the need for air conditioning.

Sample monthly budgetRent $900 to $1,500

Water $35 to $80

Groceries $600 to $1,200

Electricity $60 to $300

Gas $40

Internet $30 to $100

Cable TV $25

Entertainment $200 to $500

Monthly total $1,650 to $3,745


Health careMedical care in Belize generally gets a poor grade but it is steadily

improving. All minor ailments and many emergencies can be treated by physicians, public clinics, and/or a Red Cross emergency station. High-quality medical care is available in several nearby countries, and insurance that pays for emergency transportation to the U.S. is usually very affordable.

The cost of medical treatment in Belize is almost always low. Nearly all routine visits to the doctor cost less than $50, and most private hospital rooms are $300 a day or less, which is a small fraction of the cost in the U.S. Prices are low at pharmacies, and in the larger towns they’re generally well stocked except for specialized medications. Most drugstores in Belize sell many medicines over the counter that would require prescriptions in the U.S.

There are easy alternatives if more specialized care is required. Some go to Mexico, Guatemala, or Costa Rica, where health care is better and just about as cheap. Regardless of how inexpensive medical care might be, it often pays to have insurance.

TaxesRegardless of your tax liability in Belize, you’ll most likely have some

sort of tax obligation to your home country. If you are a U.S. citizen you are liable for taxes on your worldwide income. In Belize most individuals and businesses are taxed only on annual income over $10,000 that’s generated in the country. The rate is 25%.

Business tax is charged as a percentage of the gross receipts of companies and self-employed individuals. There is no capital gains tax in Belize.

The Belizean tax code is complex. For that reason it’s essential to consult a knowledgeable attorney who can point you in the direction of the lowest legal tax rate.

Tax on property is very low in Belize. Depending on which part of the country your property is in, the rate will be about 1.5% of the assessed valuation. Transfer taxes on the purchase or sale of property are currently 5% of the value of the property or consideration (whichever is higher).


Sales tax is much like the value-added taxes that are common in many other countries, especially those in Europe. The rate is 12.5%.

Accessibility to North AmericaFlying to Belize is quick and easy. Four major airlines fly directly from the

U.S. to Belize: American, Delta, United, and US Airways. TACA, based in El Salvador, and Copa Airlines, based in Panama, have indirect flights from the U.S. to Belize. Gateway cities from the U.S. are Miami, Houston, Dallas, Newark, Charlotte, and Atlanta.

It takes about two hours to fly from Miami to Belize, two-and-a-half hours from Houston, and three hours from Atlanta. To find flights, it often pays to use cost-comparison websites such as Travelocity and Travelzoo.

Having fun in BelizeSmall countries have one big advantage, it doesn’t take much time to travel

from one area to another. In the case of Belize—only slightly larger than the state of New Jersey—you can have lunch in the mountains and go snorkeling in the ocean before dinner. No matter how you travel the sights can be dramatic—waterfalls, rainforest, and ancient Maya structures.

Nature preserves give you the chance to see jaguars and more exotic animals. Macaws fly overhead as do toucans, flycatchers, herons, and many other types of bird. In rivers you can watch the manatees, and in the Caribbean you’ll see sharks, rays, eels, and many rare types of fish. You can swim alongside the mighty whale shark—often weighing more than 25 tons—it feeds on plankton and is generally harmless to humans. Several tour companies provide diving and snorkeling excursions so you can get a close look at whale sharks when they swim around Belize’s barrier reef every spring and summer.

Belize City gives you a close-up view of history, especially of the colonial struggle between Britain and Spain. Discover fascinating historic churches, beautiful colonial mansions, charming hotels, and restaurants with unique cuisine.

If you like nature visit the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center where more than 100 native animals can be seen up close. Black jaguars, ocelots,


pumas, otters, kinkajous, peccaries, deer, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, crocodiles, harpy eagles, jabiru storks, and scarlet macaws all reside here, just a 45-minute drive from downtown Belize City. This zoo is home to animals who have been orphaned, born at the zoo, rehabilitated, or sent here as gifts from other zoos. It was originally created to home a collection of wild animals that had been used in documentary films about tropical forests.

A typical day in Ambergris Caye includes fishing in the morning, back to shore for lunch, spending the afternoon on the beach, and then partying at night. Of course, it’s not all sports and games, Ambergris is also a great place for getting close to nature, whether it’s by sea or land. Herons, egrets, tanagers, catbirds, falcons, kites, and terns are just a few of the birds you are likely to see on and around the Caye. About a half mile offshore is the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second longest in the world. There you can watch saltwater crocodiles, dolphins, turtles, orcas, manatees, rays, seahorses, whale sharks, and eve the strange-looking upside-down jellyfish.

Divers the world over rate the waters off Ambergris as among the best in the world. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is a three-square-mile protected area off the southern tip of the island. Thanks to a strict rule against fishing, divers have a good chance of seeing nurse sharks, rays, spadefish, eels, and dozens of other sea creatures. Removing coral is prohibited here, so you can see long bright stretches of these exotic living formations. An unforgettable place in Hol Chan is Shark Ray Alley, where nurse sharks and stingrays have developed a great tolerance for divers and snorkelers who feed them underwater. With a sure supply of food, many nurse sharks in Hol Chan grow to six feet in length, and the stingrays often have wingspans of four feet.

Ambergris Caye has become just as well known for its nightlife as for its ocean sports. There’s fine dining and places where you can dance and enjoy music that ranges from rock and roll to Punta, a Garifuna rhythm that’s little known outside of Belize.

The Great Blue Hole is a two-hour boat ride off the island of Caye Caulker and is arguably the world’s most famous diving destination. The “hole”, which used to be a cave that rested atop the sea, was made famous by Jacques-Yves Cousteau in the 1970s. Melting ice from the end of the last Ice Age engulfed the cave, which is now 480 feet deep in the center of the Lighthouse Reef atoll. Divers are able to swim around the massive stalactites


and stalagmites, the size of which most have never seen. Visibility is limited to around 30 feet due to the depth of the water and the fact you are in a former cave. If you are lucky you will glimpse the reef sharks that live and hunt in the cave. Sightings of turtles and manta rays are also common.

Placencia and the surrounding area are known for some of the best fishing in the world, whether it’s in the sea or in the rivers. Snapper, grouper, barracuda, bonito, kingfish, and sailfish are just a few of the fish in the nearby waters. Most hotels in Stann Creek can arrange for fishing equipment, boat rentals, and guided fishing tours.

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary with more than 128,000 acres of lush jungle, the sanctuary is home to jaguars, pumas, margays, jaguarundis, ocelots, and hundreds of other native animals, including nearly 300 species of birds. At the entrance of the sanctuary is the Maya Center Village which provides an opportunity to get an inside look into the traditions of this ancient culture. To experience Garifuna culture, just walk through the town of Dangriga.

On the coast you can dive, swim, and lie out on the beach. In the mountains, there are many other types of activities such as canoeing, hiking, cave tubing, or zip-lining. In the Cayo District you can zip-line through the rainforest canopy and float on inner tubes down steams that meander through many of the caves in the district. Hotels can usually arrange for many other activities in Cayo such as horseback riding, bird watching, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking, camping, and visiting Maya ruins. Cayo have many natural wonders including thundering waterfalls, limestone caves, and lush rainforests rich with exotic plants and animals. Over 60% of the Cayo District has been set aside as forest reserve, national park, or wildlife sanctuary.

Cayo has some of the most spectacular Maya sites you can see anywhere in the hemisphere including Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave, Caracol, Tikal, and Xunantunich.


BELIZE CONTACTS

IL ContactsFor more coverage on Belize, make sure you take a look at our website:

www.internationalliving.com, where you’ll find a wealth of information, contacts, and news from around the world.

International Living’s Community website is the place to get answers to all your live-overseas questions. The International Living Community goal is to give you up-to-date, informative, and first-hand answers to your living, retiring, and working overseas questions. Simply register at Community.InternationalLiving.com using your email address or log in through your Facebook account to begin. Once registered, you can begin to engage with our editors and with other users.

Whatever you want to do in Belize, you’ll find something to interest you on our International Living Classified Ads website. This is the best way to reach your fellow readers, like-minded individuals, and the thousands of people who visit Internationalliving.com every day. If you want to sell or buy a property overseas, offer an expat service or are seeking one, want to promote a blog, or post a “want” ad…check out http://classifieds.internationalliving.com. And as a buyer of this Blueprint, you’ll get a special reduced rate when placing an ad. Just quote this promotional code, ILVPRO15, and you’ll get 15% off the regular price of an ad.

Escape to Belize: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life for Less contains more than 200 pages of maps, property listings, details on cost of living, health care, banking, taxes, and residency requirements...plus contacts to help you buy, rent, start a business, retire, and travel in this glorious country. If you’re seriously interested in Belize, you’ll want to read this book to help prepare and guide you through the move. We think you’ll enjoy finding out more; our latest edition is a completely revamped, up-to-date manual with detailed info on changes in residence programs and tax regimes. For more details on Escape to Belize: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life for Less, please visit https://secure.internationalliving.com/BelizeOM1499/W120Q7A1.

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Attorneys• Arguelles & Company LLC, 4th Floor, The Matalon, Coney Drive,

P.O. Boz 1846, Belize City; tel. +501 223-0088 and +501 223-0858; website: www.belizelawyer.com.

• Barrow & Williams, Equity House, 84 Albert Street, P.O. Box 617, Belize City; tel. +501 227-5280; website: www.barrowandwilliams.com.

Embassies• Belize Embassy in the U.S., 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW,

Washington, DC 20008; tel. (202) 332-9636; website: www.embassyofbelize.org.

• U.S. Embassy in Belize, Floral Park Road, Belmopan; tel. +501 822-4011; email: [email protected]; website: http://belize.usembassy.gov/index.html.

• Honorary Consulate of Belize in Calgary, Canada, 305 Tenth Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta T2G 0W2; tel. (403) 215-6072; email: [email protected].

• Canadian Consulate in Belize, P.O. Box 610, 80 Princess Margaret Drive, Belize City; tel. +501 223-1060; email: [email protected]; website: www.mfa.gov.bz/index.php/honorary-consulates-of-belize.

Expat resources• Expat Belize; website: www.expatbelize.com. An Internet-based

organization that provides information and services to expats.

• ExpatForum.com; website: www.expatforum.com/articles/retiring/retiring-in-belize.html.

Real estate agents• For information on real estate developments in Belize, contact

International Living’s preferred real estate advertiser: Pathfinder International; email: [email protected]; website: www.pathfinderinternational.net.


• Association of Real Estate Brokers of Belize, P.O. Box 2217, Belize City; tel. +501 223-5616; website: www.arebb.com.

• Belize National Association of Realtors, 7 Craig Street, P.O. Box 434, Belize City; tel. +501 223-4501; website: http://belizenational.point2agent.com/.


MAP OF BELIZE

belize - amazon s3 · 2014-12-05 · belize is also the site of many maya ruins, towering...

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