10 Reasons To Retire In Belize: The Perfect Destination for Retirement

by Larry Waight

If you’re from North America or Europe, you may be looking for a nice place to retire that offers features that you can’t get in your home country. Belize is becoming an increasingly popular place to retire for people from North America and Europe due to several factors. Here are ten top reasons to choose Belize as a retirement destination!

1. The official language of Belize is English.

If you come from the United States, Canada, or the UK, then the transition to Belize will be much easier as all signs, documents, and many other official items are in English.

2. Belize has a stable economy.

The economy of Belize shows very low inflation and has been stable for many years. The currency in Belize is also anchored to the U.S. dollar, which further adds to the stability.

3. You get more for your money in Belize.

Many basic services and products in Belize cost a lot less than they do in Europe or North America. This includes medical care, food, cable TV, insurance, and more. Tax rates are also very low in Belize compared to Europe or North America.

4. Proximity to North America.

PGIA airport belize

The Philip Goldson International Airport is Belize’s one and only international air entry point. Image via Unsplash

For those coming from the USA or Canada, Belize isn’t all that far away. It’s roughly two hours away from the state of Texas and many areas on the East Coast.

5. Belize has similar laws to North America and Europe.

The Belize legal system is based on the British legal system, which makes it very familiar to American, Canadian, and European ex-pats. This makes it easier, for example, to buy and sell real estate when you understand how it works.

6. Warm weather is better for your health.

Belize has warm weather year-round, but the health benefits of moving to Belize don’t stop there. Belize also has clean air and a variety of fresh produce to choose from all year. Natural and unprocessed food is also far easier to find in Belize.

7. Affordable real estate.

Compared to North America and Europe, Belize is an incredibly reasonable place to buy real estate. Not only that,  the process of buying real estate is very similar to how it’s done in America.

8. Belize is full of activity and sightseeing opportunities.

Caracol Maya Site. Image courtesy Belize Tourism Board

You may never run out of things to explore in Belize with the amazing beaches, lush jungles, and mysterious Maya ruins. Add in numerous cultural festivals and events, and it’s pretty hard to be bored in Belize.

9. Beachfront property.

In both North America and Europe, it is typically out of the average person’s financial range to live on the beach. However, in Belize, this dream can easily become a reality for most people due to the reasonable real estate.

10. Low taxes and retirement perks are available in Belize.

It’s possible to have no tax liability whatsoever in Belize depending on your situation. If you‘re over 45, you can get into the qualified retirement program to gain legal Belize residency and enjoy even more benefits and tax perks in the destination. 

Header image by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash

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