Belize is a tiny nation with immense natural wonders and intense cultural history. It prides itself as the only country in Central America with English as their national language since it paves way for an easier and smoother socialization for visitors or tourists. Because of the increasing reputation as a Caribbean fantasy, many people are becoming more interested in moving to Belize.
If you are one of those who are thing of Belize as the country to retire or settle, then you must know about the cost of living in Belize. You must ask yourself these questions: Are you going to start a business in Belize or find suitable employment? If you are to retire, what kind of lifestyle do you intend to follow? Do you plan to stay in luxury resorts or invest in some prime real estate? These and so much more are factors which will determine your cost of living in Belize.
There is no doubt that the cost of living in Belize is much more affordable when compared to first world countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. According to the International Monetary Fund on 2006, Belize ranks the 76th in the whole world in terms of GDP. This means that the cost of living in Belize is lower than 75 other countries.
The bulk of expenses for living sustenance come from food. In Belize, once you get to know where and when to shop for fruits, vegetable, meat and other poultry products, a weekly budget of USD 30 is enough for a decent lifestyle. It is a good idea to source food ingredients from farmer markets or street vendors rather than higher end groceries.
If it is alcohol that you are worried about, you will be glad to know that it is relatively cheap. Belize imposes lower taxes on alcoholic beverages and again, this is compared to other western countries. You have take note that some imported goods might be priced higher than its original price due to shipping, taxes and storage. This not only applies on alcohol, but also to all consumer products. However, if you were to look at the good’s prices by global standards, imported goods are still moderately priced in Belize.
With regard to miscellaneous cost of living expenses such as electricity, the average electricity bill can start from USD 120 a month. You have to realize that this is because of economic measurements and hydro-electric efficiencies. Since Belize is still a developing country the lack of technological infrastructure affects communication abilities such as Internet connection and telephone services. It is can approximately cost USD 70 per month for internet services. On the brighter side, the economic growth helps in lowering the prices of such major expenses—still making Belize a very attractive place to live in.