Retire in Belize
To retire in Belize most people use the Qualified Retirement Program: from age 40, $2,000 a month of income from abroad, deposited in Belize. Prices run at about 54% of the US, and a foreign pension is not taxed.
What it takes, what it costs, and where retirees settle, from Belize's law and official data. Checked on Oct 7, 2026.
- Retiree visa
- From $2,000/mo A retirement income from outside Belize, such as a pension, annuity, Social Security, inve…. Belize Tourism Board; QRP brochure; QRP application form. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- Price level
- ~54% of the US Household consumption, 2025. World Bank. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- Tax on a foreign pension
- 0% Foreign pensions are not taxed. Belize Tax Service; Income and Business Tax Act; Belize Tourism Board. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- Travel advisory
- Level 2 of 4 Exercise Increased Caution. US State Department. Updated Mar 11, 2026.
- Health spending
- $309/person Per year; US $13,473. World Bank. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- US tax treaty
- None No income tax treaty with the US. IRS. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Do you qualify?
The Belize Tourism Board's Qualified Retirement Program is open from age 40 to anyone with a retirement income from outside Belize of $2,000 a month, deposited in a Belize bank. It gives a QRP resident card renewed every year, duty-free import of household effects and a vehicle, and no tax on income from abroad.
QRP visa: documents and feesRetiring in Belize, topic by topic
Visa
QRP visa requirements
Documents, government fees and the other routes to residency.
Healthcare
Healthcare for retirees
The hospitals retirees use, what insurance covers, and Medicare abroad.
Money
Banking, pensions and tax
How US, UK and Canadian pensions reach a local bank, and what you report at home.
Budget
Cost of living
Official prices and a budget built from your own rent.
What it costs
Household prices in Belize run at about 54% of US levels. Rent is the line nobody publishes officially, so the cost of living page builds your budget from your own rent.
Build your budgetWhere retirees settle
Belize City
- Largest city, about 64,000 people (2022)
- On the coast, at sea level
- Karl Heusner Memorial, Belize Medical Associates and Belize Healthcare Partners
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
- Town on Ambergris Caye, about 15,500 people (2022)
- 2 m above sea level
San Ignacio
- Capital of Cayo District, about 26,000 people (2018)
- Inland, 76 m above sea level
Placencia
- Stann Creek District, about 1,600 people (2022)
- 11 m above sea level
Wikidata; Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital; Belize Medical Associates; Belize Healthcare Partners. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Belize compared
More guides on Belize
Visiting Belize first
Most people spend a few weeks in Belize before they apply for anything. Two things to sort out for that trip:
Kiwi.com
Flights to Belize
Compare routes and dates before a scouting trip.
Airalo
eSIM for Belize
Mobile data from the day you land, without a local SIM.
Partner links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. How this works.
Retiring in Belize: questions
Can I retire in Belize on Social Security alone?
Yes, if it pays at least $2,000 a month: a state pension paid for life meets the QRP rule. A comfortable life usually needs more; build a budget from your own rent on the cost of living page.
Is Belize safe for retirees?
The US State Department rates Belize Level 2, exercise increased caution.
Do I pay tax in Belize on my pension?
No. Belize exempts a pension or annuity paid from abroad to a retired person ordinarily resident in Belize, and QRP members pay no tax on any income from outside Belize. US citizens still file a US return.
How do I retire in Belize from the US?
Most retirees use the Qualified Retirement Program: from age 40, a retirement income from abroad of $2,000 a month deposited in a Belize bank, with $150 to apply and $1,000 on approval. Social Security can be paid straight into a bank in Belize.
Does Belize have a retirement visa for US citizens?
Yes. The QRP is open to US citizens, Commonwealth and EU citizens and others from age 40, and gives a resident card renewed each year with no tax on income from abroad.
Where do retirees live in Belize?
Mostly Belize City, where the main hospitals are; the island town of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye; San Ignacio, inland in Cayo District; and Placencia in Stann Creek District.
