Renting & Living in Belize

Renting in Belize

One would receive a visa upon arrival, depending if your country doesn’t require a visa, for Canadians, North Americans and European Countries they do not need a visa while visiting Belize. This visa grants you stay in Belize up to 30 days, which would allow anyone to rent a vacation rental home/apartment. To extend your stay for another 30 days you would need to go to an Immigration Office and get a stamp that would cost $25 USD each month for up to 6 months. Each month after the 6 months would come at a cost at $50 USD.

Vacation Rental Apartments in Belize City

Vacation rentals are available in each district in which the cost per location is quite different. You can decide if you wish to live in the city, towns, islands (San Pedro or Caye Caulker) or the hill area of Cayo. When booking your vacation rental, keep in mind the city and island apartments are more likely to offer the modern style apartments up to American standard. Key points to lookout for while booking a vacation rental is to make sure you are ok with the following:

1. While there MAY be a washer, there would be no dryer and you would need to hand dry your clothes.
2. There is no hot water in the showers, Belize is hot after all. What you may end up with is a hot water shower head.
3. If you have hot water in the shower, do not expect it in any other sink or faucet.
4. There will be no A/C, though you may get a standing fan.
5. If there is A/C, the A/C would only be in the bedroom but not in other shared areas.
6. Most, if not all apartments are NOT pet friendly.
7. Windows would be glass louvers, and most than likely there are dogs in your area, which may not make for the best sleep. Even for those with sliding glass windows, you may still hear the dogs.
8. Depending on your location it may be people or trucks who are generally loud, and you would hear them from the room, especially if you have louver windows. Some owner place plastic over the louvers and A/C. While this keeps the A/C in, it doesn’t keep the sound out.
9. Taxis and buses are readily available outside of the apartment unless you are on the main street or highway.
10. The Wi-fi (Internet) at the apartments should have gotten a lot better, though there are some location that may not come with internet and depending on the location of the modem, the strength might not be strong in your room.

These are just some encounters you may or may not have. However, the people are great, food is favourable and cheap!

Buy Belize Management does manage several Vacation Rental Apartments and we can save you the time and money require to go through all BTB requirements and yes, we try to keep our listings up to standard as much as possible.

Currently we have studio, 1 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom, 3 Bedroom or a 4 Bedroom.

Studio Apartment in Belama Phase 2

 

1 Bedroom Apartment in Bella Vista

 

2 Bed 1 Bath in Belama Phase 1

 

3 Bed 2 Bath in Belama Phase 2

 

 

4 Bedroom 2 Bath in Belama Phase 2, Belize City, Belize

We at Buy Belize Management guide and assist our clients on what to provide to prospective tenant. We even give our advice about constructions, materials, labour, and what furnishings to use! All our vacation rental comes fully equipped with pots, pans, plates, cups, cooking appliances, stove, fridge, microwave, couch, T.V, sheets, quilts, towels, washer, dryer, A/C, cable and internet. You just need to bring your clothes and toothpaste; we even provide shower gel!

 

APPARTMENT TYPE	DAILY	WEEKLY	MONTHLY
Rooms	$20 USD	$140 USD	$450 USD
Studio	$50 USD	$325 USD	$1,100 USD
1 Bedroom	$60 USD	$400 USD	$1,300 USD
2 Bedroom	$70 USD	$420 USD	$1,500 USD
3 & 4 Bedroom	$150 USD	$900 USD	$2,000 USD

Long Term Furnish Apartment/Houses

If you have already decided to make Belize your home, then you may be looking more of a permanent rental, you have two options. To rent furnished or unfurnished but let us review furnished homes and its expectations.

A few key factors to take into consideration when renting a furnish home. Furnish means it will have the following:

1. Beds
2. Stove
3. Fridge
4. Couch
5. Dining Table
6. Microwave
7. Washing Machine
8. T/V (Maybe)
9. Dryer (Maybe)
10. A/C Maybe

Though you can find homes that are more fully furnished with curtains, pots, pans., plates, cups, small appliances. (Sheets & Towels are exception that would not be included). Furnish homes may include cable and internet, but rarely water and electricity. We will review those utilities

Some key features to look for when renting a house or apartment are as follows:

1. Is their sufficient outlets in the home? Some rooms only have 1 outlet.
2. Does it come with an A/C if not does the home have the requirements needed to install an A/C/
3. Does the home have a hot water heater?
4. Does the home have a water pump (For 2nd floor homes)
5. Secured parking available.
6. Is it fully burglar barred?
7. Doe the home allows for pets in general.
8. Does it have space for washer and dryer? If yes does it have the proper connection if it will be an electric dryer or gas dryer.
9. The homes won’t have connection for an electric stove. Most connection homes have connection for a gas stove.
10. Any ceiling fans if not best buy your standing fan.
11. Do the rooms have closet space?
12. Are the rooms big enough for a queen or king bed?
13. Do not worry you will adapt to a Belizean lifestyle; it is a lot easier than it sounds.

Long Term Unfurnished Apartment/Houses

However, maybe you are looking for an unfurnished apartment/home. In Belize unfurnished means the house comes completely empty, no washer, dryer, fridge nor stove. Though you may find some homes being semi furnish but this is far and few in between. It is either furnished or unfurnished.

Office Space Rental in Belize

Maybe you are interested in an office space or opening a business in Belize. The average office cost of an office space is between $1 BZE to $4 BZE per square feet with the rentals starting for small rooms at $250 USD and going as high as. Most office space will require build out to suit the needs of your business.

Living in Belize

Now that we have reviewed and seen what apartments are like, the main question is what it is like living in Belize, and from a local standpoint it is quite amazing! Let us review the basic rental & utility cost.

Rental Cost (Countrywide) (These prices do not include utilities)

Utilities cost/ Operational Cost

For those wondering, will you be able to live off $2,000 USD a month, the answer is very much so! Retirement in Belize doesn’t sound too bad now does it? If you stretch your dollar you can even live off $1,000 USD but might be quite a stretch.

Other interesting cost points!

1. Belizean Breakfast $3 USD (Meat pie, fry jack with beans etc). The cost on the islands or a sit down restaurant would be more, but if you are ok with local cuisine location then we can get you the right fit.
2. Belizean Lunch $5 USD (Rice and beans with chicken, beef or pork). Fish would vary.
3. A night out in Belize can cost up to $100 USD
4. Juices ($1 USD for the bottle Juice or buy a gallon for $10 USD)
5. A local taxi in towns and village is $10 USD (Unless you are going from town to town or to the airport)
6. Bus Fare in town is $0.50 USD, out district is about $2.50 USD and far down south is $12.50 USD
7. Flying locally from Belize Municipal Airport starts at $100 USD round trip.
8. Water Taxi cost between $17.50 USD to $27 USD round trip to the islands.
9. Purchase a bicycle is $100 USD (Approximately)
10. Purchase a Scooter (Honda) $1,500 USD
11. Purchase a used good car $10,000 USD (It would be about 5 to 10 years behind current date)
12. A new car in Belize would cost over $40,000 USD (unless it is a Central American Car like the wingle)
13. Toyota are great car but expensive here.
14. Going to the grocery store, if your empty on grocery can cost between $100 to $150 USD.
15. Most places are closed on Sunday’s and Holidays.
16. Imported Alcohol is expensive remember you can bring up to 4 Alcohol in from the airport. Do it, for those who drink responsible.
17. A housekeeper per day in Belize city is about $25 USD. (May vary on location)
18. A handy man for a day in Belize city is about $25 USD. (May vary on location)
19. Property purchase is easy but there is whole next section on that!
20. Once you own a license in another country it is easy to get one in Belize.
21. Everyone speaks English
22. We do not have any fast food chains or supermarket from the U.S
23. Our food and fruits do spoil fast if not eaten quickly.
24. The coldest it gets in Belize is in December to February but never drop below 60 Degrees.