Moving to Belize: tax, residence and real costs (2026)
Belize: 0% on foreign income · up to 25% on local income. The cheapest route to residence is qRP (45+, USD 2k/month income) or permanent residence after a year living there: about USD 1,500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, with about USD 2,000 a month of income shown, in about 3 months. Living costs about USD 940 a month for one person in Belize City, and around USD 750 on a bare-minimum budget.
Key facts
| Tax in one line | 0% on foreign income · up to 25% on local income |
| Foreign income | not taxed |
| Gains · dividends | 0 · 0 |
| Wealth · inheritance tax | none · none |
| Cheapest residence | QRP (45+, USD 2k/month income) or permanent residence after a year living there |
| Money needed | About USD 1,500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment |
| Time | about 3 months |
| Doable yourself? | Yes, with a checklist |
| Days you must spend there | QRP: 30 days a year |
| Citizenship | after 5 years of permanent residence |
| Online business | 0% effective, about USD 400 a year to run: territorial; QRP: foreign income exempt |
| Living (one person a month) | Belize City ~USD 940; bare minimum ~USD 750; family of four ~USD 2,350 |
| Good for | QRP retiree scheme |
| Common set-up | QRP residence + foreign income |
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Questions
- How much does residence in Belize cost?
- QRP (45+, USD 2k/month income) or permanent residence after a year living there: about USD 1,500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, about 3 months.
- Does Belize tax foreign income?
- Not taxed. In one line: 0% on foreign income · up to 25% on local income.
- What does it cost to live in Belize?
- Living costs about USD 940 a month for one person in Belize City, and around USD 750 on a bare-minimum budget (based on livingcost.org, 2026).
- Can I run an online business from Belize?
- Effective tax about 0% with the cheapest legal set-up, which costs about USD 400 a year: territorial; QRP: foreign income exempt.
- What is the catch in Belize?
- Crime in Belize City; Weak banks, slow internet outside towns
Compare
- Paraguay: 0% on foreign income · 10% on local income · 8% on local dividends
- Uruguay: 0% on foreign dividends and interest for 11 years (tax holiday) · up to 36% on local work income
- Panama: 0% on foreign income · up to 25% on Panamanian income · 10% on local dividends
- Costa Rica: 0% on foreign income · up to 25% on local income · 15% on local dividends
- El Salvador: 0% on foreign income · up to 30% on local income
- Honduras (Próspera ZEDE): ~5% on income in the zone · 0% on foreign income
Compare all 53 places with your own income and budget →
Sources
- https://www.belizeinvest.org.bz
- Living costs: based on livingcost.org (livingcost.org, June 2026), rounded