Belize is still undeveloped and sparsely populated so there's a lot of room (on the beaches, in the jungle, in the rainforests...) for you to stretch out, and there are only three highways traversing the country (one goes north, one goes south, one goes west).
Tourism here is booming. A dozen years ago, the planes from Miami to Belize City were full of Belizeans returning home from their visits to the States. Today, they are full of Americans.
We asked one reader why she was moving to Belize: "The simple answer is quality of life—we're looking to improve ours. In Belize, we know our lives will be blissfully free from the commuter crush, 24-hour news, workaday stress...Belize is a land of few cars, abundant fresh food from the sea and the trees, and great natural beauty," she said.
What makes Belize such a popular destination? They speak English. If you don't enjoy the idea of learning a new language but still want a place in the sun, then Belize is the place for you.
If beachfront isn't your first choice, maybe you would prefer being surrounded by the rainforest, mountains and rivers, or Mayan ruins and caves. For this, the Cayo remains the unsettled (and affordable) frontier. And it's our favorite part of Belize.
Though Belize has a top-flight offshore banking structure, beautiful landscapes, and an English-speaking population to recommend it, cheap property is not one of the attributes you'll find here. Though prices for real estate have not changed much in the last two years, they are nevertheless higher than what you'll find in Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua.
Property prices vary greatly in Belize from one area to another. They generally are highest in Belize City, on Ambergris Caye, and in Placencia, and lowest in remote rural areas. Home prices range from less than $15,000 for a simple Belizean-style home in a small village to $500,000 or more for a luxury home on the beach in San Pedro.
Even with appreciation, real estate prices in Belize are still inexpensive by the standards of Americans and Europeans.