Negative feedbacks when I stated I wanted to move to Belize

It would be nice to have a side by side comparison of Belize with all her neighbors.
Items to compare may be
Weather, Investment environment,immigration policies,Employment opportunity,Ease of moving money in and out, ease of bringing items from outside,Health care,cost of living  (grocery, Telephone ,electric power,Internet and water) Crime . There may be more and priority may have to be re arranged.
To get all the data together will take up a lot of time. Wonder if anybody who write  on this blog may have already done the research. This could be a book to be up dated every so many years. The book  may be a resource for a lot of prospective Ex pats

Spiceman39: There is something like this  in the 2014 IL retirement index. Belize does not do well say with climate in comparison to say Cuenca Ecuador because the latter has no hurricanes and is cooler and drier. Panama and Costa Rica have first rate medical centers including tertiary care.
Belize suffers with infrastructure and this info can be found on the Belize Forums which has been around for 15 years and reading Sluder and others you learn that compared to the neighbors Belize has expensive electric, slow and costly internet, highest telcom and bad roads etc. Sluder did a very detailed comparison of Boquete and Corozal in the areas you discuss.Crime stats are easy to find violent crime is twice the rate to say Nicaragua. I have been looking at Grenada as I have a friend there and she loves it. I have also noted that immigration in Belize offers only 30 days visit compared to 90 elsewhere and the QRP is not well liked. Dont know about investment.This is the Sluder bit..
http://www.belizefirst.com/documents/Co … bySide.pdf

Chances are no one will want to move to Belize when they find out what a s--t hole this place is.  You need 40,000 us to live. Anything less and you live like a rat.  Been here a year and am moving back to US. This place is a rat hole.

I suppose I would be disappointed if my motivation for moving to Belize was to continue my present first world lifestyle after retirement at second world prices... or at least as cheaply as possible. From what I read too ... starting a viable business is difficult. My desire is to retire there and live simply.

If you are dissapointed with your Belize experience  I am sorry but the reason the advice most often given by expats living here is to rent for a while to work out for your self if it is what you had imagined it to be.
If you believe it will or has  cost $40000 to live here for a year, I find it hard to believe unless you expected to live exactly as you would in the western world and  it seems your expectations were not realized. Were expecting Belize to adapt to you and your life style?, when realistically it is a 3rd world country with associated problems, the adaptation has to be on the side of the expat.
Research on line and in forums ahead of time, if you do not know the country, only gives so much info. Sorry you do not wish to stay but that really is not a reason to bad mouth the place for others. Belize is a very diverse country and you do not say where you were living to come to your conclusion that it is a "rat hole"

davidpanter wrote:

Chances are no one will want to move to Belize when they find out what a s--t hole this place is.  You need 40,000 us to live. Anything less and you live like a rat.  Been here a year and am moving back to US. This place is a rat hole.

Agreed David, if you require US$40,000.00 to be happy in Belize then you have certainly picked the wrong destination to live. You are among the 50% that come disillusioned and leave after just a year, either because they have not done their proper due diligence research in the beginning, thought they were the exception to the rules, or were just not honest with themselves with regards to what they needed to live a happy life.

We live quite happy here on about BZ$2300.00 (US$1150.00)/mo. with rent being the first BZ$1000.00 so obviously needs and comfort level are much different.

Thank you for your comment and perspective. However, It might be helpful to others if you actually shared your experiences (create your own seperate thread) that led you to make the blanket statement that "Belize is a s--t hole' so that others with the same expectations as you, don't make the same mistake in moving to what is obviously not everyone's paradise. It might save them some misery as well as those of us that have to listen to their constant complaining on social media.

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but as I often say we must do our due diligence to weigh the pros that we enjoy against the cons that we don't, and see how Belize fits our personal perspective before we even make the move. I often find that "the reasons people leave are ironically the exact same reasons that we stay".

davidpanter wrote:

Chances are no one will want to move to Belize when they find out what a s--t hole this place is.  You need 40,000 us to live. Anything less and you live like a rat.  Been here a year and am moving back to US. This place is a rat hole.

Dude, from my experience, one would have to put great effort & "creative consumption" into spending $40,000 to live in Belize for one year!!!

Just because one can't manage their expectations, and more importantly, their wallet, doesn't make the place a "s--t hole", it makes the person a poor manager of life (and as has been mentioned in other replies, RESEARCH)!!!

Safe travels back to the US...where I have to imagine it will cost you no less than $60,000/year to live, relative to having cost you $40,000 for a year in Belize!

My wife and I will own our ocean front land and own the 2 wooden 800 sq.ft. houses we are putting on the land. so we will not be paying any rent. We will be on the QRP program and will not need to work and will live off American Social Security and a small pension. We are moving to Belize 7-23-17. Our friends living there have TV, internet. and cell phones and cars. Although we have not lived there we visited may times over the last 5 years and talked to many people. We fill confident we will be fine. Our only drawback is that we cant see our children and grand children when we want but a 4 hour flight to the states can fix that.

davidpanter wrote:

Chances are no one will want to move to Belize when they find out what a s--t hole this place is.  You need 40,000 us to live. Anything less and you live like a rat.  Been here a year and am moving back to US. This place is a rat hole.

I wish you well David, you are making the correct decision to leave Belize. Belize is no place for Yuppies. I am very surprised it took a year of spending  $3,333.33 per month to come to that conclusion.

Isn't San Pedro the most expensive place one could live at in Belize?

I agree about the bad experience.  That's subjective and your experience is not mine (or will be), and I am sorry you found it so expensive (not typical Belize standards).  You make a place what you want it to be, and I'm sure the U.S. will open their arms to you when you return.  As for me, this will be another "different" adventure, one I wish to embrace.

These are facts:
Belize is the most expensive country in the region
It is not in nor has ever been in  the top ten of IL's retirement index
That is because of poor infrastructure, expensive and inefficient utilities, commodities and amenities. Furthermore non basic medical care is WHO substandard, particularly ER -trauma care.
It is almost the poorest country in the Carribean region a notch above Haiti. This is because the government is a corrupt plutocracy.
In the region of C.A. and Mexico it has the highest birth rates, alcohol and cannabis consumption and 2 nd highest infant mortality rate. It is the third most violent country globally. Theft and fleecing ( " being Belize'd") are national pastimes.
In other words it may not be a shithole, but it is certainly an armpit

I choose a lot up north that has no monthly HOA fees like Buy Belize probably has. Having no fees reduces your monthly costs. I would venture to say that I bought 2 wooden houses for what Buy Belize would charge to build one house.

WOW!  I haven't met anyone here with that attitude, thank goodness!

Do not worry not too many have the same attitude as DrAl, needless to say he no longer lives in Belize. He believes no expats should, and has nice judgemental names for all the different reasons people do chose to live here.

We have owned a beach house for seven years here in Belize.  We got all the negatives too.  I would say that overall the Belizean people are warm and wonderful.  Yes, there is crime here, but we left San Diego with even more crime there.  We are in Placencia and away from Belize City.  That is why I suggested Southern Belize.  We are surrounded by Americans, Canadians and Europeans.  It's a interesting melting pot.  There are many single ladies down here having the time of their lives.  I say go for it!  Your planning on renting first, right?  Come down, check it out and then buy a lot.  You can build here for about $100 per sq. ft.  There are deals to be had.  I do agree with the gentleman who said to avoid properties with monthly fees.  I just had some friends down that looked at "Buy Belize".  Too expensive and with high monthly fees.  Many developments here are slow to come to fruition and come to a economic standstill.  There are others ways to go.  Do your homework.

Don't let the nay Sayers deter you. Go there and stay for a while and decide for yourself. If you can live without the typical American lifestyle or have a lot of money and patience, you will do just fine. Adjustments !

Lots of people think they can live without modern conveniences but have certain expectations of business. Some people are spoiled and don't even know it. The adjustments would be hard to any foreign move but sometimes I think standing in line and waiting builds character.

Just be you and you should know in a few months if its working. If you are constantly upset because Cornflakes are $10 a box or you are not getting answers from offices fast enough; maybe its not for you. But if you are laid back, believe that there is a reason and season for everything, you will be OK. Its supposed to be fun but it is what you make of it.

@Terrific: I have gone every June since i left in 2012 except this year. I worked out of a clinic in Czl and stayed with Belizean friends. We are staying in different places in Mex during winter to see what " fits". Oaxaca is my favourite. The Mrs likes Merida. I do Spanish at an intermediate  level. Corozal is fine because the proximity to Chetumal offsets what I see are Belize's deficits. This is especially true with health care which pretty much sucks in Bz.
Actually i was hoping my DIY summation was amusing, obviously not. IL is pretty glossy commercial but its retirement index is well researched. Its a mistake for expats to ignore their findings I think. Yes I am sure a meeting would  be cool. You are not American so I am sure it will be safe and civilized

Wow. Because he is not American it would be cool to meet? I will pray for you. Your glass is always half empty. You don't  like a place don't  go there!

Sorry. I meant republican.

Just a reminder that the rules here require us to avoid religion and politics. Facebook is chock full of it, so if anyone wants to throw political mud, on either side, that is a good place to go.

I dont even vote. Im a combat veteran who feels like simon and garfunkle, the candidates debate. Laugh about it shout about it when you got to choose, either way u look at it you lose. I did have a physicist buddy who grew up there. His mother was my patient.

Costa Rica is peaceful. The University of Peace is there. Those of us who have been through a war hate war and find it comforting. But now the auto inspection is if it has a horn, radio and gas pedal youre good to go.

Im wondering if I wanted to design a small yaught seaside what area would be best. I might also do some hyperbaric volunteer work. Where is our chamber? Rick

Esteswaco wrote:

Im wondering if I wanted to design a small yaught seaside what area would be best. I might also do some hyperbaric volunteer work. Where is our chamber? Rick

https://www.homeaway.co.uk/p6935241
Here you go, the perfect location for both

Thanks will, we have armed forces vacation club.com. As a u.s. Veteran we get free membership as a legionaire. We are world wide but not in belize. Ofcourse I have a world almanac. Heading for cancun in couple weeks then over to hot springs ark for some blues. Just been wanting to get down there for while. Maybe stay in chetumal and corozal. We are from spain u know. Regards, Rick

If u go to grenada look up glenn koons. He maybe can put u up in the colonial places on the lake reasonably. You can get residency in one year continuous stay. Cant stand the heat go up to estelli where its cool. Paul with cable can walk u thru citizenship. Regards, Rick

If u go to grenada look up glenn koons. He maybe can put u up in the colonial places on the lake reasonably. You can get residency in one year continuous stay. Cant stand the heat go up to estelli where its cool. Paul with cable can walk u thru citizenship. Regards, Rick

Hey guys, I have been monitoring this thread for a couple of days now and have a couple of observations.

Everyones opinion (when supported) should be valued and welcomed whether it is positive or negative, even if it doesn't match our own. Belize is not for everyone, in fact according to statistics it is not for most people. When you consider 50% leave within the first year and more like 70% by the end of year two, it becomes obvious that those of us that stay are a small unique group that find the pros outweigh the cons based on our expectations, lifestyle, and comfort level. I cannot provide a source for those stats, it is more common knowledge, and what I can tell you is that most people can think of more people that have left then have stayed.

It is always important to determine who is providing the information we are receiving in order to determine if it is of value to us. Does their unique situation match our unique situation closely enough? Will their perspective ultimately be our perspective? If not, then whether or not what they have to say is what you want to hear, it is probably irrelevant.

Is the person that has visited for a month every year for the last 12 years really qualified to talk about life in Belize. Probably not really, but if your intention is to do that as well, then maybe so.

Is the person that comes from Nov. to April every year and after four months (by mid February) is starting to get a bit fed up, but can see the light of an April departure date at the end of the tunnel really qualified to say how great a place Belize is to live full time. Maybe not, but if your intention is to come from Nov. to April as well, then maybe so. And if they have built a home or have experienced other processes, that might be valuable as well.

Even those of us that have made a permenant move Can only share our experiences based on our perspective. If your perspective is not the same, then probably neither will your experience be. When I say "for me and my wife, Belize has been everything we had hoped it would be" the so called naysayers often say to me, "Oh so you like corrupt governments, how poorly the local animals are treated, unstable infastructure,..............." and so on with facts and figures and stats that without perspective I refer to as the "devils math" designed to prove you are wrong and put you on the defensive. I usually don't argue the point, but for those of us that stay, unlike them, these are not the things that are top of mind for us, they are the cons that are outweighed by the pros of "a more relaxed atmoshere, a generally healthier food and lifestyle, a lower cost of living (yes you get what you pay for), a warm and friendly people, and of course after thirty years of construction the tropical climate is a major plus............." and so on (and yes I'm sure we all feel bad for the animals that are treated poorly).

I believe everyone's opinion is valid and valuable to the person that is doing their research and takes the time to research the perspective from where information is provided. IMHO, those that are all bright and rosey and can find no fault in Belize (in most cases to justify their mistake), are to be trusted about as much as the crusty old curmudgeons that can only vent their dismay.

In Conclusion there are all types of people on these forums with all types of motives for being here. Some are looking for information. Some just hope to help others to make an informed decision. Some want to promote themselves in one way or another. Then a small number are just looking for entertainment by ruffling feathers and rattling cages, what we refer to as the trolls. The trolls are easily identified, and share some common traits. They generally burst into the thread making claims that are generally opposite to those of the community as a whole (Get the community into reactionary defensive mode). They use diction that is far too copious for my feable comprehension to get their actual point (This is to prove how much smarter they are than you). Once you react and comment back they have a lable for everything that you accept that they object to (this is to put the individual into reactionary defensive mode), remember you can't usually win, you are reacting while they have done much research and are ready to copy and paste a response, or have an out clause for your every response. Once they have the community rattled, they generally have a civil conversation with a member or two to let everyone know that they really are a nice a person (it must be you that is wrong or has the delicate disposition), and just as you are falling for the new personna that they have created, they burst out of the room with a final comment designed to restart the cycle. The trolls feed on our human instinct to react. However there is a defense, the thing they hate the most is when nobody reacts to the invitation to play their game. They remain alone, unfulfilled, and will move onto  somewhere else where others will play. But, you must be vigilant, they will return after a while to test the waters again. So........... Don't take the bait and Please, don't feed the animals trolls

karenjoe wrote:

It would be really helpful if individuals who have no personal stake in Belize, or re-locating to Belize, would refrain from posting here. If you have some personal vendetta against Belize, its people, or others who are potentially interested in Belize, I suggest you take it up with the individuals who give a  ****. I don't think this forum was created for people to vent their personal frustrations with the country, or promote their own personal socialist agenda. Last I was aware of, Belize was a Republic, and not a leftist, liberal, socialist haven as some would like it to be- socialism is great until you run out of other people's money. Those of us who are truly interested in potentially relocating to Belize, for whatever reason that may be, can form their own opinions without the input of individuals that don't share the same desires, wants or goals. Personal opinions about Belize are just like ---holes, and you might consider keeping yours to yourself, unless you have some useful constructive information. We can all look up statistics without any help, as we have noted before on this forum.

Nice!  I've always loved that quote!

I love Belize for its natural beauty. I love Belize for the freedom its mostly friendly  people have.
I was there 5 years and until this year visited and worked there  every June for 2 weeks.
I am very familiar with the corrupt inner workings of its governance and why Belize is destined to be a failed state.
Belize is laid back. People go to Belize on vacation and want to move there because it is laid back. They soon find out their contractor is laid back, the electrician is laid back, the mechanic is laid back, the waitress is laid back, the majority of the workforce is laid back. Its great to be laid back until you need something done.  Want the opposite of laid back? Spend time with Asians and Mennonites as I did during my work life there. Without them the country would dissolve in a few weeks.
Add to this the crappy infrastructure, cost and inefficiencies of utilities, imported food eg $15bz cereal, $35 wine and lousy steak, plus insectivora, substandard non basic health care, and daily doses of this...
Police officer charged for stealing urine sample
Man seriously injured after motorcycle collides with SUV
2 minors, 1 adult shot in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
Police: Robbers Steal over $50K from Caribbean Tire in Spanish Lookout
... and its easy to see why so many leave. There  are better and easier places to relocate and adjust to.

Is there a never ending echo in here????

..and emotionally regressed

Thank you, Bill.

I also want to say again that political stuff is not just annoying. It violates the rules. Please stop. There are a lot of people here with a lot of different views.

Monkey Town brew wrote:

Thank you, Bill.

I also want to say again that political stuff is not just annoying. It violates the rules. Please stop. There are a lot of people here with a lot of different views.

I agree that Bill has hit most points squarely on the head. I agree with you that there are a lot of different views.

In the four or so decades since I became politically aware around the age of 35, I have observed it is mostly and constantly only those on one side of the Left-Right political divide that have been in favor of silencing those on the other side.

It violates the rules. Period. And there's been trash talking on both sides just on this thread. I'm not trying to silence anyone based on their beliefs. Or mine. I'm silencing it based on the rules of this forum. No politics. The end. Talk about it until you're purple, but do it elsewhere.

Monkey Town brew wrote:

It violates the rules. Period. And there's been trash talking on both sides just on this thread. I'm not trying to silence anyone based on their beliefs. Or mine. I'm silencing it based on the rules of this forum. No politics. The end. Talk about it until you're purple, but do it elsewhere.

I just went back and re-read the rules IE. the Topic BELIZE FORUM CODE OF CONDUCT and Terms and Conditions of Use

Here under OPINIONS: is the only place in either set of rules that uses the word Politics, and it clearly states it is not allowed as a TOPIC. The word Topic(s) is mentioned 10 times, and it is clear that a Topic as intended here is the Title or Subject of the Thread. My reading of this is, while Politics is not allowed as a Thread/Topic, it is not banned as an Opinion. 

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