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    How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

    The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

    Super Cheap

    • Chitré, Panama
    • Santa Marta, Colombia
    • Phuket, Thailand
    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

    Cheap

    • Medellin, Colombia
    • Boquete, Panama
    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
    • Hua Hin, Thailand
    • The Algarve, Portugal

    Affordable

    • Valencia, Spain
    • Cascais, Portugal
    • Las Terrenas, The DR
    • Pisa, Italy
    • La Rochelle, France
    • Mazatlán, Mexico

    Luxury

    • Ambergris Caye, Belize
    • Kotor, Montenegro
    • The Panama City Beaches
    • Paris, France
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    • Home
    • Countries

      Top Destinations:

      Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • Colombia
      • Cyprus
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Montenegro
      • Browse All Countries

      Best For:

      • The Best Places To Retire
      • Health Care Abroad
      • Cost Of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Establishing Residency
      • Gun Laws In The World
      • English-Speaking Countries
      • Safest Places For Retirement
      • Best Places In Latin America
    • Budgets

      How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

      The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

      Super Cheap

      • Chitré, Panama
      • Santa Marta, Colombia
      • Phuket, Thailand
      • Dumaguete, The Philippines

      Cheap

      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Kyrenia, Cyprus
      • Hua Hin, Thailand
      • The Algarve, Portugal

      Affordable

      • Valencia, Spain
      • Cascais, Portugal
      • Las Terrenas, The DR
      • Pisa, Italy
      • La Rochelle, France
      • Mazatlán, Mexico

      Luxury

      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Kotor, Montenegro
      • The Panama City Beaches
      • Paris, France
    • Resources

      Global Living

      • Living & Retiring Overseas
      • Raising A Family Abroad
      • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
      • Offshore & Diversification

      Making Money

      • International Real Estate
      • Banking
      • Employment
      • Investing

      Follow Us:

      • Meet Our Experts
    • Real Estate

      Join our Weekly Newsletter
      Overseas Property Alert

      Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

        Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

        • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

        Explore Our Latest Posts

        • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

        Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

        • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
      • Conferences

        Upcoming Events

        • Explore Our Events Site

        Live and Invest In Spain Conference

        Offshore Wealth Summit

        Greece Workshop

        VALENCIA, SPAIN

        Sep. 17-19, 2025

        PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

        Oct. 15-17, 2025

        VIRTUAL

        Nov. 13, 2025

        LEARN MORE
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        LEARN MORE
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        Contact Our Events Team

        Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
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        From Outside North America:
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        Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

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        • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

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        Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

        Services

        overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
        The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
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        Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

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        Home Countries Belize

        Panama vs. Belize: Which is Best For You?

        Find Out If You Should Move To Panama Or Belize

        by Live And Invest Overseas
        Dec 06, 2022
        in Belize, Panama, Retirement/Living
        0 0
        Senior couple walking on the beach. Are You Ready To “Retire Up”? wealthy Panama vs Belize

        AdobeStock/Day Of Victory Stu

        Panama or Belize? When considering the best places to retire, many people dream about living abroad in a warm, tropical or highlands location where they have easy access to the States or Canada. Panama and Belize share these benefits, but they are also different in many ways.

        So how can you decide which country may be your perfect fit? Here’s a quick comparison of these two locations that always score high on our list of the best countries for expats.

        Retirement Benefits

        Senior Couple Enjoying Meal At Outdoor Cafe
        iStock/monkeybusinessimages

        In Panama, you need to prove at least US$1,000 per month in regular retirement benefits to qualify for Pensionado visa status. You’ll enjoy discounts on travel, hotels, restaurants, hospital and medical expenses, and some services. The low threshold amount and discounts make Panama one of the cheapest places to retire.

        To qualify under the Qualified Retiree Program (QRP) in Belize you must show US$2,000 per month and stay in the country for at least 30 days consecutively each year. This program offers duty exemptions for the first year if you bring personal belongings into the country and some tax incentives.

        Currency Exchange

        Background of different american dollars bills and coins. Panama vs Belize
        iStock/OlyaSolodenko

        This category is basically a draw. Panama uses the U.S. dollar while Belize’s dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar at a 2:1 ratio. You’ll experience no benefit or detriment of an exchange rate swing and always know how far your currency will go.

        Proximity To The States And Canada

        Commercial aircraft cabin with rows of seats down the aisle. Panama vs Belize
        iStock/Diy13

        Both countries offer convenient flights to North America. From Panama, you can expect four hours to Texas and Florida, while a similar flight from Belize will take around three hours.

        Language Barrier

        Woman talking with alphabet letters coming out of her mouth.
        iStock7SIphotography

        When it comes to comparing languages in Panama vs Belize, English is the official language in Belize, although you’ll hear many different local dialects including a creole patois. Spanish is the official language of Panama, but in the larger cities you can get by with English and much of the country is bilingual.

        Personal Safety

        Close-up Of A Person Stealing Purse From Handbag
        iStock/AndreyPopov

        Panama boasts one of the lowest crime rates in Central America, especially outside of the capital, Panama City. Belize has a higher overall crime rate per capita because it’s much smaller than Panama, but most criminal activity is found in Belize City and we don’t recommend living there.

        Panama vs Belize: Weather And Lifestyle

        Mercury thermometer marking 39 degrees Celsius 100 Fahrenheit in a sunny day.
        iStock/Cylonphoto

        Both countries have hot and humid locations, especially along the coasts and in the largest cities. Belize offers pleasant inland living around the Cayo region and Panama has lovely highlands with more moderate temperatures especially at elevation.

        Panama City is known for its traffic, a frenetic pace, and questionable sidewalks that make getting around a challenge. Outside the capital, driving is easier and the towns more friendly. The overall vibe in Belize is laid-back and friendly, but the infrastructure may be less modern than you are used to.

        The best way to answer the questions, “Panama vs Belize?” or “Where should I live?” is to do your research and then visit potential locations to truly get a feel for the place. For great weather and proximity to the States and Canada, you should keep Belize and Panama on your shortlist.

        Tags: 'Cayo''panama city'Belize vs. Panamalive overseasmove overseasMove to BelizeMove to Panamaretire in panamaRetire in Philippinesretire overseas
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        Live And Invest Overseas

        Live And Invest Overseas

        Live and Invest Overseas is the world's savviest source for top opportunities to live better, retire in style, invest for profit, do business, and own real estate overseas. Established in 2008, the Live and Invest Overseas' editors and correspondents have more experience researching and reporting on top opportunities for living well, investing for profit, doing business, and owning real estate around the world than anyone else you'll find.

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          Top Countries

          • Spain
          • Portugal
          • Panama
          • Belize
          • Colombia
          • Cyprus
          • Mexico
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          • Montenegro

          Best For:

          • Health Care Abroad
          • Retirement Living
          • Cost Of Living
          • Investing in Real Estate
          • Establishing Residency
          • Gun Ownership
          • English Speakers
          • Safety
          BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

          Budgets

          How Much Will It Cost
          To Live Overseas?

          Super Cheap

          • Chitré, Panama
          • Santa Marta, Colombia
          • Phuket, Thailand
          • Dumaguete, The Philippines

          Cheap

          • Medellin, Colombia
          • Boquete, Panama
          • Kyrenia, Cyprus
          • Hua Hin, Thailand
          • The Algarve, Portugal

          Affordable

          • Valencia, Spain
          • Cascais, Portugal
          • Las Terrenas, The DR
          • Pisa, Italy
          • La Rochelle, France
          • Mazatlán, Mexico

          Luxury

          • Ambergris Caye, Belize
          • Kotor, Montenegro
          • The Panama City Beaches
          • Paris, France

          Resources

          Global Living

          • Living & Retiring Overseas
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          • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
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          Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

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