New Video: Santa Familia, Belize—The Retirement At The End Of The World

Intro

Hi! I’m Kat Kalashian for Live and Invest Overseas, and today we’re talking about Belize, one of the best retirements in the world for 2026.

The Top Destination in Belize

Specifically, in the Cayo District, a little town called Santa Familia. The retirement at the end of the world would be a good way to think about this one. The Cayo District in general has always been really high on our list. It’s always taken top places on our Annual Retirement Index. It’s a beautiful, welcoming, quirky little corner of the world.

It’s located on the mainland in western Belize. A lot of people think about the islands when they think about Belize, but there is a whole other Indiana Jones side to Belize, and this is what we’re talking about.

So, Cayo is this frontier land of rivers and rainforests. It’s kind of lost to time, where you feel like you’ve just stepped back decades, sometimes centuries, if you’re looking at the Mayan ruins.

Over the past few years, an open-minded identity has really evolved here. It celebrates healthy living, art, agriculture, environmental preservation, and diversity. This is definitely one of the most eco-friendly retirement options that I know in the world.

Cayo has not been inundated with corporate developers or daiquiri-drinking tourists like some other places in Belize. It’s developed very gradually over many decades, allowing it this atmosphere that’s, as I say, completely unique in today’s world.

There’s a population of just about 100,000 people here, and they’re spread over quite large areas. The low population density might shock you a little bit, unless you’re from someplace a little bit rural, a little bit agricultural.

But here are some of the best opportunities in the country, especially when it comes to exploring rivers, caves, mountains, tropical forests, wide open spaces, and nature at its absolute purest.

You know, I mean, it goes without saying. This is a nature-lover’s paradise. Expats and locals alike have made an effort to celebrate and preserve this natural beauty that exists here, and it remains untouched.

So, it’s no wonder that this is one of the fastest-growing districts in Belize. Well, it’s the fastest-growing in Belize for eco-tourism and one of the fastest markets in this region for this kind of eco-tourism.

It’s also a top choice for those who are thinking about embracing a self-sufficient lifestyle. Many, many people here have little homesteads, we like to think of them. Little plots of land, a few animals, a few trees, you know, kitchen gardens that offer a lot more than just basil and thyme.

The people that are drawn here are adventure seekers, artists, nature lovers, and well-traveled creative entrepreneurs.

The largest town in this district is San Ignacio, which we’ve covered quite a bit in the past. It’s home to a little town square with a park and a little pedestrianized thoroughfare, which is home to a few boutiques, souvenir shops, tour companies, real estate agencies, the commercial core of the country.

It offers a level of convenience that you really won’t find elsewhere in Belize. Although you might find this hard to believe if you’ve seen it in person, low-key as it is. This is, however, one of the, as I say, the hubs of the country.

Santa Familia, though, is another little village at the heart of this district. And it is perfectly positioned between the conveniences of San Ignacio, which is about seven miles away, and the Mennonite commercial hub of Spanish Lookout, which is around nine miles away.

The community here is friendly, welcoming, very laid back. And if you’re thinking about a sustainable lifestyle, you’re ideally suited to this farmer’s paradise. Its rich, fertile soil, plentiful rain, sun-soaked fields, and abundant orchards are the reason that many people set up their lives here.

And with a community of just a couple thousand in this immediate area, this is really low-key village living. You’re not going to be keeping up with the Joneses here. And that’s a big draw for most people that love this lifestyle. It’s the down-to-earth nature of this place. Nature. Pun intended.

It doesn’t take long to become part of the community here, and it’s a cozy little corner. Very quickly, you’ll get to know all the little shop owners, the farmers, the schoolteachers, the yoga instructors, artists, your own expat neighbors, your own local neighbors.

And whether you’re planning to relocate full time, part time, rent, buy, starting a business, get off the grid, maybe just go for a few months to relax for a while, Cayo in general, and Santa Familia, in particular, is a really great option.

So, let’s look a little bit deeper at why Santa Familia ranks so highly in this year’s 2026 Overseas Retirement Index.

The Cost Of Living

So, cost of living. There will be an adjustment period. I will warn you, unless you’re coming from an agricultural place back home, this might be a little bit different than what you’re used to.

You’ll need to find where the best local meal is. You’ll have to explore the market, find your favorite produce vendor. Find the guy with the chickens that you think lay the best eggs, kind of thing.

You’re going to want to venture away from the costlier restaurants, which are there, primarily for tourists. So, they might feel familiar, but they charge a huge premium. The quality of food isn’t, you know, necessarily as good as it might be at the cost. And they really are catering to those daiquiri swillers, you know, not that there’s anything wrong with swilling daiquiris.

I’m a daiquiri lover myself, but these are the kinds of places that are really catering to those resort-style tourists or expats. But when you’re eating out here in the little family-owned restaurants that you’ll find, you’ll save so much money compared to eating out in the States. A really good staple easy meal might cost four bucks.

This isn’t going to be anything fancy, but it might be the best thing you’ve ever tasted.

When I lived in Panama, I discovered that I absolutely love “ropa vieja,” which is what it’s called. It literally means dirty laundry. That’s how attractive and appetizing it looks. But it is the most delicious thing. And you can get a giant plate of it with rice and beans for about 3 or 4 bucks.

So, same kind of thing. A staple meal here would probably be rice and beans with stewed chicken or some other kind of meat. It’s filling, it’s tasty, and it is very affordable.

In Santa Familia, at the Humes Family Store, you can buy everything from groceries to hardware, household goods, furniture. This is how life is in Belize. You never know where you might find something. And it might be the last place you thought it would be. You never know who might be selling what.

You’ll find that imported goods here come at an arm and a leg. I’ve heard from people who come here and say, “How can you say Belize is affordable when a jar of peanut butter costs $12?”

Well, right. If you’re getting Jiffy or Skippy or whatever it is imported from the U.S., you’re going to pay a premium for that, especially if you’re on an island. But if you’re buying the local goods, I assure you your cost will be cut not only in half, but in a fraction.

So, trust the local brands. Try local brands, find what you like, what you prefer. And then if you do want to splurge on some of those imported items or just, you know, make a conscious effort to bring them back with you every time you go back home, you’ll really appreciate that in the budget section.

And I mean, the local brands, they can be as good or better at half the price. You just don’t know until you try.

A little bit of an adjustment period if you’re used to going to the supermarket for a one-stop shop, you might have to go to a few different people to find what you need for a meal. But I assure you, it is a great way to get integrated with the community and to enjoy what it is to live day to day in Belize.

You can also refill your five-gallon jugs of drinking water here for about $2.50. So, that’s, you know, an example of the kinds of savings you can have. You will not find any big box stores. There are no franchises. There’s no McDonald’s, no Starbucks. Everything here is 100% local.

To get everything that you need, as I say, it’s probably going to take a trip to the market, the butcher, the baker, and so on. It’s kind of like in Europe, where I’m based, where you don’t expect necessarily to get everything that you need in one place.

And if you know where the best one is, you know, I know in my neighborhood where the best baguette is, where the best roast beef is, you know? So, those are the places I go back to and I don’t expect to just get them at any other place. I know where I’m going to get them.

So, the Cayo District is far less expensive than the other areas of Belize. If you’ve traveled there before, you might have gone to a popular tourist or expat destination, especially the islands, which are generally going to charge a premium for things that they have to import.

It’s also got a little bit easier access to a wider variety of goods and services, because it is on the mainland, and it takes just that extra trip to get things out to the islands.

Telephone, water, internet, basic utilities of all sorts are very reasonable compared to the United States. Again, I’m talking a fraction of what you would pay now.

And the companies that provide these services are happy to provide quality customer service. They’re actually available for customer service. And, I should have mentioned this sooner, but in case you didn’t know, Belize is an English-speaking country. So, when you call that customer service agent, you’re not going to have to muddle through a second language.

And you’re never going to have to wait on hold with a corporate cable company ever again. Some might say that’s a reason enough to move.

The cost of electricity is a little bit higher than in the States, which, honestly, it really just tends to spark consciousness about consumption for people who move to Belize. They’re incentivized to experiment with other forms of energy like solar, for example. So, solar panels are a big thing here.

Fuel is also a little bit higher than in the U.S. at about $7 a gallon. But still, there are some things that are going to cost more here. But without those big box stores, without the malls, without the excessive availability of consumerism, there’s just frankly less to buy here.

Gradually, you know, the people that embrace life here recognize that they don’t need all of that stuff anyway.

So, in Santa Familia, we recommend that a couple’s budget shoot for around $2,000, a little bit over. The exact number is $2,035 in this year’s Overseas Retirement Index. But you could certainly live for less than that. You could certainly live for more than that.

Climate

When it comes to climate, Belize has two seasons: rainy from June to November and dry for the rest of the year. Plus, it’s just outside the hurricane belt. Only about 5% of hurricanes that form in the Caribbean ever make landfall in Belize.

So, it’s really important to note that this is a part of the Caribbean where you can feel a little bit safer from natural disasters. You know, this is something that people are increasingly thinking about each year as islands and parts of the U.S. are devastated with natural disasters. So, it’s something to keep in mind.

Health Care

When it comes to health care, this is probably the biggest drawback of living in Belize.

So, there is a little community hospital in San Ignacio. It is a public facility. There’s also one in Santa Elena, which isn’t far. But the reputation for health care here is very mixed. Public facilities are not going to be up to the standards that you’re used to and often leave expats complaining.

Private facilities do offer higher quality of care, higher standards. And many expats do feel confident having basic health care needs met in Belize. However, for anything major, you’re going to want to go to Mexico or back to the U.S., or back to Canada.

A lot of expats actually maintain national health coverage from back home and travel back when needed. And then, as I say, a lot of people also travel to Mexico, which is right next door. In fact, you could drive there. You could drive to Chetumal, right next door, with a much wider range of facilities at much higher standards.

In Belize City is the biggest hospital in the country. It’s modern, it’s private. But Belize City is not the first place, that is actually the last place we would recommend that you live or base yourself in Belize. So, with that in mind, you’re probably not going to want to avail yourself of that hospital.

A general doctor’s visit, though, here will cost you around 25 bucks. Consultation with a specialist is around $35, and dental cleaning will be about $30.

All of that said, you know, the cost is great, undeniable. But we really recommend that you take health very seriously. If you’re looking at a life in Belize, especially in retirement or aging in place if you’re moving here, you should definitely avail yourself of a private insurance plan and make sure it’s a policy that covers emergency air evacuation.

Just in the worst-case scenario, you’d be flown out to Miami easily. It’s only an hour away by air ambulance, so I feel like that kind of takes away all of that anxiety, as long as you have no preexisting major health conditions.

Entertainment

So, when it comes to entertainment, I think you should get the idea now that Cayo is very rural and its appeal lies in its simplicity. So, there is no formal, organized cultural entertainment here. Obviously, no ballet, symphony, but not even a cinema. You know, that’s the kind of thing you might not think about.

Even very mainstream forms of entertainment aren’t available here. So, what you will be able to take part in are some down-home events like community art shows, cultural heritage festivals, Christmas tree lightings, open mic nights at bars, things like that.

A couple that I have known for some years living very happily around the San Ignacio area in Cayo, they love their darts tournament nights. They also have card-playing nights. The women have a book club.

There’s not much by way of museums, but there is a great dose of history here with those ancient Maya archaeological sites. Many of the nearby, the cave tubing, I mean, you might go down a cave and see a piece of pottery or a relic on the side that has been there for hundreds and hundreds of years, and nobody’s ever touched it, you know?

So, it’s a different side of discovering history, but it’s one that definitely has an appeal. An Indiana Jones-like appeal.

And that’s kind of where Cayo shines. It’s known for its many parks, its ecological reserves. It is really the heart of the Belizean Maya world. It’s extremely rich in pre-Columbian archaeological sites, wide open spaces, country roads, river access at nearly every corner. These are all of your opportunities to have fun here and get active.

There are a growing number of organized sporting events. The annual River Challenge, La Ruta Maya. This is a four-day event that starts in San Ignacio. There’s also the Ride Across Belize, which is the country’s largest cycling event held around Easter weekend every year. Again, a four-day journey from the Corozal District, to basically ride in sections through the entire country.

There are lots of 5K and 10K running events, kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking opportunities, spelunking. It is a birdwatching mecca. In fact, the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is a world-class birdwatching destination that’s been there for decades already.

You know, things like basketball, frisbee, golf, pickleball, they are popular and there are a couple of gyms nearby, but these are definitely expat activities, and you need to find those around you in the community to take part.

Also, lots of volunteering activities and opportunities. So, local schools are a big one, clothes for children are another, and spaying and neutering the stray dogs. There is a big population of stray dogs and the expats aim to try and reduce it a little bit in an ethical way.

The Expat Community

All right. So, for the expat community, it’s very easy to make friends here. As I said, English is the language. So, it makes it that much easier. Locals and expats mingle very well. There’s no cliquey sense here.

The North American retirees are mostly the young, adventurous homesteaders. But then there are also the Brits who served in the army in the years past. So, it’s a very diverse mix of people who found their way here.

Socializing and integrating into the expat community will come very easily. As I mentioned, all of those little casual social events are always on every week. Whether it’s with volunteer groups to women’s groups to hangouts in a local pub.

The common second languages here, I haven’t mentioned that, are Creole and Spanish, so if you’ve got any Spanish, that will also come in handy and you might also hear Creole, you know, you won’t only hear English even though it is the official language. You’ll hear a good mix being spoken by the locals, but you really won’t have any trouble being understood in English either.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure. All right, so I mentioned health care is the number one drawback. Infrastructure is the secondary drawback. So, the internet in Belize is very mid-range. You might get about 50 Mbps for downloads.

Electricity outages are not uncommon. The reliability of supply has improved over time. But, you know, a good storm might wipe out that one cable that connects you to the grid.

The last time I was there, internet was so patchy that there wasn’t Wi-Fi coverage in certain areas. You had to have a little Wi-Fi stick that you brought your connection with you everywhere you go. That was a while ago. But, you know, if you go to a less populated area of the country, that might still be the norm.

You’re going to need a car in this very rural, very sprawling part of Belize, and it should definitely have four-wheel drive. Again, the last trip I was there, I was driving out with a friend in his pickup truck. And there are four highways in Belize, and they go like this on the mainland. And one of those highways led us to the home he was taking us to.

And there happened to be a tree down in a recent storm, which meant a two-hour detour on dirt roads, trekking around the highway, which is barely better than a dirt road at the best of times. So, if this is the kind of lifestyle that seems adventurous and fun, then great. If you would be annoyed to no end by that kind of a detour and these kinds of outages, then this is definitely not the place for you.

However, having said that, the roads in Belize are developing all the time. Plus, Belize is about as close to the U.S. and Canada as you can get. You can even drive here if you’re living in the southern states. The international airport in Belize City has plenty of direct flights to both countries. However, Cayo is about a two-hour drive from Belize City where you would fly in, so it’s a little bit of a hop, skip, and a jump. But, that’s kind of what you would expect to be able to get off-grid.

Safety

So, when it comes to safety, we need to talk about this because Belize has such a negative reputation for crime, and it is so undeserved. So, much of the commentary and the statistics come from Belize City, which, as I said, is the last place we would ever recommend anybody spend any time at all, really, let alone live.

There is gang violence there. There is a lot of drug-based crime in Belize City, which is why we recommend you fly in and just drive straight out.

And all of the statistics you have to take with a grain of salt, because Belize has a population of about 200,000 people. So, the statistics for per capita murders per 1,000 people is huge compared to some place with even 20,000 residents, let alone a million residents, you know. So, the statistics are extremely skewed. It’s a little bit of a downgrade for Belize in the international statistics that it has this bad statistic of murders per capita.

But again, they’re taken completely out of context. And honestly, for people in the know, for people who really do know and spend time in Belize, they don’t mind that statistic. They don’t mind that reputation because it keeps other people out and saves the beautiful parts of the country for them.

So, the crime that takes place here in Belize City, as I say, that really doesn’t affect the average person living in Belize. Certainly not the retirees. If you’re getting into trouble here, it’s because you were seeking it out for some reason or another.

And, you know, housing disputes, things like that, those are between locals. And you shouldn’t put your nose in it and, you know, see things like that, and you should be fine.

The Cayo is, in particular, a very safe and quiet region. Petty crime can also always be an issue anywhere in the world, when you’re careless. If you leave your bicycle on your front lawn here overnight, it might not be there when you wake up.

So, having basic precautions can curb most issues, as can dogs. Interesting fact: Belizeans really don’t like dogs, especially large dogs. I’m not recommending you go out and get some kind of junkyard dog, but a nice, well-trained dog will scare away most people trying to get into your home or your yard.

Residency

So, residency, when it comes to the actual nitty-gritty, it is very easy to establish residency in Belize. And there are a wide range of visa types.

So, you’ve got the QRP first, the Qualified Retirement Program. It is one of the most user-friendly programs in the world. It’s applicable if you’re at least 40 years old and you earn $2,000 per month or $24,000 per year from a source outside of Belize, you’re in. It comes with other perks like exemptions on import duty for household effects and other things. So, very good visa option there.

Taxes

Taxes. Belize is a notable tax haven. You might have known about Belize or heard of it in the news because of it being a tax haven. So, what that means is that only your locally sourced income is subject to local tax.

So, if your income comes in, this is Canada, any other country, you can live in Belize with zero tax obligation. It does not impose capital gains, inheritance, or wealth taxes. Property taxes are so low that they’re negligible.

And there’s only one little tax to be aware of. The stamp duty is either at 5% or 8%. That applies when you buy property. And so, you can see on the screen there the Belize taxes at a glance.

And there you have it. Everything you need to know about retiring to Santa Familia in Belize, in a nutshell. Santa Familia did win in our index this year. It is one of the top retirement locations in the world for 2026.