What it costs to buy property in Belize
A foreign buyer should budget roughly 8.8%–9.8% of the purchase price on top of the price itself. No licence or permit is required.
What you pay
- Stamp duty (transfer tax)7.8% of the price$39,200
- Legal fees1.0%–2.0% of the price$5,000–$10,000
| On a purchase of | $250,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty (transfer tax) | $19,200 | $39,200 | $79,200 |
| Legal fees | $2,500 – $5,000 | $5,000 – $10,000 | $10,000 – $20,000 |
| Total on top of the price | 8.7%–9.7% | 8.8%–9.8% | 8.9%–9.9% |
Can you buy as a foreigner?
No licence required
No licence or permit required. Belize repealed the Alien Landholding Act in 2001, so a foreign buyer takes freehold title on the same footing as a Belizean.
No approval to wait for
With no permission to obtain, the timeline is set by conveyancing rather than by a government queue.
Take it with you
These figures as a PDF, worked out at the price you enter, with every source and the date it was checked.
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Nearby markets compared
What a foreign buyer pays on top of a $500,000 price, here and in the markets around it nearest in cost.
- NicaraguaNo licence2.7%–4.2%
- Costa RicaNo licence3.8%
- GuatemalaNo licence4.3%–5.5%
- HondurasNo licence5.0%–7.0%
- BelizeNo licence8.8%–9.8%
An estimate for budgeting, not legal or tax advice. These rates are traced to published sources but have not been reviewed by a practitioner in this jurisdiction. Confirm the current position with an attorney before you commit.
Rates traced to published sources but not yet confirmed by a Belizean attorney. The Government of Belize site was unreachable at the time of checking, so the stamp duty figure rests on secondary citation of it.