Today I wanted to cover another reason we decided to open in Belize, and that is CURRENCY.

This should not be confused with MONEY, that was a few days ago. Ask anyone who’s vacationed in Europe when the Euro was 1 for every 2.5 US dollars and they will tell you just how important currency can be when saving money.

Belize does have their own currency which is the Belizean Dollar. And the great thing about it is, it’s tied to the US dollar. Every US dollar is worth 2 Belizean Dollars, Always, period. It doesn’t fluctuate like the Mexican Peso ect. Which makes knowing exactly what you’re spending, easy. If you order a meal and it says 16$ BZD then you know it’s $8 USD, if an item is 20$ BZD then its $10 USD.

Anyone that has traveled to Mexico knows that one day your dollar is worth 16 pesos and the next its worth 10 pesos. It makes it a little difficult to understand if your getting a deal. Not so in Belize.

Most people when they travel to other countries – especially for the first time, rarely take into account currency fluctuations when figuring their travel budget.
With the simple currency conversion it’s easy to understand and decide if your getting a deal. Simply cut the price in half to reach your USD price and ask yourself “would I pay this amount in the States or is it a better price here?”

With all that said about cash Belizean currency, I have yet to visit an establishment that will not accept US dollars when you pay. The currencies are interchangeable – makes it convenient to not have to stop at the currency exchange office!

On that note, Belize isn’t really a third world country, at least not how many would think of it. Most businesses will also accept credit or debit cards. I would urge you to check your foreign transaction fees however. Use a card that doesn’t have any. Most debit cards have them, many credit cards waive these fees, so it’s important to check which ones do and don’t charge you a fee. The fees are charged per transaction and based on a percentage of the charge. They can add up quick!

As always if you have any questions, please let us know. We look forward to helping you vacation like you live here!