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Working Remote in San Pedro Belize

by tacogirl 11/05/2021
written by tacogirl 11/05/2021

I was recently contacted by Pablo Sherman, an interesting guy who chose to make a life-changing Covid move and make Belize his home for the next year. Here’s a bit of backstory on Pablo’s broad history and how he ended up choosing San Pedro, Ambergris Caye as his Covid work abroad destination.

Working Abroad

Hi, my name is Pablo and I have been working in Belize, or at least San Pedro, for about three months so far and I have to say most things are great.

I was born in Sarteneja Village in the Corozal District in 1979. We split our time between there and Georgia until I was 5. After that, I only came to Belize on three trips, but my dad lived in Corozal on and off until 2003. So now, 37 years later I’m back and living on the island. I lived in four countries in Asia for the last 13 years – Korea, China, Cambodia, and Vietnam. I’ve traveled through most of East Asia. In that time I met people from so many countries that I couldn’t count them all. In my 20s I spent a bit of time in Europe and Mexico traveling around. I owned a few businesses, a cell phone store, a car rental in the US, a recording studio in Korea, and held a lot of different jobs. I was a radio DJ, was cast in a few TV shows for bit parts, and a few radio commercials as a voice actor. I did a little bartending and liqueurs mixology and finally landed in education. I taught elementary school, then moved onto Mass Communication at a few universities before getting into eLearning and Instructional Design which is what I do now.

Currently, I’m building training programs to help professors improve their online teaching skills which have become a serious concern due to Covid19 forcing remote learning for most of the world. So after all these years and many different countries, I decided that Belize was where I was going for 2021 and likely beyond. Returning to a country I barely know to discover what it’s all about.

My Remote Work Experience

Internet speeds are good, 25 to 120MB, depending on where you stay, of course. I found it is consistently better than rural North America and better than Vietnam (last year) or Cambodia (2 years ago). Slower than Korea by a lot but totally usable and usually included in medium-term rentals.

Rent: while not a bargain per se, I saw a few nice American-style places at $500 to $550 USD. They were too far southwest (DFC), right on the main road, or right by the runway, and no pool at any of those. Given the unpredictable nature of Covid, a pool seemed like a good amenity to have. For a little more, $650 USD and up it is possible to find a place with a pool like I did. I got a really nice 1 bed, fully furnished apartment for 750 USD. It came with: 2 ac units, dishes, linens, washer/dryer, Wifi/cable, and even a home phone plus a pool. Pretty sure it’s a big covid discount but I know 2 of the neighbors are at the same price. In a global comparison, the places I looked at were slightly more than ex-pat type places in SE Asia but much cheaper than the US, Canada, most of Europe, and some places in Asia.

My two cents: I did a Covid move, and the pricing I experienced was comparable or slightly less than Pablo’s rent mentioned above, for in and close to town. Because I was not looking in off-the-beaten-path areas I did not find cheaper and I saw north condo pricing run in the $1200 – $1400 USD range.

Working Remote in San Pedro Belize
Seagrape Apts, south San Pedro rental about 5 min walk from the beach – image courtesy of Pablo Sherman
Working Remote in San Pedro Belize
Some Apartments in this building get a sea view – image courtesy of Pablo Sherman.
Working Remote in San Pedro Belize
Shared outdoor area with a pool – image courtesy of Pablo Sherman.
Working Remote in San Pedro Belize
Walking distance to town, shopping and restaurants – image courtesy of Pablo Sherman.

Food and Drink: This is the mixed bag. Restaurants and bars are a bit cheaper (for local drinks) than developed countries or many expat-oriented places in SE Asia. Supermarkets are often more expensive than the US for most things, but cheaper than other countries for many things. Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea, and even China charged a lot for “western” food even if it was locally produced so all things considered, costs here, especially if you are savvy about shopping, are not out of hand. Imported things are more, but aside from alcohol aren’t totally overpriced. Imported alcohol is cheaper than Korea, China, and Singapore by a good amount, however, store prices have a wide range here so it pays to shop around.

My two cents: Also, keep in mind you never know what you will find where, as street shopping is a thing in San Pedro. Like Jose’s fresh coconut water in the picture below. My friend Rosemary and I were out for a walk and we spotted Jose’s bike outside the Train Station gym.

Shopping in Belize

Lifestyle: English being the official language makes life much easier, locals are friendly and helpful, very few cultural barriers exist and nothing is much of a big deal.

Belize fruit
More local street shopping. I found Mangos in the shade at Belize Water Systems.

Visas: (not an issue for me as a Belizean but) $100 USD a month after the first month. There may be multiple-month visas available now, mixed info from my neighbors on that. This is kind of pricey compared to most places I’ve been but it’s easy enough to renew compared to many other places.

All in all, I am loving reconnecting with my roots in Belize and grateful for the opportunity to be able to work remotely in San Pedro – Pablo Sherman.

My two cents: To verify Pablo’s info, I checked the 2020 Belize Immigration fees pdf and it was not clear so I asked my friend Rita who still stamps her passport monthly, and she said she has gotten 3 months in the past. If you bring in a copy of your long-term lease or title to your place and three months of bank statements you can get a multiple-month stamp. The cost is still $100 USD a month.

Central Park San Pedro Belize
Notice the o is red in this picture? The pink one in featured image is the post election version of the sign.

Visualization Time

Need a bit more convincing? I decided to add a few more pictures to make it easier for you to imagine what your days could be like here in addition to Pablo’s information above.

How about a trio of floaty toys on your way for a coffee break? In my case, it was heading to town for a quick mid-morning errand. I never get tired of seeing bursts of color on Ambergris Caye, especially when it’s a mermaid, a lama, and a flamingo 😀

Belize beach

Working remotely in Belize is the opportunity of a lifetime. Don’t you want to see Pelicans and the Caribbean sea on your lunch break?

Belize bird

While Ambergris is not really known for its beaches, the Boca del Rio beach road is a hotspot for many. Picture yourself below enjoying a cold one or a peaceful walk on the beach at the end of your workday.

Boca del Rio Beach Belize

If you are looking for beachfront rentals, although they cater more to vacationers, I have known a few people over the years that were very happy in long-term rentals at Oasis del Caribe. You can also check San Pedro Sun Newspaper classifieds to see what else is out there at what price.

Vacation rentals Belize
Vacation condo rentals San Pedro Belize

Does your rental apartment/condo/house veranda have hammock hooks or would the landlord be willing to install them? If so, be sure and stop by the Artists Market on Back St. to pick one up. After a very long closure due to covid, these folks need some local business as well as tourists to help them recover.

Shopping in Belize

Do you currently work from home? If so, check with your employer and see if working abroad is a viable option. Let them know there is this great country in Central America and they need some tourism help.

I will leave you with a funny related story. There was a couple in my neighborhood and the husband was “working from home.” Well, that was to be home in the USA not doing meetings abroad on a tropical island in Central America. They had taken a place for six months however a nearby rooster that crowed whenever he felt like it had them looking for new digs fast.

Belize animals
Free range chickens Ambergris Caye Belize

Related

tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Delvin Kelly
Delvin Kelly
18:38 22 Jun 22
I just returned from my trip to Belize in mid-June 2022. I had been planning the trip weeks / months in advance and... Laurie (taco girl) wasextremely helpful in preparation for my trip. Her intimate knowledge as an expat who was ONCE a tourist, really helps because she is able to share first hand knowledge of how a tourist can explore Ambergis Caye like a "temporary local". An example of this, was she recommended 2 yoga classes for my wife to enjoy while on vacation that we would not have known about otherwise and the class was far better than a class arranged by a hotel, as you get the local experience not a staged one. In addition, she was helpful in providing recommendations for dinner and sharing some discounts she has arranged with local retailers. Reviewing the taco girl blog and reaching out to Laurie is like having a tour guide, but more important a tour guide that KNOWS Belize.read more
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G
22:52 16 Jun 22
From the perspective of a couple preparing for a permanent move to Belize, Laurie has been enthusiastically helpful in... both answering our questions and connecting us with local resources for our move. Highly recommend you contact her and make use of her valuable services!!!read more
Darrell Moore
Darrell Moore
13:15 18 Apr 22
Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
B W
B W
18:01 08 Feb 22
Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
Kristi Palm
Kristi Palm
20:40 12 Oct 21
We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
D Zep
D Zep
12:39 01 Oct 21
Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
Kelley Adams
Kelley Adams
20:19 21 Sep 21
We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
Pamela Nixon
Pamela Nixon
18:36 20 Sep 21
I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
Chris S
Chris S
17:12 17 Sep 21
Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
Ty Willingham
Ty Willingham
01:47 20 Aug 21
I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
Greg Cox
Greg Cox
18:58 04 Aug 21
I am very glad I found you and asked you a question about a spice in Belize. You helped me figure out the name of it... and where i could buy it. You went above and beyond to help. Thanks again.read more
Katherine Jones
Katherine Jones
18:41 02 Aug 21
I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
Greg R
Greg R
02:12 29 Jun 21
tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
Katherine Carlson
Katherine Carlson
18:46 02 Jun 21
As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
Kathleen Ward
Kathleen Ward
18:29 02 Jun 21
We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
ksniegoc1
ksniegoc1
17:45 02 Jun 21
It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
Myra F
Myra F
01:30 25 Mar 21
I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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