Country Article / Postcards

Belize vs. Guatemala

Date: 03/22/2006

Dear International Living Reader,

Both Belize and Guatemala offer a low cost of living and great property bargains in beautiful settings. But the similarities end there. In fact, though the countries are next door to each other, they're about as different as neighbors can be. Here's a quick comparison.

The lure of Belize is its beautiful Caribbean coast and pristine rainforests. What attracts Americans and European to Guatemala are the country's charm and an exotic mix of Spanish and Mayan cultures.

Since the two countries are on approximately the same latitude, you might think the climates would be similar. In fact, most of Belize is hot, but a large part of Guatemala is delightfully cool.

Along the Belizean coast, temperatures reach 85 - 95 degrees Fahrenheit almost every day, and high humidity makes it feel even hotter. It's cooler in the hills of the interior, where night temperatures regularly fall to the 50s during the winter. Northern Belize averages slightly less than 70 inches of rain a year, but rainfall increases steadily as you go south. Around Punta Gorda, it averages about 160 inches a year.

Guatemala is also hot in low-lying regions, including the rugged Pacific Coast. But Americans and Europeans usually live in cooler areas, such as the villages around Lake Atitlán, where the temperature lows and highs run from the mid-50s to the 70s. In popular Antigua, high temperatures are usually in the 80s and rainfall averages about four inches a month.

English is the official language of Belize, and it's the dominant language along the coast and in major cities. Spanish, Mayan, and Creole are also widely spoken. The official language of Guatemala is Spanish, but Mayan is the dominant language in many parts of the country. English is widely spoken in Antigua, the towns around Lake Atitlán, and in nearby Chichicastenango, an area popular with Americans.

You can go to Belize for many reasons, but food is not among them. Though the quality of food is rapidly improving (see Eating Well in Belize), Belize has a long way to go before it can catch up with Guatemala, especially Antigua--where restaurants excel in cuisine that combines European and Mayan traditions.

Health care is generally considered slightly better in Belize than in Guatemala, where a devastating civil war ended only 10 years ago. The capital, Guatemala City, has adequate medical facilities, but many public hospitals elsewhere still lack medicine and equipment. Private hospitals are better staffed and equipped. In Belize, doctors and clinics in urban areas can handle most minor conditions. Like Guatemala, however, Belize lacks adequate medical facilities in rural areas.

Sadly, crime is a problem that both countries have in common, but it's a problem that isn't difficult to avoid. Guatemala City is a high-crime area throughout the day while many rural areas are dangerous at night. Belize City and other urban areas in Belize also have crime problems at night, but the situation is gradually improving, thanks to the introduction of the Tourist Police a few years ago.

To avoid high-crime areas in either country, ask for advice from residents, especially expats. If you have any doubts, contact the embassy. There are more than enough safe areas to make living here a rewarding experience.

Don Ediger
For International Living

P.S. I've updated the Fight Week Index 2006 with our cost of living indicators for Guatemala and Belize--see how they stack up to the other 10 destinations.