Belize Dollar (BZD) Calculator

Belize's Dollar: A Clean Two-to-One Peg

The Belize dollar shares the same convenient peg as the Barbadian dollar: 2.00 BZD per 1 USD. The Central Bank of Belize has maintained this fixed rate for decades. Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America, a former British colony known as British Honduras until independence in 1981, and a destination packing extraordinary natural and archaeological diversity into a country roughly the size of Massachusetts.

The economy runs on tourism, agriculture (sugar, citrus, bananas), and offshore financial services. Belize's barrier reef, the second largest in the world after Australia's, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Great Blue Hole, a giant submarine sinkhole visible from space, is one of the most iconic dive sites on earth.

Reef, Ruins, and Rainforest

Belize offers three distinct experiences in close proximity. The cayes along the barrier reef, particularly Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, deliver Caribbean beach and diving tourism. The interior holds ancient Maya sites including Xunantunich, Caracol, and Lamanai set in dense jungle harboring jaguars, howler monkeys, and hundreds of bird species. The Cayo District provides cave tubing through underground river systems and zip-lining over the canopy.

Caye Caulker, with its "Go Slow" motto, has become a backpacker favorite. No cars (only golf carts and bicycles), a laid-back reggae atmosphere, and affordable beachfront accommodation make it one of the Caribbean's best budget destinations.

What Belize Costs

A beachfront room on Ambergris Caye costs 200 to 500 BZD ($100 to $250). A room on Caye Caulker runs 100 to 250 BZD ($50 to $125). A lobster dinner on the cayes costs 40 to 70 BZD ($20 to $35). A snorkeling trip to Hol Chan Marine Reserve costs 120 to 160 BZD ($60 to $80). A guided tour of Xunantunich ruins is 80 to 120 BZD ($40 to $60).

US dollars are universally accepted at the 2:1 rate. Many operators quote in USD directly. Local restaurants and water taxis may quote in BZD.

USD/BZD Conversion

USD/BZD = 2.00 means one US dollar buys 2 Belize dollars. Converting $500 gives you 1,000 BZD. ATMs from Belize Bank and Atlantic Bank dispense BZD. Card acceptance is good at hotels and dive shops but limited at small businesses. Carrying a mix of US cash and BZD covers all situations.

Marine Life and Conservation

Belize's barrier reef system supports an extraordinary diversity of marine life, and the country has been a global leader in reef conservation. In 2017, Belize banned all offshore oil drilling to protect the reef, a move applauded by environmental organizations worldwide. The reef hosts three of only four atolls in the Western Hemisphere: Lighthouse Reef (home to the Great Blue Hole), Turneffe Atoll, and Glover's Reef. Each offers distinct diving and snorkeling experiences. Whale sharks gather at Gladden Spit off the coast of Placencia from March through June, and swimming alongside these gentle giants costs about 300 BZD ($150) for a full-day trip. The Belize Zoo, founded by a filmmaker who used rescued animals from a documentary project, houses only native species in natural enclosures and charges 30 BZD ($15) entry. Community-based tourism initiatives in Maya and Garifuna villages let visitors stay with local families, learn traditional cooking and craft techniques, and contribute directly to rural economies for 60 to 120 BZD ($30 to $60) per night including meals.

Belizes Garifuna culture, concentrated along the southern coast in towns like Dangriga, Hopkins, and Punta Gorda, offers a unique Afro-Caribbean experience found in only a handful of countries. Garifuna drumming, dance, language, and cuisine (especially hudut, a coconut fish stew served with mashed plantain) were designated a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Hopkins has developed into a laid-back beach town with guesthouses, drumming workshops, and some of the best traditional cooking in the country, all at prices that undercut the cayes. A week in Hopkins, including accommodation, meals, a drumming lesson, and a day trip to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (the worlds first jaguar preserve), can be done for under 1,500 BZD ($750).

Belizes relatively small size means that reef, ruins, and rainforest are all accessible within a single weeks trip. The countrys compact geography and well-established tourism infrastructure make it easy to combine multiple ecosystems and cultural experiences without long overland journeys or domestic flights.

Frequently asked questions