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Belize dollars, BZD to USD conversions, and what to check before paying
Belize uses the Belize dollar, abbreviated BZD or BZ$. Its official peg is BZ$2 to US$1: BZ$100 equals US$50. Confirm whether a quoted price is in Belize or US dollars, and check transaction fees separately from the currency conversion.
Reviewed by RowanLast reviewed August 5, 2026
Exchange rate, US dollars, cards, ATMs, and tipping: the practical money answers for a Belize trip.
Money in Belize
Currency
Symbol BZ$, ISO code BZD, issued by the Central Bank of Belize
Exchange rate
Official peg since 1976; transaction fees are separate
US dollars
Expect change in Belize dollars
Cards & ATMs
Cards in tourist areas; carry cash for villages and taxis
At the official peg, divide a BZD amount by two to get USD; multiply USD by two to get BZD. BZ$ means Belize dollars and US$ means US dollars. These are currency conversions, not prices for goods or tours.
| Belize dollars (BZD) | US dollars (USD) |
|---|---|
| BZ$1 | US$0.50 |
| BZ$2 | US$1 |
| BZ$5 | US$2.50 |
| BZ$10 | US$5 |
| BZ$20 | US$10 |
| BZ$50 | US$25 |
| BZ$100 | US$50 |
| BZ$200 | US$100 |
The Central Bank of Belize confirms the BZ$2 to US$1 peg, checked September 4, 2026. Bank, ATM and card fees can affect your final cost. CAD, GBP and EUR are not fixed at this rate; check the bank’s published exchange rates for those currencies.
Money in Belize
Belize's banknotes changed in August 2025, and most guides have not caught up. The new series from the Central Bank of Belize replaced Queen Elizabeth II's portrait with two national heroes: Philip Goldson on the $2, $10, and $50, and George Cadle Price on the $5, $20, and $100. The older Queen Elizabeth notes remain legal tender while they are phased out, so both designs spend normally. These are the current notes:
Coins come in 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents plus a $1 coin, and locals often call the 25-cent piece a shilling. A redesigned National Symbols coin series is expected to enter circulation in September 2026, with existing coins staying valid.
Banknote images are specimen notes from the Central Bank of Belize.
The practical part
Belize has exactly four licensed domestic banks: Atlantic Bank, The Belize Bank, Heritage Bank, and the National Bank of Belize (Scotiabank sold its Belize operations in 2021). Belize Bank and Atlantic Bank ATMs are the reliable bets for foreign cards, and machines dispense Belize dollars.
Expect a local operator fee on top of whatever your own bank charges, and per-withdrawal limits commonly in the BZ$500 to BZ$800 range. Tell your bank you are traveling before you fly.
US dollars are accepted nearly everywhere, and change usually comes back in Belize dollars. Bring small, clean bills: banks refuse torn or marked US notes, and US$50 and US$100 bills are hard to break outside the tourist hubs.
Hotels and tours usually quote prices in US dollars while shops and restaurants quote Belize dollars, so the one question always worth asking is which currency you are looking at.
Cards work well in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia, and San Ignacio, but a 2 to 5 percent card surcharge is common, and villages, buses, and small taxis run on cash.
On bills, the 12.5 percent GST is generally already in the shelf price, while hotels add the 9 percent accommodation tax to the room rate. Keep a day of cash on you and the money side of Belize stays easy.
Plan the budget
Questions travelers ask
Belize uses the Belize Dollar (BZD), issued by the Central Bank of Belize in $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 notes. Since August 2025 the banknotes carry national heroes George Cadle Price and Philip Goldson instead of Queen Elizabeth II. US dollars are also accepted almost everywhere in the country.
The Belize Dollar's ISO code is BZD and it is written BZ$ to distinguish it from US$. Both currencies use a plain dollar sign in everyday life, which is why the one money question worth asking in Belize is whether a quoted price is in Belize or US dollars.
Yes. The Central Bank of Belize introduced the new national-heroes banknote series on August 4, 2025, and the older Queen Elizabeth II notes remain legal tender while they are gradually withdrawn through bank deposits. Both versions spend normally, so do not worry about which design your change arrives in.
The Belize Dollar is fixed at two Belize dollars to one US dollar. At that peg, BZ$10 equals US$5 before any transaction fees.
Yes. US dollars are accepted at virtually every hotel, restaurant, tour operator, and shop in Belize. Just expect to receive change in Belize dollars, and confirm which currency a quoted price is in (menus in tourist areas sometimes list USD).
No. There is no need to exchange currency before you arrive. Bring US dollars in smaller bills for taxis, tips, and village stops, and withdraw Belize dollars from local ATMs if you need them.
Credit cards are widely accepted at hotels, resorts, dive shops, and restaurants in tourist areas like San Pedro, Caye Caulker, and Placencia. Smaller vendors, local buses, and village stops are cash-only, and some businesses add a card surcharge, so carry some cash every day.
Yes. ATMs are available in Belize City, San Pedro, Caye Caulker, San Ignacio, Placencia, and other towns. They dispense Belize dollars. Tell your bank you are traveling, and note that foreign-transaction and withdrawal fees vary by card.
A tip of 10 to 15 percent is customary at restaurants if a service charge is not already included. For guides on reef and cave tours, US$5-20 per person per day is a common range depending on the trip.
Banks are the authorized channel: Belize's four licensed domestic banks are Atlantic Bank, The Belize Bank, Heritage Bank, and the National Bank of Belize. In practice most visitors never exchange at all, because US dollars are accepted nearly everywhere at the fixed 2:1 rate. Skip informal street changers at the land borders.
Compare the quoted currency and any fees before paying. At the official peg, BZ$2 equals US$1. Bring small, clean US bills: banks refuse torn or marked US notes, and US$50 and US$100 bills can be hard to break outside the tourist hubs. Expect change in Belize dollars, and always confirm which currency a price was quoted in.
Use the fixed 2:1 rate to plan daily costs for food, stays, tours, and transfers while checking any fees separately.