How to Retire Part Time Abroad Without Selling Everything

In the first post of this series, I suggested that retirement doesn’t have to be a dramatic choice between staying put and leaving forever.

In the second post, I explained why my wife and I aren’t planning to move abroad full-time.

Instead, we’re designing something in between. What we want is to retire part time abroad.

Six months at home on Vancouver Island. Four to six months living somewhere warmer.

A split-life retirement.

When people first hear that idea, the initial reaction is usually curiosity. The second reaction is usually practical:

“But how would that actually work?”

Fair question. Because while the idea sounds appealing, most of us assume it must involve complicated visas, tax nightmares, and a stack of paperwork tall enough to ruin the whole dream.

The reality is often much simpler than people expect.

How We Got Here

I’ll be honest. This didn’t start as a Belize plan.

For years, I’d been loosely imagining some version of slow travel in retirement. Mexico, maybe. Or Costa Rica for half the year, France for another chunk, with periodic visits back to Canada woven in. Big, ambitious, romantic.

Then my wife and I sat down and had a real conversation about it.

She was clear: she still needed a home base in Canada. Specifically on Vancouver Island, where we live now. That was non-negotiable, and honestly, it made complete sense. So instead of dreaming about being everywhere, we started designing something we could actually build. To retire part time abroad, without the stress of uprooting and moving for good.

We’d keep our base on the Island. We’d plan to downsize eventually, right-size the home for the life we’re actually living now rather than the one we had when the kids were around. And for the other half of the year, we’d find somewhere warm, affordable, and genuinely livable.

That research led us, pretty conclusively, to Belize.

It wasn’t the first country I looked at. But the more I researched, the more it kept rising to the top. The cost of living is lower than comparable destinations. English is the official language. And the lifestyle, particularly near the coast, fits exactly what we’re looking for.

We’re not there yet. But we’re actively planning our first extended stay, and I’ve been working through the practical details that make this kind of life actually function.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

The 90 to 180 Day Reality

Many countries, including Belize, welcome visitors for extended stays without requiring residency. A typical tourist visa allows anywhere from 90 to 180 days in the country, which lines up nicely with the seasonal rhythm most retirees already imagine. In Belize it’s called a Long Stay Visitor Permit.

Spend winter somewhere warm. Return home for spring and summer. Repeat next year. For us, that’s the ideal way to retire part time abroad.

No immigration lawyer required, at least not to get started.

Of course, every country is different and visa rules change. Anyone considering this lifestyle should always confirm current regulations before committing to anything. But the basic framework of spending a few months abroad each year is surprisingly common and legally straightforward.

Healthcare Considerations

Healthcare is usually the next concern people raise, and understandably so.

For Canadians, being away for several months each year requires paying attention to provincial coverage rules. Most provinces require you to be physically present for a certain number of days annually to maintain eligibility. The split-life model typically fits comfortably within those limits, but it’s worth confirming your specific province’s rules before you go.

For the months spent abroad, travel medical insurance fills the gap. It’s not glamorous to talk about, but it’s part of responsible planning. And when you’re overseas for only part of the year, the coverage requirements tend to be simpler and more affordable than full expatriate insurance.

This is one area where I’d encourage you not to cut corners. Getting the coverage right matters.

Housing: Start Renting, Think Long Term

Housing is one of the biggest design questions in a split-life retirement, and it’s where I’ve spent a lot of time thinking.

On the Vancouver Island side, we’re planning to downsize. The family home made sense when it was full. Now we’re thinking about right-sizing, a smaller, more manageable place that fits how we actually live.

In Belize, our plan is to rent first. We want to explore different areas, understand local life, and get a real feel for the rhythms of the place before committing to anything. That first extended stay is partly a test. Does the climate suit us day to day? Do we enjoy the pace of life outside of vacation mode? Do we feel at home?

Further down the road, we’re hoping to find a small property of our own, build something comfortable and functional, with a couple of casitas we can rent out to visitors when we’re back in Canada. That idea appeals to us for a few reasons. It gives us a home base that’s ours. It potentially offsets some costs. And honestly, it fits the kind of community-connected lifestyle we’re drawn to.

But that’s a future chapter. For now, renting first is the right call.

Taxes and Financial Residency

Taxes tend to feel intimidating, but spending several months abroad each year usually doesn’t change your tax residency, as long as your primary home, financial ties, and the majority of your year remain in Canada.

That means most split-life retirees continue filing taxes exactly as they always have. The seasonal model is far simpler than a full international relocation in that regard.

That said, everyone’s situation is different. If your financial picture is complicated, getting professional advice is always worth it.

Banking: Simpler Than You Think

One question I hear often is: “How do you actually access your money while living overseas?”

For most people, the answer is: pretty much the same way you do now.

Your existing bank accounts and credit cards work in Belize. ATMs are available. Many credit cards offer reasonable foreign transaction rates, and it’s worth checking yours before you travel. Some people eventually open international-friendly accounts or use services designed for travelers and expats, but you don’t need to reinvent your financial life on day one.

You’re just accessing it from a different location for a few months each year.

Start Simpler Than You Think You Need To

One of the biggest misconceptions about overseas retirement is that it requires a massive, irreversible commitment. It doesn’t.

The split-life approach lets you start with a longer stay somewhere you enjoy. A few months instead of a few weeks. Long enough to see what daily life actually feels like outside of vacation mode.

You start to notice things tourists rarely consider. What grocery shopping looks like. How you feel walking the same streets every day. Whether the climate, culture, and pace of life actually suit you. Whether you can picture yourself there, not just for a holiday, but as a regular part of your year.

That kind of lived experience is far more valuable than any amount of online research. Believe me, I’ve done a lot of the research.

A Lifestyle Built by Design

None of this is about escaping your life. It’s about expanding it.

The mechanics, visas, insurance, housing, taxes, banking, are simply the practical framework that makes that expansion possible. Handled thoughtfully, they become manageable details rather than insurmountable barriers.

My wife and I are still building our version of this. We haven’t taken the first extended stay yet. But the plan is taking shape, and the more I work through the details, the more achievable it feels.

And once those details start making sense, the idea of living part of the year somewhere new stops feeling like a fantasy.

It starts feeling like a decision.