Foreign buyer rules — side by side
Ownership restrictions, closing costs, annual property tax, residency-by-investment thresholds, and FX exposure across 7 LATAM real estate markets. Sourced from each country immigration law and central bank publications. Not legal advice — every purchase still requires a local attorney.
| Market | Ownership | Closing costs | Annual property tax | Mortgage rate (avg) | Residency by investment | FX risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🇵🇦
Panamá
USD · USD peg
|
Direct | 3.5% | 0.0–1.0% | 6.5% | USD $200,000 | None / USD peg |
|
🇸🇻
El Salvador
USD · USD peg
|
Direct | 5.5% | 0.0–0.5% | 8.0% | USD $1,000,000 | None / USD peg |
|
🇧🇿
Belice
BZD · USD peg
|
Direct | 7.0% | 1.0–1.5% | 9.5% | Pensionado/Rentista | None / USD peg |
|
🇨🇷
Costa Rica
CRC
|
Direct | 4.0% | 0.25–0.25% | 7.5% | USD $150,000 | Local currency |
|
🇭🇳
Honduras
HNL
|
Direct | 5.0% | 0.3–0.4% | 11.5% | Pensionado/Rentista | Local currency |
|
🇩🇴
Rep. Dominicana
DOP
|
Direct | 5.5% | 0.0–1.0% | 11.5% | USD $200,000 | Local currency |
|
🇬🇹
Guatemala
GTQ
|
Direct | 6.5% | 0.2–0.9% | 8.5% | Pensionado/Rentista | Local currency |
Information compiled from public sources (immigration ministries, central banks, AREBB / SBP / BCRD bulletins, May 2026). Mortgage rate is country-level weighted average — actual quote depends on bank, term, and buyer profile. This page is reference, not legal advice.