Living Expenses on Roatan.

Roatan is arguably the best place to live in the Caribbean. An island in the Caribbean Sea, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) off the north coast of Honduras. Conveniently located in between the islands of Utila and Guanaja, Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras.

Getting to Roatan.

• Access Routes

• Island Overview

• Currency

Access Routes

The island can only be entered by yacht/ferry (Galaxy Wave) from La Ceiba or by plane. If you are traveling from the United States, you can find direct flights from Miami or Houston, or you can stop in the city of San Pedro Sula and take a trip to Roatan International Airport (RTB) with national airlines such as CM Airlines Lanhsa, and Sosa.

Island Overview

Roatan is one of the best paradises in the Caribbean. The perfect place to relax for a vacation or to live. It is a very touristy place that receives many visitors throughout the week, not to mention that cruise ships such as Carnival, MSC Meraviglia, and Royal Caribbean, among others, dock.

Many tourists who visit it are so fascinated that they want to return for a few days or even relocate. Roatan is known as an island that houses one of the best crystalline beaches and for being the home of the second-largest coral reef in the world. Many would like to know the cost of living in Roatan, whether you are traveling, for work, to live, on vacation, or just out of curiosity.

Local Currency

It is essential to mention that the official currency of Honduras is the Lempira, but in Roatan, the most frequently used money is the United States dollar (USD). Saying this, you can use both currencies to pay. Cryptocurrencies are also increasingly accepted on Roatan. To learn more about that, click below.

House &
Apartment Rentals.

• Housing Cost

• Touristic Areas

• Residential Areas

Rental Rates & Home Costs

Housing cost on Roatan depend on where you decide to rent or buy. Monthly rent for apartments vary by area, so here are a few estimates which may help you form a better opinion for living cost in and around Roatan:

• Coxen Hole 1-Bedroom: $300

• Coxen Hole 3-Bedroom: $700

• French Harbour 1-Bedroom: $270.00

• French Harbour 2 or 3 Bedroom: $400

Tourist areas like West Bay and West End are a bit more expensive. An apartment with more than one bedroom can cost a minimum of $99.00 per night but have more spaces inside the house or apartment.

Your interest in buying a home may depend a lot on where a home is located. You can find houses in downtown areas from $79,000.00, but if you want a more exclusive residence or luxurious place, with an ocean view, a pool, and enough rooms that may cost you anywhere from $500K to well over $1,500,000.00 depending on the acres of land. Roatan Real Estate agents will help you find the perfect place.

Transit.

• Public Transportation

• Electric Company

• Grocery Stores

Public Transportation

Roatán has several means of transportation, tourist and urban buses, and car rentals. You can also transport yourself to motorcycles, but if it is public transport, it is better to take a taxi. The cost of a taxi will depend on the distance between your pick up and drop locations. A short travel distance of fewer than 5 minutes can cost $2.00 per person, and for long distances, it can be $20- $ 35 per person. Roatan also has water taxis and can only be found in West Bay and West End to transport you to one of those two places.

Roatan Electric Company

RECO is the company that offers the energy service on the island. Electricity on Roatan is higher than most people are used to paying elsewhere. The high price point is due to the cost of generating and importing fuel from outside Roatan. The weather in Roatan is warm and cooling a home can come at a significant cost. On the south side of the island, or in the hills, it usually is cooler due to the prevailing breeze from the SE with water temperatures from 75º to 85º most of the year, and these breezes can have a considerable impact on your energy needs.

Grocery Stores and Eateries

As for food, it is affordable. There is a wide variety of restaurants throughout the island; you can find dishes from $10.00 per person, and in one of the best restaurants like Gio's, a person can eat at only $25.00. Roatán has several Mini Markets and a supermarket called Eldon's, where you can find a wide variety of American products.

That said, the budget for a day in Roatan can be as low as $50.00 per adult. Roatan is a very safe, quiet, and relaxing island where you will enjoy your day, and you will not want to leave.