Cost of Living Comparison Between Roatan and San Pedro Sula Cost of Living Comparison Between Roatan and San Pedro Sula

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Roatan versus $1,259 in San Pedro Sula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,980 in Roatan versus $1,881 in San Pedro Sula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Roatan versus $2,504 in San Pedro Sula.

Living in Roatan costs roughly 4% less than in San Pedro Sula, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Roatan 9% lower, San Pedro Sula 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 HNL 197

$7.80 HNL 209

-5.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.22 HNL 1,076

$30.22 HNL 808

33.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 HNL 238

$8.57 HNL 229

3.73%

Cappuccino

$3.69 HNL 98.8

$2.23 HNL 59.6

65.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 HNL 33.19

$1.34 HNL 35.71

-7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 HNL 18.74

$1.11 HNL 29.63

-36.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 HNL 59.5

$1.89 HNL 50.4

17.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 HNL 110

$3.21 HNL 85.7

28.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 HNL 34.79

$1.54 HNL 41.06

-15.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 HNL 86.7

$2.06 HNL 55.1

57.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 HNL 57.3

$1.50 HNL 40.07

42.67%

Eggs

$1.98 HNL 53.0

$2.62 HNL 70.1

-24.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 HNL 289

$9.27 HNL 248

16.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 HNL 181

$6.19 HNL 166

9.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 HNL 481

$11.20 HNL 299

60.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 HNL 114

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 HNL 30.11

$1.56 HNL 41.72

-27.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 HNL 29.10

$3.90 HNL 104

-72.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 HNL 15.38

$2.11 HNL 56.6

-72.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 HNL 28.56

$2.25 HNL 60.1

-52.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.86

$2.52 HNL 67.4

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 HNL 27.41

$0.88 HNL 23.59

15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 HNL 78.8

$1.62 HNL 43.37

81.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 HNL 79.6

$3.10 HNL 83.0

-3.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 HNL 202

$12.93 HNL 346

-41.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 HNL 30.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 HNL 110

$1.57 HNL 42.12

161.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 HNL 16.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.19 HNL 995

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 HNL 54.5

$3.78 HNL 101

-46.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 HNL 39.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 HNL 265

$7.10 HNL 190

39.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 HNL 28.10

$1.10 HNL 29.45

-4.55%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.3K HNL 568.9K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.3K HNL 809.8K

$16.6K HNL 444.6K

82.14%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$133 HNL 3,547

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.99 HNL 267

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.4 HNL 2,633

$49.96 HNL 1,336

97.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 HNL 1,614

$38.31 HNL 1,025

57.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.78 HNL 556

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 HNL 149

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$425 HNL 11.4K

$145 HNL 3,878

193.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,118 HNL 110.1K

$3,189 HNL 85.3K

29.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.11 HNL 1,073

$51.8 HNL 1,385

-22.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.18 HNL 540

$37.69 HNL 1,008

-46.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.47 HNL 1,056

$84.2 HNL 2,253

-53.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 HNL 1,361

$94.5 HNL 2,528

-46.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 HNL 22.6K

$561 HNL 15.0K

50.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 HNL 14.7K

$417 HNL 11.2K

31.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 HNL 19.8K

$890 HNL 23.8K

-16.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 HNL 33.4K

$721 HNL 19.3K

72.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,873 HNL 50.1K

$1,003 HNL 26.8K

86.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 HNL 35.7K

$440 HNL 11.8K

203.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 HNL 13.2K

$614 HNL 16.4K

-19.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

60.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Roatan: July 19, 2026

Last update for San Pedro Sula: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Roatan and $561 in San Pedro Sula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Pedro Sula pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Roatan vs $30.00 in San Pedro Sula. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $271, with Roatan cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Roatan vs San Pedro Sula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roatan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in San Pedro Sula. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $844 in Roatan versus $561 in San Pedro Sula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Roatan versus $145 in San Pedro Sula. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Roatan – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $30.00 in San Pedro Sula. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,212 in Roatan versus $1,259 in San Pedro Sula, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roatan but tight or insufficient in San Pedro Sula. The gap between the two cities makes Roatan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Roatan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Pedro Sula, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Roatan and San Pedro Sula are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Roatan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in San Pedro Sula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.