Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $744 in La Ceiba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,129 in La Ceiba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,467 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,515 in La Ceiba, rent included.

San Pedro Sula costs about 64% more than La Ceiba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro Sula 11% lower, La Ceiba 46% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.65 HNL 205
$3.96 HNL 106
93.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.69 HNL 904
$30.47 HNL 818
10.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.34 HNL 251
$7.20 HNL 193
29.72%
Cappuccino
$2.42 HNL 65.0
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 HNL 28.93
$0.76 HNL 20.49
42.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 HNL 20.87
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.88 HNL 50.5
$1.03 HNL 27.57
82.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 HNL 93.8
$3.05 HNL 81.8
14.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 HNL 39.31
$1.35 HNL 36.28
8.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.97 HNL 52.8
$1.53 HNL 41.18
28.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 HNL 43.42
$1.79 HNL 47.97
-9.50%
Eggs
$2.30 HNL 61.8
$1.64 HNL 44.12
40.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.76 HNL 235
$6.53 HNL 175
34.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.80 HNL 182
$6.34 HNL 170
7.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 HNL 248
$10.57 HNL 284
-12.39%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 HNL 97.2
$5.14 HNL 138
-29.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 HNL 32.76
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$3.30 HNL 88.4
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 HNL 43.94
$1.22 HNL 32.80
34.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 HNL 65.2
$1.68 HNL 44.95
44.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 HNL 61.4
$1.87 HNL 50.2
22.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 HNL 39.24
$0.80 HNL 21.41
82.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 HNL 45.02
$0.67 HNL 18.00
150.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.91 HNL 78.1
$2.55 HNL 68.4
14.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.95 HNL 348
$13.85 HNL 372
-6.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 HNL 21.38
$1.15 HNL 30.78
-30.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 HNL 36.17
$1.51 HNL 40.64
-10.60%
🚌 Getting Around
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 HNL 16.91
$0.57 HNL 15.36
10.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.42 HNL 950
$56.6 HNL 1,518
-37.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 HNL 76.0
$1.15 HNL 30.89
146.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.82 HNL 48.83
$1.91 HNL 51.2
-4.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.20 HNL 301
$3.70 HNL 99.2
202.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 HNL 26.55
$1.06 HNL 28.46
-6.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K HNL 625.1K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K HNL 654.3K
$19.1K HNL 513.6K
27.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$128 HNL 3,439
$149 HNL 4,000
-14.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.18 HNL 300
$33.88 HNL 909
-67.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.78 HNL 1,148
$56.4 HNL 1,513
-24.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.57 HNL 1,008
$31.30 HNL 840
20.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.89 HNL 373
$21.99 HNL 590
-36.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.77 HNL 155
$3.41 HNL 91.5
69.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$149 HNL 4,009
$256 HNL 6,861
-41.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,150 HNL 84.5K
$4,383 HNL 117.6K
-28.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.9 HNL 1,984
$16.97 HNL 455
335.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.87 HNL 1,070
$11.06 HNL 297
260.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 HNL 2,090
$33.54 HNL 900
132.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.8 HNL 2,034
$47.37 HNL 1,271
60.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$552 HNL 14.8K
$93.7 HNL 2,514
489.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$415 HNL 11.1K
$56.7 HNL 1,522
632.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$795 HNL 21.3K
$151 HNL 4,060
425.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$713 HNL 19.1K
$130 HNL 3,480
450.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$995 HNL 26.7K
$1,111 HNL 29.8K
-10.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$430 HNL 11.5K
$747 HNL 20.0K
-42.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Pedro Sula
La Ceiba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$602 HNL 16.1K
$562 HNL 15.1K
7.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.33
0
-

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: August 30, 2026

Last update for La Ceiba: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in San Pedro Sula versus $93.7 in La Ceiba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in San Pedro Sula, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in San Pedro Sula versus $30.00 in La Ceiba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $214 – making La Ceiba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
San Pedro Sula vs La Ceiba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in San Pedro Sula and in La Ceiba compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,223 in San Pedro Sula, $744 in La Ceiba – roughly 64% apart. San Pedro Sula costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in San Pedro Sula compared to La Ceiba?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,834 per month in San Pedro Sula and $1,116 in La Ceiba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba?
Rent is clearly cheaper in La Ceiba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in San Pedro Sula and $30.00 in La Ceiba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: San Pedro Sula or La Ceiba?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,223 in San Pedro Sula and $744 in La Ceiba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in La Ceiba, where all-in costs run around $744, than in San Pedro Sula at $1,223. In La Ceiba it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro Sula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: San Pedro Sula or La Ceiba?
Families tend to lean toward La Ceiba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba?
If budget matters most, go with La Ceiba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Pedro Sula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

San Pedro Sula vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities