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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,201 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,240 in Roatan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,802 in San Pedro Sula versus $2,030 in Roatan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,402 in San Pedro Sula versus $2,820 in Roatan.

Living in San Pedro Sula costs roughly 3% less than in Roatan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pedro Sula 13% lower, Roatan 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.35 HNL 197
$7.91 HNL 212
-7.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.24 HNL 892
$40.62 HNL 1,091
-18.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.39 HNL 252
$8.73 HNL 234
7.56%
Cappuccino
$2.37 HNL 63.5
$4.44 HNL 119
-46.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 HNL 28.54
$1.01 HNL 27.04
4.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 HNL 20.84
$0.86 HNL 23.22
-9.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 HNL 48.61
$2.51 HNL 67.5
-27.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 HNL 97.0
$5.11 HNL 137
-29.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 HNL 40.67
$1.44 HNL 38.68
4.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.94 HNL 52.1
$3.22 HNL 86.6
-39.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 HNL 41.86
$2.54 HNL 68.3
-38.58%
Eggs
$2.33 HNL 62.6
$2.04 HNL 54.7
14.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.88 HNL 238
$11.03 HNL 296
-19.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 HNL 180
$6.44 HNL 173
4.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.53 HNL 256
$17.46 HNL 469
-45.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.64 HNL 97.7
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 HNL 33.93
$1.08 HNL 29.12
16.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.35 HNL 90.0
$1.09 HNL 29.14
207.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.67 HNL 44.74
$0.56 HNL 15.05
198.21%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 HNL 65.0
$1.64 HNL 44.10
47.56%
Onion (1kg)
$2.40 HNL 64.3
$1.48 HNL 39.86
62.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.41 HNL 37.89
$1.17 HNL 31.45
20.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 HNL 42.94
$2.93 HNL 78.8
-45.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.01 HNL 80.9
$2.91 HNL 78.2
3.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.80 HNL 344
$7.83 HNL 210
63.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 HNL 21.28
$1.33 HNL 35.78
-40.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 HNL 36.53
$2.61 HNL 70.1
-47.89%
🚌 Getting Around
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.64 HNL 17.32
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.14 HNL 943
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.86 HNL 76.8
$2.05 HNL 55.0
39.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.85 HNL 49.63
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.28 HNL 303
$10.12 HNL 272
11.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 HNL 24.76
$1.07 HNL 28.85
-14.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.7K HNL 635.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K HNL 668.7K
$29.6K HNL 796.0K
-15.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$127 HNL 3,402
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.19 HNL 301
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.44 HNL 1,167
$98.5 HNL 2,644
-55.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.27 HNL 1,001
$58.9 HNL 1,580
-36.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.10 HNL 379
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.68 HNL 153
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$147 HNL 3,953
$499 HNL 13.4K
-70.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,184 HNL 85.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.2 HNL 2,019
$39.90 HNL 1,072
88.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.26 HNL 1,081
$19.67 HNL 528
104.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 HNL 2,139
$40.79 HNL 1,095
95.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.9 HNL 2,010
$49.65 HNL 1,333
50.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$556 HNL 14.9K
$848 HNL 22.8K
-34.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$426 HNL 11.4K
$552 HNL 14.8K
-22.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$791 HNL 21.2K
$1,990 HNL 53.4K
-60.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$729 HNL 19.6K
$1,229 HNL 33.0K
-40.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$989 HNL 26.5K
$1,907 HNL 51.2K
-48.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$440 HNL 11.8K
$1,338 HNL 35.9K
-67.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Pedro Sula
Roatan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$600 HNL 16.1K
$495 HNL 13.3K
21.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.33
18
-31.50%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: September 7, 2026

Last update for Roatan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $556 in San Pedro Sula and $848 in Roatan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Pedro Sula pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in San Pedro Sula vs $41.00 in Roatan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $272 per month, with San Pedro Sula cheaper across the board.

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 Roatan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roatan cheaper than San Pedro Sula?
San Pedro Sula is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: San Pedro Sula or Roatan?
Average pay runs 21% higher in San Pedro Sula, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between San Pedro Sula and Roatan?
Rent for a central apartment: $556 in San Pedro Sula versus $848 in Roatan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $147 in San Pedro Sula versus $499 in Roatan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in San Pedro Sula or in Roatan?
Dining out is cheaper in San Pedro Sula – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $41.00 in Roatan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in San Pedro Sula or in Roatan?
At $1,201 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,240 in Roatan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Pedro Sula but tight or insufficient in Roatan. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro Sula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Pedro Sula or Roatan more family-friendly?
For families, San Pedro Sula is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Roatan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, San Pedro Sula or Roatan?
Safety-wise, San Pedro Sula and Roatan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find San Pedro Sula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Roatan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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