In case the low cost of living and sandy beaches attract you to Honduras, but you don’t know where to start from, our list of best places to retire in Honduras will give you all the tools you need to make a good decision.
There are plenty of reasons why expats are flocking to Honduras. The country offers a reasonable quality of life without forcing you to spend much. This may shock you, but according to Numbeo, rent prices are 235% lower in Honduras than in the United States. Also, expect to pay around 100% less for groceries in Honduras than in your native country. Besides being very friendly to your budget, Honduras also offers tropical climate, lots of natural beauties and rich culture. One more advantage is that you’ll be 2 hours away from the U.S. soil.
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Before we reveal you the most desirable destinations for retirees in the country, we should first make you familiar with the healthcare and safety situation in the country. When it comes to the health system in Honduras, there are few things you should take into consideration. Although there are plenty of doctors and medical staff trained in the United States, you’ll only find them in bigger cities. Smaller towns and rural areas have clinics that are only equipped for treating minor health issues. The health system is seriously understaffed with data from Trading Economics saying that there are 0.3 physicians, 1.08 nurses and 0.7 hospital beds per 1,000 population. The public insurance system isn’t warmly recommended for expatriates due to corruption and other issues, but private insurance is very affordable and should be your first option.
Safety situation in Honduras is viewed as critical. World Economic Forum‘s report placed Honduras in 128th place in the world in terms of safety and security. Crime and Safety report from 2017 issued by OSAC (The United States Overseas Security Advisory Council) tells us that country’s government still isn’t capable of fully addressing crime and violence in the country, and that big part of serious crimes stays unresolved. Although touristic destinations and resort areas are viewed as safer than the rest of the country, the crime level is still high there as well. Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, although there was a significant drop from 2011 to 2016. The report also underlines that there are no areas safe from crime, and that violent crime is common. In case all of this sounds too much for you, you may want to check out our list of 10 best places to retire in Central America, and find an alternative.
In order to create our list of best places to retire in Honduras, we turned for recommendations to International Living, Expat Exchange, and Yahoo among others. We ranked the places and assigned points based on average rent cost (Numbeo, Expatistan, Encuentra 24, forum users), hospital to population ratio (Google Maps) and flight cost to the United States (Google Flights). Extra points were assigned based on the rate of homicides per 100,000 in the department where the place is located (rates obtained from UNAH). You should note that average rent cost was obtained by comparing prices of differently sized apartments from various areas. In lack of sources, some prices were obtained from experiences of users from various forums. Also, the hospital to population ratio should tell you in theory how many people are assigned to one hospital. Airplane ticket prices contain transport cost to the nearest international airport. Let’s take a look at the list, shall we?
10. Trujillo
IM Score: 15
Rent Cost: $150
Hospital to Population Ratio: 62,559
Flight to U.S. Cost: $820
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 65
If you don’t want to spend too much money on rent, then you should settle in the coastal town of Trujillo that has the lowest rent cost on the list. Although still rarely familiar to outsiders, Trujillo has become a popular destination among Canadian expats and retirees in the recent years. Although the amenities could be an issue (only one hospital in the city), things could change on better, since the government of Honduras intends to turn Trujillo into an attractive touristic destination.
9. Valle De Angeles
IM Score: 16
Rent Cost: $520
Hospital to Population Ratio: 17,652
Flight to U.S. Cost: $630
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 65.5
Valle De Angeles will immediately win you over by its beautiful colonial architecture and amazing scenery. Although it isn’t a big town, there is always something happening here that will attract your attention. In the recent times, the city has become a popular touristic destination, with visitors coming to enjoy the sights and buy famously handcrafted souvenirs.
8. Utila
IM Score: 16
Rent Cost: $540
Hospital to Population Ratio: N/A
Flight to U.S. Cost: $597
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 12.1
Honduran island of Utila, the number 8 on our list of best places to retire in Honduras is also gaining its share of retirees and expats in the recent time. They are all attracted by the pleasant climate, blue sea and opportunity to enjoy the beach lifestyle without having to compensate. The only issue with the island is that only one doctor is working here, so the medical care could be an issue.
7. Roatan
IM Score: 16
Rent Cost: $700
Hospital to Population Ratio: 14,855
Flight to U.S. Cost: $780
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 12.1
The Island of Roatan is without any doubt the most popular destination on our list of best places to retire in Honduras. This, of course, influenced the big rent prices, but the overall cost of living still remains very affordable. You’ll be welcomed by a large expat community, and enjoy all the modern amenities while being able to lead the lifestyle you want. There are many settlements on the island, so you can choose peace and quiet or be in the middle of everything. It’s up to you.
6. Tegucigalpa
IM Score: 17
Rent Cost: $420
Hospital to Population Ratio: 26,444
Flight to U.S. Cost: $626
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 65.5
In case you want to ditch the beaches and move to the inland region of Honduras, country’s administrative center and most populated city isn’t a bad choice. This is a city with a colonial history that will offer you plenty of interesting architecture, museums, and other cultural attractions while providing everything needed to lead a modern life.
5. Santa Lucia
IM Score: 19
Rent Cost: $620
Hospital to Population Ratio: 12,894
Flight to U.S. Cost: $628
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 65.5
If you want something less populated than Tegucigalpa that ranked 5th on our list of best places to retire in Honduras, another option is to reside in the nearby Santa Lucia. You’ll be 20 minutes away from all the amenities you could require including an international airport with flights to the United States, but also lead a lifestyle that translates to peace and quiet. Another thing that attracts lots of people to Santa Lucia is almost perfect weather all year long.
4. Comayagua
IM Score: 20
Rent Cost: $215
Hospital to Population Ratio: 19,006
Flight to U.S. Cost: $635
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 51.0
Although Comayagua doesn’t offer the same amount of fun as some other entries on our list of best places to retire in Honduras, the country’s former capital should enter into your consideration. The cost of living is very low, and although the city’s department is overall considered dangerous, Comayagua is rather safe with friendly locals. The city can also be a great base for exploring other parts of the country.
3. La Esperanza
IM Score: 22
Rent Cost: $500
Hospital to Population Ratio: 12,509
Flight to U.S. Cost: $646
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 33.1
La Esperanza, next on our list of best places to retire in Honduras is a colorful small town that nurtures traditional values. The thing that will charm you the most, however, is the beautiful nature around the town that is well worth exploring. If your intentions are to lead a slow – paced life, then you’ll find La Esperanza more than capable of offering you that.
2. La Ceiba
IM Score: 23
Rent Cost: $165
Hospital to Population Ratio: 20,414
Flight to U.S. Cost: $573
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 88.3
Contrast to the previous peaceful entries on our list of best places to retire in Honduras; La Ceiba is a place where you go to have fun. The city is considered country’s entertainment capital, and everything is dedicated to having as much fun as possible. Nightclubs, restaurants, bars and recreational centers are all there to make your time fly away. We shouldn’t forget the beaches, although some sources are saying they are polluted. The safety is another issue that hurts the city’s image, but at least you’ll enjoy in low rent.
1. Tela
IM Score: 24
Rent Cost: $405
Hospital to Population Ratio: 16,549
Flight to U.S. Cost: $410
Rate of Homicides in the Department: 88.3
Tela has one of the most beautiful beaches in Honduras accompanied by nature reserves and botanical gardens, so it should come as a surprise that the city ended up on the top of our list of best places to retire in Honduras. The cost of living is reasonable, and you’ll be around 70 miles from the nearest international airport. Infrastructure is good compared to the rest of the country, and the majority of services are in walking distance. In case you are a fan of golf, the country’s only golf courses can be found here. The downside of living here is poor safety situation.
