One of the first questions I'm asked by potential retirees is about the cost of living on Roatan. Going back 11 years when Shelley and I first moved here, things were pretty cheap compared to today. Although local "staple" items like rice, beans, vegetables, fruits, fish and shellfish are still inexpensive, imported items like canned goods from the US, meats, gasoline, electricity--all have continued to be more costly than you may be accustomed to.
One reason for this is the price of fuel to transport goods to the island. Another is the increasing cost of labor in Honduras.... but the main reason I believe is us "Gringos".... since we are the major consumers of more luxury items, and pretty much will pay any price they tag something with (if we really want it), storeowners will usually premium "hot selling" items to maximize profits. In essence, we pay more because the perception is we can afford to pay more... There. I said it.
Here's a couple of examples of costs here as of today...
Gallon of milk $4.24
Gallon of gasoline $3.28
5 gallons bottled water $1.35
1 bag of Lays chips $3.80
Potatoes $0.80/lb
Carrots $0.63/lb
Apples $0.48 each
Motts apple juice $6.00/gallon
Bleach $2.00/gallon
Fresh jumbo shrimp $4.00/lb
Lobster tails $5.25/lb
Canned mushrooms $2.24
Cambells soup $1.75/can
Coffee $4.00/lb
Doctor's visit $12-20 (usually includes meds)
Dinner out for 2 $60 (includes cocktails)
Taxi ride $3-5 (most destinations on island)
These are just a couple of the items most households would consume and I wanted to give a cross section of today's prices. Of course, if there's anything in particular you'd like to inquire about cost wise, send me an email to [email protected] and I'd be happy to help you out...