How much does it cost to travel to Roatan?
You should plan to spend around $38 (L946) per day on your vacation in Roatan. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $9.44 (L232) on meals
- $19 (L464) on local transportation
- $22 (L552) on hotels
A one week trip to Roatan for two people costs, on average, $539 (L13,239). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Roatan has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Roatan expensive to visit?
Roatan is a very affordable place to visit. Located in Honduras, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the lower prices of this destination. It falls in the average range in the country for its prices. Budget travelers enjoy spending long periods of time exploring Roatan in depth.
Within Central America, Roatan is a very affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 10% of cities in Central America for its affordability. Very few cities in the region are as affordable as Roatan.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Roatan Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Roatan?
The average Roatan trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Roatan travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
L552
($22)
|
Local Transportation 1
|
L464
($19)
|
Food 2
|
L232
($9)
|
Entertainment 1
|
L673
($27)
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
L12 -
37
($1 - 2)
|
Alcohol 2
|
L87 -
261
($4 - 11)
|
Accommodation Budget in Roatan
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Roatan is $11 (L276). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Roatan is $22 (L552). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Roatan? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Roatan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Roatan is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $19 (L464) per person, per day, on local transportation in Roatan.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$19
L464
How much does it cost to go to Roatan? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Roatan will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Typical prices for Transportation in Roatan are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Roatan, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.
Food Budget in Roatan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Roatan can vary, the average cost of food in Roatan is $9.44 (L232) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Roatan should cost around $3.78 (L93) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Roatan is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$9.44
L232
Entertainment Budget in Roatan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Roatan typically cost an average of $27 (L673) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$27
L673
Tips and Handouts Budget in Roatan
Calculated from travelers like you
Alcohol Budget in Roatan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $7.09 (L174) on alcoholic beverages in Roatan per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$7.09
L174
Water Budget in Roatan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $0.99 (L24) on bottled water in Roatan per day. The public water in Roatan is not usually considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$0.99
L24
Roatan On a Budget
Roatan, Honduras
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
Sights
Roatan is nestled nicely in the heart of a tropical paradise so there is never a shortage of things to see. From beaches to jungles to underwater worlds, your eyes will be in overdrive taking in all the beauty.
The Carambola Botanical Gardens lets visitors walk beautifully maintained trails through 40 acres of protected forest. As you travel the one-kilometer to the summit of Carambola Mountain, you'll pass tons of plants, parrots and even a cliff-full of iguanas.
If you don't have lunch plans, noon is the best time to visit the Roatan Butterfly Garden. Take your time strolling with more than 30 types of butterflies and moths. This 900 square meter garden has a large collection of orchids and other tropical plants. Be sure to take a look to the sky to admire birds like toucans and parrots.
And, of course, there's always the beach. The West Bay has the best stretch of beaches on the island. Walk on up, lay a towel down and let your vacation begin.
Neighborhoods
The city of Roatan is split into nine different villages. You're most likely going to spend most of your time in West Bay. This area is furthest west with the most resorts, beaches and the reek is a quick trip away. The West End area also has good restaurants and places to stay. This is where you'll want to go to find bars, live music and dive shops.
Sandy Bay is mostly residential. Coxen Hole is home to the airport, stores and banks, and French Harbor is likely the furthest east you'll travel. This used to be the secret hot spot of locals, but with such a flood of tourists, they've stumbled upon the secret.
Punta Gorda and Oak Ridge are fishing communities. Camp Bay is probably the furthest you can travel by car, and Port Royal is a small community originally founded by English pirates.
Activities
This area of the Caribbean is famous among scuba divers. Mary's Place on the South Shore attracts divers from all over the world. Most dive shops are located on the west side of the island.
If you're the type to sail out on a boat with a beer in one hand and fishing rod in the other, Roatan can take care of you. The fishing right off the reef is perfectly plentiful. Between marlin, barracuda, tuna, wahoo and mahi mahi, you won't be disappointed with any catch that day.
And if you're truly ready to let loose for the night, you'll have to partake in the West End pub-crawl. Start at Sundowners for the best sunset view on the island, and when the pace closes, just follow the crowd
Food and Dining
There are so many great places to eat in Roatan. The highest concentration of restaurants in West End and West Bay so look here for the most delicious and traditional island dishes. Many "North American" dishes are available, and don't forget about the seafood! A quality lobster dinner can be found for as little as $15 USD.
Transportation
Getting around Roatan is quite simple – it's just a matter of picking how you want to do it. Paved roads connect many of the most popular destinations, so renting a car is definitely a possibility. The buses also run periodically around the island.
If you're going to take a taxi, be sure to ask the price in advance and if it's high, move on. Prices from specific destinations, like the airport, are fixed, and tipping is not expected. To travel between West Bay and West End, you can always flag down a water taxi from any of the docks.
Arguably, the most fun way to get around the island is to rent scooters. Be careful, though, the roads in Roatan don't have shoulders and traffic can be very unpredictable.
Related:
Looking for a
party hostel in Costa Rica or
Cancun? Looking for a
budget hostel in Mexico or
Costa Rica?
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.