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5 Reasons to Be an Expat on Roatan

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5 Reasons To Be An Expat On Roatan

The island of Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras. Stretching about 40 miles long and a max of 3 miles wide, the island has an interesting topography of rolling hills with lush jungle to white sand beaches with turquoise waters!   Becoming an Expat on Roatan has been the best choice I have ever made and what I have come learn is that Roatan offers a great lifestyle and opportunity to live a simple happy life.

Cost of Living

Living a simple island life is very affordable on Roatan!  From long term rentals, dining out, groceries, and entertainments can all be done on a budget of $2500 or less!  The most expensive item on the island is RECO (electricity) which is approximately $0.38/kwh  – so it is important to find a comfortable home or rental with energy efficient appliances, good breeze and/or air conditioner units that are in each living space.  While the Real Estate market is on the rise, the rental market has been stable around $1200/month for a two bed two bath home on the West Side.  While there are cheaper and more expensive options, I would suggest that as a budget.

Easy Access – On & Off Island

When island fever kicks in or if you are just ready to go exploring the world on a vacation…Roatan has many options for getting off island.  Whether it is taking a ferry to Utila, Guanaja or La Ceiba for a change of scenery or shopping, there are also plenty of international flights from Roatan.  United offers year round direct flights to Houston (IAH) or seasonally to Denver (DEN).  American Airlines offers year round flights directly to Dallas and Miami.  Delta flies once a week directly from Atlanta all year.  Sun Country offers season flights from Minneapolis.

I strongly suggest looking into flying in and out of San Pedro Sula which offers multiple airlines (11) that fly directly to Europe, USA, Mexico and S. American countries.  These flights are often easily coordinated with local airlines CM and SOSA airlines for a quick 45 minute flight to Roatan.

Entertainment – Plenty to do

Living on the island can present many challenges but boredom is generally not one of them!  Most expats find themselves in a bit of an adjustment period from the fast pace lifestyle of the first world.  The island life can be as slow or jam packed as you design!  There are plenty of relaxing days that can be spent at the multiple beautiful beaches, resorts, poolside lounging or chilling in a hammock.  For the more active lifestyle, there are over 100 dive sites to explore, hiking, biking, fishing, paddle boarding, and any water activity that pleases you!

As the sun melts into the Caribbean, there are plenty of beach bars to enjoy happy hours, food, friends and live music to enjoy!  Each neighborhood offers the expat community a place to gather to enjoy the company of foreigners, locals and tourists!

Opportunities – New Lifestyle or Business

The island offers a great deal of opportunities to enjoy a new life – for some it is retirement while others are starting a new phase in their life!  Personally, I fell in love with the island lifestyle of simplicity, and came to Roatan for a new phase in my life!   For those of us who want a new lifestyle, it is important to remember you are leaving your old life for a reason, so do look outside your comfort zone! Thinking outside of the box is how to have a successful island life!   Many people coming to retire often find themselves with more energy for life and often open up or purchase small businesses. These businesses can be serviced based on what is missing or a hobby niche (ie bakery, cafes etc).   The new life also leaves time for volunteering within the local community to help children, animals, medical facilities, etc.

Island Culture

Roatan offers a culture fusion of Islanders, Hondurans and Expats from N America, S America and Europe!  The beauty of this melting pot is the friendliness of the different communities all interacting.  The island has many communities which the Expats from around the world blend with the Islanders and Hondurans.  This is most common when working and living in the tourist destinations.

On the island it is common to find groups of Latinos from S America, Americans, Canadians, Italians, Czechs, and British expats enjoying the island life.

Contact Krys Enger for all of your Real Estate questions and West End rentals!  Subscribe to the YOUTUBE channel for more Roatan news!

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About The Author
Krys Enger

Before moving to Roatan, I worked in Denver, Colorado as a successful licensed Realtor for five years. I came to the island on a few vacations and fell in love with the island's beautiful beaches, friendly community of locals and expats, the lush jungle, and simple island life. Once landing in Roatan, I decided to live the island life as a dive instructor exploring under water and teaching others to dive for my first year on the island. After a fun year under water, I moved into hotel management at a West End hotel, Cocolobo, for the past 9 years to help others enjoy their vacations and holidays! After a few years on the island I decided to invest in property on Roatan. After buying land and building rental apartments in West End, my partner and I continue to invest in property on the island. Recently, we have purchased new land and have a developed a small commercial rental space in West End. We have also purchased a small home for remodel and enjoy the building and remodeling process. Martin and I are happy to help give you ideas and contacts that have helped us in the process of building and remodeling! I have been selling Real Estate on Roatan for five years and have enjoyed helping others discover the island lifestyle with purchases of vacation homes and condos, retirement homes, investment properties, land, and businesses.

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