Summary
The typical home in Roatán sold for about $363,000 in Q2 2026 (median of closed MLS deals), and a local broker puts the average house at about $397,000. Prices are set in US dollars, so think in dollars first.
Houses listed online cost more than what sells: in October 2026 the median ask was $449,000 for a 2-bedroom house and $599,000 for a 3-bedroom, on very small samples.
The cheapest dated house we found was a 3-bedroom in Sandy Bay, away from the beach, at $249,000 (June 2026). Below about $200,000 you are mostly buying land or a small condo.
Big houses are a thin market: dated house listings run about $145 to $279 per sq ft, and a 5,500 sq ft beachfront house in Camp Bay asked $1,250,000 in August 2026.
New does not always mean pricier: a 2-bedroom pre-construction villa near French Harbour asked $399,000 in July 2026, but you carry the delivery risk.
A house with land usually means buying a lot and building: lots of 500 to 2,000 m² asked a median of $63,000 in October 2026, and a foreigner must finish the house within 36 months.
Sandy Bay and First Bight show the lowest price per sq ft (about $145 to $153), while Pristine Bay, West Bay and beachfront Camp Bay sit at the top.
On top of the price, budget 5% to 6% for closing costs, about $18,150 to $21,780 on a $363,000 house, plus $1,000 to $5,000 of checks.
Owning costs are modest on tax (about $750 a year on a $300,000 home) but high on power: about $200 a month for 600 kWh at RECO’s rate above 150 kWh.
Asking is not paying: never-cut listings closed 7.7% below asking in Q2 2026, and 1 in 4 active listings had been cut, by about 15% on average.
Legal limits shape the price: a foreigner can own one urban home of up to 3,000 m², about 80% of private land in Honduras has weak or no title, and Próspera is still in a $1.63 billion dispute.
Closed MLS deals fell 26% in the first half of 2026, so prices are holding but the market is slow.
Bottom line: about $250,000 to $400,000 buys a decent 3-bedroom house off the beach; open 8% to 10% under asking on fresh listings and 12% or more on stale ones.
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Message a proWhat do houses sell and list for in Roatán, by size and type?
What’s the median and average house price in Roatán?
The best number is the median sale price on the Roatán MLS: $363,000 (L 9,750,000) in Q2 2026. It covers all homes sold, condos included, so detached houses alone sit a bit higher. It was up 8.4% on the previous quarter, but that mostly reflects which homes happened to sell, not a price jump.
No official average exists. A Roatán broker’s guide updated in May 2026 puts the average house at about $397,000 (L 10,660,000) and the average condo at about $325,000 (L 8,730,000).
Listings run above that. The houses tracked online by TuLugar in October 2026 asked a median of $449,000 (L 12,060,000) for 2 bedrooms (6 listings) and $599,000 (L 16,080,000) for 3 bedrooms (5 listings). Small samples, but they show that what is listed today is often priced above what actually sells.
At the median, expect a 2- or 3-bedroom house with practical finishes, away from the beach, in an area such as Sandy Bay, First Bight or French Harbour, rather than a beachfront home in West Bay.
What’s the cheapest livable house budget?
The cheapest dated house listing we found was a 3-bedroom of 1,722 sq ft in Sandy Bay, away from the beach, at $249,000 (L 6,690,000) in June 2026. That is about $145 per sq ft, the low end of the island.
Below that, most listings are land or small condos. A condo plus studio in Coxen Hole (988 sq ft) asked $225,000 (L 6,040,000) in October 2026, and older or inland houses do show up below $200,000, but rarely with a clean, easy file.
So a realistic entry budget for a livable house is about $220,000 to $260,000, plus closing costs and repairs. At this level, check the road access, the cistern and septic system, the roof and the title before anything else.
How much do 2 and 3-bedroom houses cost?
Online listings in October 2026 asked a median of $449,000 (L 12,060,000) for a 2-bedroom house and $599,000 (L 16,080,000) for a 3-bedroom house. Few houses are listed on these trackers, so take them as a signal, not an average.
Dated 3-bedroom listings show the real spread: $249,000 (L 6,690,000) in Sandy Bay off the beach (June 2026), $395,000 (L 10,610,000) for an ocean-view home of 2,600 sq ft in First Bight (September 2026), $445,000 (L 11,950,000) for a 1,594 sq ft villa in Pristine Bay (September 2026), and $579,000 (L 15,550,000) for a 3,793 sq ft beachfront house in Sandy Bay (August 2026).
So a 3-bedroom house costs roughly $250,000 to $600,000 depending on the beach, the view and the community. The beach and the view matter more than the third bedroom.
For 2 bedrooms, many buyers end up in a condo instead: resale 2-bedroom condos at Blue Vista in West End asked $315,000 (L 8,460,000) to $328,000 (L 8,820,000) in August 2026.
How much do 4-bedroom houses cost?
Houses with 4 or more bedrooms are a thin market in Roatán, and we found no dated 4-bedroom listing we could quote with confidence.
Here is a rough guide instead. Dated house listings in 2026 ran about $145 to $230 per sq ft outside the resort communities. At that rate, a 3,000 sq ft family house away from the beach would land around $435,000 to $690,000. That is our arithmetic, not a market average.
Beachfront changes everything: a 5,500 sq ft beachfront house at Pangea Tower in Camp Bay asked $1,250,000 (L 33,560,000) in August 2026, and estate villas in West Bay and Lawson Rock go higher.
How much do new-build houses cost?
Nobody measures a new-build premium in Roatán, and we found no matched sales to compute one.
What listings show: a 2-bedroom ocean-view pre-construction villa of 1,977 sq ft at Mahogany Hills, near French Harbour, asked $399,000 (L 10,710,000) in July 2026, about $202 per sq ft. That is in line with resale houses, not far above them.
New projects also sell a lot outside the MLS: about $12 million of new-project units sold off the MLS in the first half of 2026. If you buy off-plan, check the developer’s finished projects, how your payments are protected and what happens if delivery slips.
How much do houses with land cost?
Usable flat land is scarce, so many buyers who want space buy a lot and build. Six residential lots of 500 to 2,000 m² tracked by TuLugar in October 2026 asked a median of $63,000 (L 1,690,000). A 548 m² ocean-view lot in Camp Bay asked $115,000 (L 3,090,000) in August 2026, and a 0.3-acre lot in gated Pristine Bay $199,000 (L 5,340,000) in July 2026.
Mind the foreigner rules. Under Decree 90-90, a foreigner can own one urban residential property of up to 3,000 m² (about 0.74 acre). If you buy bare land, the house must be finished within 36 months, or you pay a surcharge of 20% a year on the appraised value.
Bigger estates or several plots need a tourism project filing with the IHT, so a “house with 2 acres” is not a simple purchase for a foreigner.
Where are houses cheapest and most expensive in Roatán?
Which neighborhoods have the lowest house prices?
The lowest dated price per sq ft we found was in Sandy Bay away from the beach (about $145 per sq ft, a 3-bedroom at $249,000 in June 2026) and in First Bight (about $152 per sq ft, a 3-bedroom ocean-view home at $395,000 in September 2026).
East and inland areas such as Jonesville, Oak Ridge, Punta Gorda, Calabash Bight and the back roads behind French Harbour are usually cheaper still, but we found no current dated house listing to quote there.
They are cheaper for real reasons: further from the West End and West Bay rental demand, rougher roads, more older homes and more title files that need work. Check water, septic, access and the title chain twice.
Which neighborhoods have the highest house prices?
West Bay, Pristine Bay and the beachfront stretches of Sandy Bay, Lawson Rock and Camp Bay are the top of the market.
In Pristine Bay, 3-bedroom villas asked $445,000 (L 11,950,000) and $599,000 (L 16,080,000) in 2026, up to about $279 per sq ft, the highest rate in our sample. A beachfront 3-bedroom in Sandy Bay asked $579,000 (L 15,550,000), and a large beachfront house in Camp Bay $1,250,000 (L 33,560,000).
Buyers pay for the beach, the view, gated management and short-term rental demand. Most are foreign retirees or second-home buyers who plan to rent when they are away.
How much do houses cost near Coxen Hole, Roatán’s practical center?
Roatán has no classic city center. Coxen Hole, next to the airport and the cruise port, is where the offices and shops are. Prices there are more local: a condo plus studio (988 sq ft) asked $225,000 (L 6,040,000) in October 2026, about $228 per sq ft.
Houses near Coxen Hole, Mount Pleasant and Dixon Cove are practical for daily life and the airport, but less attractive for vacation renters, which keeps prices below West End and West Bay. We found no dated house listing for this area, so we give no price range here.
How much do houses cost in the residential areas outside the tourist hubs?
Sandy Bay, French Harbour, Brick Bay, Dixon Cove and First Bight are where many expat families and year-round residents live. Dated 2026 listings there ran from $249,000 (L 6,690,000) (Sandy Bay, off the beach) to $399,000 (L 10,710,000) (pre-construction villa near French Harbour), with $395,000 (L 10,610,000) for an ocean-view home in First Bight.
These areas trade some beach access for space, quieter roads and lower prices. They make sense if you live on the island most of the year rather than rent to tourists.
Which areas in Roatán are improving and still affordable?
Sandy Bay off the beach, First Bight and the French Harbour side are the ones to watch: houses there still ask about $145 to $200 per sq ft, while new projects such as Mahogany Hills bring newer stock.
Improvement here means better roads, services and new projects, not a price boom: closed MLS deals fell 26% in the first half of 2026, so you can still negotiate in these areas.
Before you buy in a cheaper area, check how long the road to the house is unpaved, how the house gets water, and whether the title is full ownership (dominio pleno) or only use rights (dominio útil).
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Taxes and fees on top of the price, before you sign.
Message a proWhat extra costs should you budget for a house in Roatán?
What are typical buyer closing costs for houses?
Budget about 5% to 6% of the price. On a $363,000 house, that is about $18,150 (L 487,000) to $21,800 (L 585,000). Three Roatán brokers give the same range.
The main lines: transfer tax (tradición) of 1.5% of the higher of the price and the cadastral value, legally owed by the seller but often paid by the buyer in practice, and due within 3 days of the deed (20% penalty if late); registry fees of L 200 plus L 1.50 per L 1,000 (about 0.15%); and notary and legal work of about 1% to 2%.
Add an independent lawyer who works only for you, about 1% to 1.5% more: the notary records the deal, they don’t defend you.
The agent’s commission is usually paid by the seller. There is no official rate; Roatán broker guides quote about 10%, and it is negotiable.
How much are property taxes on houses?
Roatán’s 2024 municipal tax plan sets property tax at L 2.50 per L 1,000 of assessed value, or 0.25% a year. On a home assessed at $300,000, that is about $750 (L 20,100) a year, close to RE/MAX Roatán’s “about $800” for a typical 3-bedroom house. We could not confirm the 2026 rate, so check the last bill before you sign.
The legal ceiling for urban property is L 3.50 per L 1,000 (0.35%), so even the worst case stays around $1,050 a year on a $300,000 home. The tax uses the assessed value, which is often below the price you pay.
How much is home insurance for a house?
We found no reliable 2026 quote for house insurance in Roatán. Ask for a written quote before you make an offer, not after.
Insurers price concrete and wooden houses very differently, and beachfront, roof condition, storm shutters and rental use all move the premium. In a gated community, check whether the condo or HOA fee already covers building insurance (it does at Blue Vista in West End, for example).
What are typical utility costs for a house?
Electricity is the big one. RECO, the island’s power company, charges L 6.11 per kWh up to 150 kWh a month, then L 8.95 per kWh plus a fixed L 39.45 once you go above (September to November 2026). Any house with air conditioning goes above.
That is about $200 (L 5,400) a month for 600 kWh and $335 (L 9,000) for 1,000 kWh. A pool pump, several AC units or a generator push it higher.
Many houses also run on rainwater cisterns, pumps and septic tanks, and pay for propane, internet and garden work. We found no reliable dated figures for these, so ask the seller for 12 months of bills.
What are common hidden costs when buying a house?
Checks first: basic registry and municipal checks cost about $200 (L 5,350) to $600 (L 16,100), a deeper title review $800 (L 21,500) to $2,000 (L 53,700), and an appraisal $300 (L 8,050) to $700 (L 18,800). All in, due diligence, survey and title work often come to $1,000 to $5,000.
Ask for at least 20 years of title history and a survey less than six months old. A house with an unclear boundary or a weak title is not cheap, whatever the price.
Then the house itself: salt air eats metal and roofs, cisterns and septic systems fail quietly, and termites like wooden homes. Have an inspector look at the roof, the water system and the electrics before you agree on a price.
If you want to rent it out, a furniture package often runs $10,000 to $50,000, and a light renovation about 5% to 10% of the price.
How far below asking can you buy a house in Roatán in late 2026?
Further than most buyers think. In Q2 2026, homes on the Roatán MLS that were never cut still closed 7.7% below asking. Homes that had already been cut closed 10.1% below the reduced price.
Sellers are under pressure: there were 3.7 new listings for every sale in Q2 2026, against 2.0 in Q1 2025. About 1 in 4 active listings had been cut, by about $77,000 or 15% on average, and 34% of the homes sold in Q2 2026 had been reduced first.
What to aim for: 8% to 10% under asking on a fresh listing, 12% or more on one that has sat for months. On a 2-bedroom house listed at $449,000, that means opening around $404,000 to $413,000.
Before you offer, ask the agent for the listing history and past price cuts, 12 months of utility bills, the HOA fees if any, the rental record and a copy of the title. Real beachfront and clean, well-run rental houses still sell close to asking.
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Message a proCan a foreigner buy any house in Roatán, including in Próspera?
Not any house. All of Roatán sits inside the zone of Article 107 of the Constitution, which reserves island land for Hondurans by birth. Decree 90-90 lets a foreigner buy one urban residential property of up to 3,000 m² for their own use. A Honduran company with foreign owners does not get around this.
Titles are the second filter: the US State Department reports that about 80% of private land in Honduras has no title or a defective one. Check that the house has full ownership (dominio pleno), not just use rights (dominio útil).
Próspera, the charter zone near Crawfish Rock, is the question everyone asks. The Supreme Court declared the ZEDE system unconstitutional in September 2024. Próspera keeps operating and now claims about $1.63 billion in international arbitration (August 2026), and on 21 September 2026 the state prosecutor filed a criminal complaint against two of its officials. President Asfura appeared at a Próspera stand in June 2026, but no law or vote has changed its status.
Our advice: a house inside Próspera is a bet on an unresolved legal fight. Outside it, stick to titled, finished homes within the 3,000 m² rule, and have your own lawyer confirm both in writing.
Are Roatán houses overpriced, and are prices still rising?
Do people think houses are overpriced in Roatán?
Many buyers find West Bay, West End and beachfront Sandy Bay expensive, and the numbers back a softer view: listings ask well above what sells (a $449,000 median ask for 2-bedroom houses against a $363,000 median sale for all homes).
Scarcity explains part of it: a small island, little flat land and few real substitutes for beachfront. Optimistic sellers explain the rest, which is why so many listings get cut.
No one publishes days on market for Roatán houses, so ask the agent how long a listing has been up and how many times its price changed.
Are prices still rising or cooling?
Cooling, without a crash. Closed MLS deals (homes and land) fell from 145 in the first half of 2025 to 107 in the first half of 2026, down 26%, and the dollar volume fell 32%, from $45.4 million to $30.9 million. Contracts picked up for a second quarter in a row after bottoming out in late 2025.
Over the longer run, a local broker estimates about 5% a year of appreciation over five years. That is below Honduran inflation of 6.28% in September 2026, so houses have not been beating inflation lately.
For the next 6 to 12 months, expect sellers to keep holding asking prices while cutting more often. Good, titled houses near the beach hold their value; overpriced villas and houses with weak titles sit.
Our methodology
This article estimates what a house costs in Roatán: sale and asking prices by size and type, prices by area, the extra costs of buying and owning, how much you can negotiate and the legal limits for foreigners.
Sale prices and market trends come from Roatán MLS closings, as analysed in the Q2 2026 Bay Islands report by Roatán Reef (Tomás Figueroa). Averages come from a local broker benchmark (May 2026). Asking prices come from dated MLS listings and the TuLugar tracker; we give the date and sample size and never present one listing as an average.
Rules come from Article 107 of the Constitution and Decree 90-90, taxes and fees from SAR, the property registry and Roatán broker guides, electricity from the CREE, and Próspera news from La Prensa, Criterio.hn and Próspera itself.
We checked these figures in October 2026. Lempira amounts use about 26.85 lempiras per US dollar.
Limits: there is no official house-price index for Roatán, the MLS leaves out off-market sales, listing samples are small, and we found no reliable figure for insurance, days on market or 4-bedroom houses.
Key sources used for this analysis include Roatán Reef / Tomás Figueroa Q2 2026 MLS report, Tomás Figueroa’s Roatán market guide, TuLugar Roatán listings tracker, Roatán MLS, Roatán MLS (Roatan Vibes, Sandy Bay), Roatán MLS (Tranquil Villa 1319, Pristine Bay), Roatan Life MLS, Roatan Sotheby’s International Realty, Island Properties Roatan MLS, Century 21 Roatán homes, Roatan Executive Realty homes, Buying Roatan market update, Ana Flores Realtor’s Roatán closing-cost guide, RE/MAX Roatán’s buyer guide, Life in Roatán’s buyer guide, SAR property-transfer guidance, SAR Formulario 722, SINAP, Instituto de la Propiedad registration requirements, CREE tariff table for RECO, Decree 90-90, Article 107 of the Constitution, US State Department Investment Climate Statement, Próspera’s own disclaimer, La Prensa (August 2026), Criterio.hn (June 2026), PwC tax summaries, La Tribuna (October 2026) and Banco Central de Honduras exchange rates.
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