Tegucigalpa: what to see and whether to move there

What the city lives on and who it suits

Tegucigalpa is the capital of Honduras in a mountain valley about a thousand metres up. Together with its twin city Comayagüela it forms the Central District, home to about 1.3 million people. It hosts the government, parliament, the supreme court, embassies and international organisations, while the country's business centre is San Pedro Sula in the north. Since 27 January 2026 the president has been Nasry Asfura, a former mayor of Tegucigalpa. The city suits people working at embassies, on international projects or with government, as well as retirees and people with passive income looking for an affordable life in a mild climate.

Districts and housing

• Palmira - the district of embassies, hotels and offices near the centre.
• Lomas del Guijarro - an upscale hillside district with gated complexes and malls.
• Los Próceres and nearby areas - offices, restaurants and middle-class flats.
• El Hatillo - houses in the mountains above the city, cooler and quieter but a long drive.
• Comayagüela - markets and poor neighbourhoods, not advised for foreigners to live in.

Foreigners live in gated complexes or houses with security, water tanks and backup power.

Cost of living

• Currency - the lempira, about 26.9 lempiras to the dollar in 2026; dollars are taken at hotels and large stores.
• Housing - rent in a gated complex in a good area is noticeably cheaper than in Costa Rica or Panama.
• Food - local produce, coffee and fruit are cheap; imported goods cost more.
• Security and getting around - a separate budget line: a gated complex, app taxis and sometimes a driver.
• Household help - affordable, and many families hire it.

Safety

The murder rate in Honduras has fallen markedly in recent years but remains among the higher ones in the region. Gang extortion affects some neighbourhoods, markets and public transport, so foreigners avoid city buses, do not walk at night and book taxis through apps. Upscale districts with security are much calmer. Check your government's advice before travelling.

Practicalities: climate, language, transport

• Climate. Mild thanks to the altitude: about +25 to +30 by day, cool at night. The rainy season runs from May to October.
• Language. Spanish; English is understood at embassies, in business and on the country's Caribbean islands.
• Flights. International flights mostly land at Palmerola airport about 70 km from the city; the old city airport, Toncontín, takes smaller aircraft.
• Transport. People get around by car or app taxi, and roads are jammed at rush hour.

Entry and legal status

• Visits - citizens of many countries enter visa-free, with a stay shared by Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua of up to 90 days across all four.
• Retirees - a residence permit with a pension of at least $1,500 a month from abroad.
• Passive income - a residence permit with stable income of at least $2,500 a month, which may come from abroad or from Honduras.
• Money - in both cases the income must arrive through a Honduran bank.
• Investors and employment - separate residence permits for investment in a local business or under an employment contract.

The requirements are set by the migration law, and applications go to the National Migration Institute. We handle the documents, translations and filing end to end.

Taxes

Honduras taxes income on a territorial basis: income tax applies to Honduran-source income, on a scale up to 25%. A foreign pension and income from abroad are not subject to local income tax. Sales tax is 15%, or 18% on alcohol and tobacco. This does not cancel tax residency elsewhere, so the move has to be structured so that your previous country stops treating you as its resident.

Work and economy

• Remittances - a large part of the economy, sent by Hondurans in the US.
• Garment factories - exporting to the US, mostly in the north.
• Coffee - Honduras is one of Latin America's largest coffee producers.
• Government and international organisations - the main employers of foreigners in the capital.

Family and healthcare

• Schools - bilingual schools with an American curriculum attended by foreigners' children and those of well-off Hondurans.
• Healthcare - private hospitals handle routine cases, complex ones fly to Miami or Mexico City, so insurance with evacuation is needed.
• Leisure - the colonial towns of Valle de Ángeles and Santa Lucía half an hour away, pine-covered mountains and the island of Roatán in the Caribbean.

Is it worth living here

Pros: a mild climate, low living costs, clear residence terms for retirees and people with passive income, and territorial taxation. Cons: crime, reliance on a car and security, and limited healthcare. Tegucigalpa suits people brought here by work; for life by the sea foreigners more often choose Roatán. Write in the chat and we will check whether your income meets the residence requirements.