Tegucigalpa, Honduras Report of what it's like to live there - 05/06/26
Personal Experiences from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
This was my first time attached to a diplomatic mission, but I have previously lived overseas in Spain and the UK.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
At this point in my life, home is where my wife and I are at any given time. We do have family living on the east coast from Norfolk to New York. Visiting them from this post is not easy.
For starters, the airport in the city only provides regional flights, nothing to the US. The international airport is an hour and a half outside the city without traffic. And there is almost always traffic, and frequently the road will get blocked by protesters for hours on end.
Once you manage to make it to the airport, there are only a handful of flight options to return to the US, and they all depart around midday. Now that Spirit airlines has shut down, your only US based connection options are Miami or Houston, serviced by American and United respectively. Better hope there is an evening flight from there to wherever you're going, or you'll be laid over overnight. The reverse is true when returning, as the only inbound flights depart before noon from Miami and Houston, meaning you need a very early flight to make it to the connecting cities or you will again be facing an overnight layover.
The one positive I will say is that the airport is co-located with the US/Honduran military base, and they allow embassy personnel to park there to avoid the airport's egregious parking fees. It's close enough to walk and they also offer a free shuttle.
3. What years did you live here?
2023 - 2026.
4. How long have you lived here?
By the time I depart I will have been here for 3.5 long years.
5. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
I'm a military member that received an assignment attached to the US embassy.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing varies here. I was lucky enough to be a member of the housing board, so I got to see a lot of what the embassy had available in their housing pool over the years. Some housing is very nice and modern, but a lot is older and the layouts don't always make sense. The older options tend to be more compartmentalized/less open.
Sizes are generally adequate. The housing board does try to match each incoming family with housing that fits their family profile. All of the houses are equipped with cisterns, so the tap water is not potable. Drinking water is delivered in 5 gallon jugs several times a week, although I've found the schedule to be irregular. Due to the geography of the city, most houses are 2 or 3 levels and tend to have very small yards / green space.
Commute times will vary. Although most embassy personnel live within 5 miles of the embassy, the traffic I mentioned earlier turns the entire area into gridlock during rush hour. My afternoon / evening commute has varied between 10 minutes to 1.5 hours. The morning commute is usually 20 minutes or less.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Shopping at American style supermarkets (La Colonia, Paiz, etc.) is typically more expensive than back in the US. Honduras imposes a 15% tax on all imported items. This can be mitigated somewhat with the tax exemption documents the embassy provides, but using them tends to be a hassle as it always takes an extra 5 minutes for the store clerks to process the tax exemption. In practice, we almost never bothered with the exemption unless the total bill was over $100.
Availability of products can also be spotty. Items in stock one week may not be seen again for months. The embassy community chat group is known for highlighting items at grocery stores that haven't been seen for a while.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Asian products specifically can be hard to find and tend to be marked up considerably at the few stores that carry them. We found ourselves bringing an empty suitcase with us on trips home that we would fill with items that were more expensive or simply unavailable here.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Many US fast food and casual dining chains are available, as well as some nice local options. Most of the better reviewed places will be searchable on Google Maps.
PedidosYa is a popular restaurant and grocery delivery service, similar to DoorDash. Almost any restaurant you would want is available via their app and will be delivered in 30-60 min.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Ants, roaches, and spiders were not uncommon sights. The embassy will spray for pests in unusual circumstances, but pest control is generally a personal responsibility.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
The embassy has DPO boxes and also pouch mailing. Inbound items going via DPO process through Miami, and it typically takes at least a week from when it arrives in Miami before it is available for pickup. Pouch items process through DC, and those can take much longer, usually a month or more. However, it is a way to get items that would not otherwise ship to a DPO box.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
We did not hire household help, although there are plenty of available people willing to work. Typical pay for these employees seems to be around $300-500 / month depending on hours and duties.
3. Do you feel that it is safe to walk, run or hike outside? Are there areas where bike riding is possible? What is the availability and safety of outdoor space for exercising? Are these easily accessible?
Inside the city, it is considered unsafe to walk outside unless you are inside a gated community. There are plenty of hiking opportunities outside the city limits, but be prepared to deal with the city traffic to get there. I would not recommend attempting to bike here as the terrain is extremely steep hills and you'd be gambling your life dealing with the drivers around here.
4. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
The embassy offers a small gym along with an outdoor pool on the compound. Outside of these, the most popular gym in the embassy community is AJ fitness, but their prices are very expensive compared to US gyms. Around $100/month per person.
5. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit cards are widely accepted, but I will caveat that I have had to replace my primary card three times in three years due to fraud since I have been here, and it has been inconvenient each time due to how long it takes for the replacement to arrive. ATMs are fairly common, but I avoid using ones outside the embassy wherever possible. I don't need cash frequently, so I think I've only ever had to use a local ATM two or three times. It's not that the ATMs are unsafe, more that carrying large amounts of cash can make you a target for thieves, so I prefer not to withdraw cash in public.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Spanish is essential for surviving daily life here. Although there are some locals that speak English, I would guess it's less than 10% of the population, and even less among employees at stores and restaurants that you will most often be interacting.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes. On top of the steep terrain and multi-level housing, sidewalks are infrequent and disability ramps are mostly non-existent outside of a handful of buildings.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
The embassy population is forbidden from using local public transportation due to safety concerns, although Uber is available locally and approved for use. Uber rides are very cheap compared to the US, and you could get almost anywhere inside the city for under $10 one way.
2. What kind of vehicle(s) including electric ones do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, infrastructure, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car or vehicles do you advise not to bring?
I would advise bringing an SUV with a high clearance due to the road conditions. Size-wise, I would aim for a mid-size SUV, as the local drivers tend to yield to larger vehicles, but anything too large will be difficult to maneuver and park as the streets and parking spaces tend to be smaller than in the US.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Starlink arrived in Honduras in late 2023 and has been a game-changer for internet locally. It offers twice the speed at half the price of local ISPs, although you will need a suitable spot to mount the dish. Price is roughly $50/month for around 150-200 mbps down. Hardware kits are readily available at electronics stores for around $400, but the discounted monthly service price will pay for itself in less than a year, and service can be setup within minutes of installation.
Local options are much more cumbersome to set up and tend to cost around $100/month for around 70-100 mbps down. I would avoid these whenever possible unless Starlink is unable to be set up at your home.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
I kept my US T-Mobile number active when coming here, as I was provided a work phone with a local number. As long as you only make calls over Wi-Fi or with apps like WhatsApp/Signal, you won't have to deal with crazy international roaming call fees and there is no fee for data roaming.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
There are a handful of vets that do good work, although kennels cater almost exclusively to dogs. We adopted a couple cats here, so I can't speak for the difficulty of importing pets, but bringing them back to the US is pretty straightforward with minimal paperwork requirements. Dogs are now facing more stringent requirements to return to the US from here, so make sure you double check that you have all the necessary documentation before showing up at the airport.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
My wife was unable to find employment at the embassy due to her skillset and lack of Spanish language ability. This made for a very long tour for her. I wouldn't recommend looking for employment on the local economy as the median salary is somewhere around $10,000/year.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Volunteer options are readily available at the embassy Community Liaison Office (CLO) and can vary.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Dress inside the embassy is business casual to business formal depending on the daily agenda. After hours events can range from casual to formal depending on the occasion.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Yes. Crime is rampant throughout the city. I know of at least two people personally who were robbed at gunpoint during their time here. Embassy housing is in gated neighborhoods with concrete walls topped with razor wire. Public transportation is off limits to embassy personnel and walking alone outside of neighborhoods is discouraged. It is advised to keep a low profile and not display cash, phones, or jewelry when out in public as these can catch the attention of thieves.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
During the late dry season (Feb - May), the air quality tends to get pretty poor. Mosquitos carrying dengue and zika are also a local concern, especially so outside the city.
Medical care is mostly handled at Honduras Medical Center (HMC) which is close to the embassy and embassy neighborhoods. Although they do offer a wide range of care, there are some notable specialists that are simply unavailable, and listings of available services may be outdated due to the providers no longer practicing. I have also heard that obtaining some medications can be a challenge logistically.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
During the late dry season (Feb - May), the air quality tends to get pretty poor. It has gone into the hazardous area at times, and the city will be filled with smog.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
Be wary of the air quality, and with this being a tropical environment, pollen is an all-year-long thing. For food allergies, outside of a few boutique restaurants, I would not count on them catering to your specific dietary needs.
5. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
The lack of freedom of movement due to security concerns is often cited as a reason for family members to return to the US without their sponsor.
6. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
The overall climate is humid tropical, but the elevation of the city tends to help keep the city cooler than it's latitude would lead one to expect. There are only two seasons here, wet and dry, and temperatures will remain between 75-85 almost year-round. Honestly, if there's anything I will miss about Honduras other than the people I worked with, it's the weather.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
The embassy community is moderately sized, around 150 personnel not including their families. Despite the hardships of post, the community morale is fairly high thanks to the efforts of the CLO and USEPA organizing community events.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
The embassy hosts frequent after-work happy hour events, there is a monthly trivia night at a nearby pub, and there are weekly meetups for groups for things like ultimate frisbee, pickleball, or Dungeons & Dragons. I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones that I am most familiar with.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
It seems like single people do ok here. There is a nightlife scene, but as a married person in my 40s, I left that life behind long ago. I would not generally recommend this place for families as options for things to do locally are few and far between, and for those with older children / teens, they would likely find things very limiting outside of school. For couples, I would only recommend this post for a tandem couple or a spouse that is already a Spanish speaker, as lack of Spanish can be severely limiting on job opportunities at the embassy.
4. Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
Hondurans are generally a friendly and welcoming people (unless they are behind the wheel of a car). I'm unaware of any specific prejudices, although my wife said she felt isolated being one of the only Asian people around.
5. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
The best part of Honduras for me has been the opportunities to get out of the city and go hiking in the nearby mountains. There are some great trails to hike and great views due to the rugged terrain.
6. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
There are some locally crafted goods that people seem to appreciate, specifically some paintings and wooden furniture. Outside of those two, I would not come here with plans to do extensive shopping.
7. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Despite the difficulties of air travel from here, it's relatively close to the US compared to other countries. The weather here is great.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
I wish I would have known how difficult it would be for my wife here. I would have made arrangements for her to stay in the US with frequent visits rather than bring her here with me.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
I took this assignment to get my foot in the door of working in an embassy as a military special duty. Given that, I would do it again, but if I were able to pick a different country, I would.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
winter clothes.
4. But don't forget your:
patience. Whether it's behind the wheel or waiting for mail to arrive, your patience will be tested here.
