Roatan Rent time again! Keeping in line with all the changes I’ve been making lately, I finally made one that’s been a long time coming: I just moved to a new place!
(You may remember the other posts in this series – Roatan Rent: What $300/Month Gets You and Roatan Rent: What $400/Month Gets You. These are some of my most popular posts, so I guess people are interested in this…?)
I’m on move #8 in three years here which is kind of a lot, but what can I say… I’ve got itchy feet! The last place I was living (the $300/month place) I was in for 15 months, and for the most part it was okay, but I had grabbed it on a whim after I was frantically trying to find a new apartment so I could move out of my housesitting place in the jungle and back into ‘civilization’. It still wasn’t all the way in town though, and my scooter keeps breaking down on a pretty regular basis so it was turning into a hassle to not be within walking distance of everything.
I kept an eye out for months for a place where the price was right – budget rentals on the west side of the island are few and far between, and especially difficult to get inside of the town of West End. So when this one appeared, I snapped it up and am now happily ensconced in my little studio right in town!
Here’s what you get for $350/month: [edited later to add: the landlord raised the price to $370/month after a few months, which was fine… but just FYI that it went up and this can happen anytime here with no warning!]
(Please excuse the crap iPhone photos. I just didn’t feel like taking out my regular camera! I don’t know why I couldn’t make these any bigger. Just having one of those days…)
I also have a really lovely balcony out front with a little table and chair, and space for a hammock, but I’m not going to post a photo of that because people are fucking weirdos and I don’t want anyone showing up at my house – that includes tourists and locals! If you are coming to Roatan and you’d like to meet me, please just send me an email and I will be happy to meet you at the bar for a drink and a chat!!
This place is about a two-minute walk off the street & beach, right in the center of town so very close to everything. My rent includes water (and I even have hot water here!) but not electricity ($25-50/month), drinking water ($5-10/month), laundry ($30-40/month) or propane ($5-10/month). So this new place is definitely more expensive than my old $300/month place, but cheaper and better than my $400/month place. Sadly, I no longer have a weekly cleaning lady for free! Spoiled, I know.
Out of all the places I’ve rented here by myself, this one is definitely the most well-furnished and nicest building, and I think the apartment has a nice vibe and good energy. I feel like I’m on vacation every time I get in the walk-in shower… I’ve had 15 months of a shower that was too small to even turn around in. I also am a huge fan of this being a concrete building as I can’t hear the family above me or my next door neighbors at all – and I have no downstairs neighbors so I can work out at home without worrying about disturbing someone. My 10ft ceilings are pretty great too! Even though it’s a small space, it feels nice and airy in here.
Everything is just so much more convenient living in town – if I forget something, I just walk home and get it and I’m back 5 minutes later. I also thought this neighborhood was going to be way louder than it actually is – it’s only a minute behind the main drag in West End where most of the bigger (read: louder) bars are located, and I hardly hear anything at night. And – knock on wood – so far NO roosters keeping me up all night!
I am spending a lot more time at home these days and I’m so happy that I’m in a little space that I love. I’m really hoping this is going to be the last move I have to do here!
What do you think of my new place? Out of all the places ($300, $350, $400) – which do you prefer?
Hi was wondering if you’re still renting a home for $400 a month. I am going to be temporarily moving to Roatan & am looking for a safe place for my family .. please let me know asap. Thank you!
Hi Alexis, it says right in the post that I don’t assist people in finding apartments (property managers get paid to do that on Roatan!) and I haven’t lived on Roatan for almost 3 years now. My general apartment hunting advice is also already in this post. Good luck.
Hahah ok – next fall it's all yours!
OMG wow – 2 mins walk to the beach as well? Love it 🙂 If you move out, let me know as I wanna move in 😉
Hi Bruce, thanks so much for sharing. I hope you have read my post about tipping your dive guides 🙂 I'm really glad you have found my blog helpful – that is great! Where are you going to be diving from? Conditions are rough on the south side this time of year, but some beautiful diving going on on the north side. Feel free to say hello if you see me! Cheers.
I like reading these around the world too – I think it's really interesting! (Although finding out what people make in that location helps to put it into perspective too!) I'm not sure how I would feel about my landlady coming into my apartment!! I can get a cleaner once a week for about $10 here, so I'm gonna try to budget it in 🙂
Rika, I have enjoyed reading your blog. I am looking forward to diving in Roatan in a couple of weeks. I feel better equiped to know a little bit more about Roatan before I arrive thanks to your blog. Keep up the good work.
That looks so nice! I really like this kind of post – how much money can get you how much home. Boooo for no cleaner. Our landlady comes in to clean ours.
It's a small island – it happens!! Very weird 🙂
Thanks – so far so good. Lovin it! xo
Oh, I never even would have thought of people randomly showing up on your doorstep. So weird.
Looks like a super cute and cozy place, perfect for what you need. I hope you are (and will be) very happy there!! x
Thanks Joe!! I really am enjoying it already. So much more convenient. I know I really need to just sell my scooter but I've had her for so long that I feel like I 'need' it – even though I've been paying taxis for everything since it breaks down all the time! Just like the freedom of having wheels I guess. Although I think this road back here gets pretty gross in the rainy season anyway, I probably won't even be able to get it out. See you next time – I won't be working as much so hopefully we'll be able to get in for a dive together in August!!
Hahah Goldilocks is right!! Had to try quite a few but I am convinced this is the perfect one – I love this little place so much and the location is the best! (And yep – stay away from my house internet weirdos!!)
Well Goldilocks I think you may have found JUST the right spot! To be able to move around a lot easier during your day will definitely be worth it. It's awesome you have had the chances to live in different areas of the island to know what works for you and what doesn't. Very smart keeping your front door off the lineup of pics! Stay away internet creepers!
Congrats on the new place. I think you will like that area and like you said, it's nice to walk down to the store and be back home in 10 minutes. Rather than dealing with keeping a scooter up and running, it almost makes sense to walk down the street and rent one for a few hours if and when you REALLY need transportation and a taxi won't work for some reason. I used Victor at Two Sisters last time I was there.. I know him from when he used to work at Splash. See you in August!. Joe – –
Yes, that would be it! 🙂 Glad you're back.
It is!! Thanks 🙂
Looks awesome and bright! I love it.
Hi Wendy!! Nope, haven't moved away… but we have to do visa runs every 90 days now, so I have been doing a bit of traveling. I went to Miami in January and Belize at the end of April. Maybe that's what you are thinking of?
You're back! I thought you left Roatan? Beautiful place!!! I could definitely call that home. 🙂
It's pretty big as far as studios go – definitely way bigger (almost 2x) as the $400/month one I had. Much brighter and airier too! The 10ft ceilings definitely help, as does light-painted concrete and tile rather than dark wood everywhere.
Man, a shower kind of makes or breaks a place for me. Water pressure all over Central and South America seems to be – for the most part – pretty awful. I wonder why that is – what is different in their system than North American ones? Hmmm… off to Google 🙂 But yeah, super pleased with my big walk-in shower I have now! Decent pressure too 🙂 I have really long hair so I hear ya on the hair washing nightmare that happens when all you get is a dribble.
The new place looks lovely, Rika! It actually looks really spacious for a studio—I'm sure those high ceilings help a lot!
And I definitely understand the healing properties of a good shower. We've had hot water everywhere in Mexico thus far, but man, the water pressure really leaves something to be desired. It takes me FOREVER to wash my hair because of the wimpy water pressure…