Copan Ruinas, Honduras is a village that is approximately 12 km from the Guatemalan border in Honduras' Western Highlands.  There are 10,000 people living in the region and outlying aldeas (small villages) with 5,000 of these inhabitants living in the village itself.  There are fewer than 40 foreigners who live here full time.  The region is most famous for the the Maya Ruins for which it is named which attract around 200,000 visitors a year (the definition of the word "Copan" is a bridge between two places, it is also believed to have been named after a Mayan indian chief named Copan Galeal, but there is no recorded history of this). Copan Ruinas, however, has long had a reputation as one of the best coffee producing regions in the world.  Copan Ruinas is now becoming known more and more for the coffee that grows in the outlying plantations and the coffee tourism it is starting to attract, as well as the Ruins.  Living in this mountain village and tourist area for 16 years as a "local" has been wonderful and was a happy surpise as when I arrived here to take Spanish Lessons at the then brand new Spanish School I absolutely fell in love with the mist covered highlands and then fell in love with a wonderful Honduran Restaurant Owner/Tour Guide, got married, and stayed.  These events all happened within  a six week period and sixteen years later it is all still magic.  My two story home whose veranda looks out toward the sunset every day cost me 5000 dollars and has been my "nest" for 15 years.  I often wonder how much it would take to reproduce this cottage in the United States with it's flagstone paths, antique wood floors, and hand thrown tile roof.  I think the view alone would probably be cost prohibitive for me and even with the inconveniences of sometimes losing electrical power, at times not having water (build a larger holding tank) the property is paid for and I, my husband, and 3 labrador retrievers, live on about $250 a month for food, utilities and telephone.  This leaves a lot of left over for luxuries, if I so desire.  Living here however, has been a lesson in patience.  It is an experience that continues to fascinate me, even after all these years.  It has made me more assertive, bilingual, artistic and more imaginative than I ever would have been living anywhere else.   Dealing with and respecting cultural differences has been one of the more challenging aspects of living abroad, especially in a developing nation.  If you can remember that you are the guest, basically, and Hondurans, especially those from the mountains, have their own pace, then this mountain village has unlimited possibilities for full time residents.  Anyone whose desire to live in an area that is not jaded by overdevelopment and will willingly put up with a few inconveniences then this valley and Copan Ruinas is definitely a viable option.  Trade offs for these few inconveniences are being able to sip locally grown, hand toasted, coffee on a veranda in one of the most breathtakingly beautiful, mystically enshrouded, mountainous regions of the world.  Copan Ruinas as a lifestyle should really be investigated. Getting here, is easy, staying here if you are retired and have an monthly income is also easy.  Building up and maintaining a life may be a little more challenging if you need to live on the income you produce here, but it can be done especially if you are very creative.  This of course is the reason some of us listen to the sound of a different drummer now isn't it?  Residing in these western highlands and watching the mist dance across the mountain ridges every morning has never ceased to amaze me that I actually live and work here.  Transportation You can buy a car, but why?  There are several National bus lines, mostly luxury, which service this area.  They leave all day and return from the larger areas all day.   The cost is $4 to get to the city of San Pedro Sula (3 hours).  If you want to go to the capital city of Honduras (Tegucigalpa) it will cost about $25 on the Luxury bus and you get a movie or two.  This is a really nice way to travel.  You can be anywhere in the country or in another country within hours.

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Rentals
There are apartments and houses tucked away all over the village.  While there are no real real estate offices most locals will point you in the right direction.  Within the city limits a house will rent for anywhere from $80 to $300 (3 bedrooms, 3 baths, maid service, laundry hookups, garage area, etc). 

Room and Board (3 homecooked meals a day) in a modern furnished room will go for about $200 or less per month.  Note that these are the higher end places, there are many many houses and rooms available for less, it is a matter of looking around.  If you really want to be ambitious, you can actually rent a whole hotel,,, instant business!!!

Two small outlying towns, one 8 km away (Santa Rita) and the other 4 km (Osteman) have property and rentals as well as undeveloped lots for sale or rent for much less.  There are also houses available in the coffee areas outside of town toward Seisasmill with higher altitudes and cooler temperatures.

My suggestion to people who come here and immediately fall in love with the place is to rent for around six months to a year and get a feel for what they want and go from there.  This is also a very good idea just to see if you really like it here!!!  Copan Ruinas, although not overrun with travelers, does cater to them, but that makes it all the more appealing to full time residents as there are restaurants, spanish schools, museums, telephones, laundry facilities, etc., etc., that normally would not be available in other villages of developing nations.  You're roughing it, but not really.

Real Estate Availability
Copan Ruinas' real estate and its surrounding area is one of the fastest growing and hottest commodities in the Country, but it comes expensively, as most people are speculating on real estate right now.  This region, because of low or nonexistant crime rate (The larger cities in Honduras as with any large cities anywhere in the world, have an ongoing fight with crime, this region so far seems to be exempt, and the Hondurans who operate tourist attractions and businesses here will keep it that way because of their investments here, it pays to protect your investment).  Keeping foreigners safe only enhances the attraction to this area and it's good business.  Hot properties at a good price are in high demand, and Honduran families who have lived here for generations sometimes demand U.S. prices because their houses have been passed down through the generations.  This can make it tricky buying real estate as several family members may be on the title for one piece of property.  The properties are extremely negotiable.   It can  be done and believe me, there are bargains to be had in this village (I paid $5000 dollars for my house sitting on 1/2 acre of property) . 

Copan Ruinas, within the village, has properties on the market ranging from lots for $4,000 to two acre Mountain Estates, fully operational income producing Bed and Breakfasts, and 10 room hotels for sale at prices of $100,000 and $500,000.  Prices as a whole may be higher here than in the rest of the country, but the value continues to climb even after purchase.  There is also built in infrastructure on most of the properties with tanks, generators, maids quarters, etc., which can take out some of the "surprises" of living in a developing nation (power outages happen...and they have been happening as long as I've lived here, and that includes all of the surrounding countries, it's just a fact of life and you plan for it)  If the properties are to be developed into anything to do with travel or tourism, there are government incentives and tax credits available for residents, investors, as well as foreigners that go along with the purchase as long as all of the paper work is in order.  All real estate purchases need to be and should be looked over by an attorney before you buy.  Honduras ratified its border law which prevented foreign ownership of land so close to borders and beaches (12 km from Guatemala) so that private investors and fulltime residents could be attracted.  With the stability of the Honduran Goverment, the travelers who sometimes become full time residents,  Copan Ruinas is a good investment at any time.

Real Estate Tips
A tip for anyone who is buying property anywhere in Honduras is to get the name of the law firm that the local banks use.  As these law firms are stricter in dealing with loans on properties, they make very sure everything is in order before the last paper is signed.  Find out who their representatives are and get in touch and show them where and what you are buying before you put any money down.  It is worth the small consulting fee (maybe $50 to $100) to make sure that the property you are looking at actually has papers on it.  There have been more than one case of where the property owners sell the properties several times.  Let the buyer beware as with My suggestion to people who come here and immediately fall in love with the place is to rent for around six months to a year and get a feel for what they want and go from there.  This is also a very good idea just to see if you really like it here!!!  Copan Ruinas, although not overrun with travelers, does cater to them, but that makes it all the more appealing to full time residents as there are restaurants, spanish schools, museums, telephones, laundry facilities, etc., etc., that normally would not be available in other villages of developing nations.  You're roughing it, but not really.

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Job opportunities/Jobs/Starting a Business
In the 16 years I have been here I have been a bartender, restaurant owner, established the first laundromat, waitress, bookshop owner, coffeeshop owner and wife as well as a consultant and cheerleader for all the benefits of living in this mountain village.  I love it here, the lifestyle is healthy, the air is clean, and the people are very friendly.  The local bilingual grade school (Mayatan) is always looking for qualified teachers and hires from all over the world.  Since the language they teach in is English, you do not have to be bilingual or even have to know Spanish.

Many local restaurants are always on the lookout for seasonal help and there are even courses that can be taken to become a member of the guide association at the Ruinas. 

If you arrive and see a niche in the market that you would like to fill, starting a business here is very easy.  The local Municipality will issue a work permit which is available through their offices.  It is good for one year and can be renewed each year.  It is usually issued within 2 weeks unless you are opening a business that sells liquor and then it is presented in front of the city council.  They will also drop off tax papers when the time comes on which you will declare your income (in your business) tax, sign taxes, liquor taxes, and pay for garbage pick up all at the same time.  Depending on what your business generates, taxes per year may be around $500 (that is for a very high end restaurant) the average is about  $65.00.

There is always a business for sale, since Copan Ruinas has the highest tourist influx in the country, they are often turnkey operations, but not that many come on the market.

Residency
Copan Ruinas usually enforces immigration laws with travelers who arrive on tourist visas fall in love with the place (as I did) and start to work here.  As with any visa you get anywhere in the world it usually states that you cannot be employed.  It doesn't keep that many people from helping out though but if you are planning on long term living here or buying real estate and working here, you need to establish residency.  Why?  Because if there is any question on real estate dealings, business problems, or anything else that come up while you are living here full time, the U.S. Embassy or any Embassy will not help out unless you are a full time resident of Honduras. 
 

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Living Here Full Time
Why start a business or be an employee when you can become the lord and master or mistress of your property.  The tropical paradise that is Copan Ruinas, Honduras can be in your own front or backyard and gardening here is sheer pleasure, as everything grows, and fast!!!!  It is also a birdwatchers paradise with over 300 species in the Copan Ruinas valley alone.  The wild parrots which fly overhead in the evening on their way to roost are and incredible site with their jade wings fluttering in the sunset!  Copan Ruinas has worldclass birdwatching guides here) How about a coffee finca owner (we have several "expats" who have coffee fincas). 

Although prices here may be a little higher, you can live in this village in EXTREME COMFORT on about $500 or much less a month.  I am talking about living expenses here, and that's not skimping, some examples of prices are:
Maid $3/day
Gardener $3.50/day
Bottle of really good Chilean Wine $3
Cigarettes $1.20 
Pound of locally made very fresh cheese $1
3 freshly baked hand made corn tortillas 5 cents
6 handmade flour tortillas (big ones) 25 cents

The list could go on and on, you can have gourmet dining every nite if you so desire.

Medical Services and Clinics
Copan Ruinas is in the mountains, but not so isolated that you can not be into a large city within about 3 hours. The Panamerican highway passes behind the village and the roads are paved and maintained and very good.  Honduras has the best road system in Central America.  Guatemala City if you want to cross the border (220 km) and San Pedro Sula, Honduras (167 km)  if you want to stay in country are easily accessible and loaded with clinics of all kinds, and they are not expensive.  You are in 45 minutes of fully equipped hospitals in Chiquimoula, Guatemala.  With the new open border policy all of the Central American Countries are accesible, stopping and checking cars at borders is a thing of the past and you can exit the country at will (you will need to stop and stamp your passport, residency in Honduras doesn't mean residency in Guatemala so they want to know when you leave etc.) 

If you prefer to stay in country you can be in San Pedro Sula within three hours.  San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, and La Ceiba, as well as Puerto Cortes have top of the line medical facilities, and very inexpensive.  A four day stay in a clinic for an emergency hysterectomy cost me $1,200, that included consultations, anaesthesology, surgery, the surgeon, the room (private room w/tv, although I wasn't really into tv at that time), and the follow up. 

After breaking my leg this year I went to Chiquimoula, Guatemala for an xray ($10) and then since there was no compound fracture was driven to San Pedro Sula where the leg was casted for nothing because I brought my own xrays and they didn't have to redo them)
Ambulance service is $75/ because gasoline here is expensive too!  There are eight local clinics and laboratories and four well stocked Pharmacies.  All these local facilities have top of the line Doctors who run them, many bilingual. 

A brand new dental clinic just opened here with full services including whitening, extractions, bridges, everything for under $25 depending of course on what you need.  A cleaning is less than $20.

As you can see, a full time residency in Copan Ruinas, Honduras is a no brainer, I hope that many of you will read this and come a little further south and Mexico and Guatemala.  Although both of these countries are excellent choices for the Escape lifestyle, why not come and check us out before you decide!  Copan Ruinas, Honduras, is an alternative lifestyle that is rich in culture, history and a wonderful place to call home. 

Stay here a lifetime, you will be so glad you did!!!