Tegucigalpa housing and COLA at a glance
Tegucigalpa, Honduras (DoD locality HN001).
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $1,498 a month (40,351 HNL) and receives $423 for utilities and maintenance, $1,921 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $176 a month. Both are tax-free.
OHA rent ceilings for every grade
OHA reimburses your actual rent up to the ceiling for your grade, so renting below it means a smaller payment, not money kept. Without dependents, the ceiling is 90% of the with-dependents figure.
| Grade | With deps | Without deps | Ceiling (HNL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,498 | $1,348 | 40,351 HNL |
| E-2 | $1,498 | $1,348 | 40,351 HNL |
| E-3 | $1,498 | $1,348 | 40,351 HNL |
| E-4 | $1,498 | $1,348 | 40,351 HNL |
| E-5 | $1,498 | $1,348 | 40,351 HNL |
| E-6 | $1,822 | $1,640 | 49,064 HNL |
| E-7 | $1,822 | $1,640 | 49,064 HNL |
| E-8 | $1,822 | $1,640 | 49,064 HNL |
| E-9 | $2,385 | $2,146 | 64,231 HNL |
| W-1 | $1,498 | $1,348 | 40,351 HNL |
| W-2 | $1,822 | $1,640 | 49,064 HNL |
| W-3 | $2,385 | $2,146 | 64,231 HNL |
| W-4 | $2,385 | $2,146 | 64,231 HNL |
| W-5 | $2,385 | $2,146 | 64,231 HNL |
| O-1E | $1,822 | $1,640 | 49,064 HNL |
| O-2E | $1,822 | $1,640 | 49,064 HNL |
| O-3E | $2,385 | $2,146 | 64,231 HNL |
| O-1 | $1,498 | $1,348 | 40,351 HNL |
| O-2 | $1,498 | $1,348 | 40,351 HNL |
| O-3 | $1,822 | $1,640 | 49,064 HNL |
| O-4 | $2,385 | $2,146 | 64,231 HNL |
| O-5 | $2,385 | $2,146 | 64,231 HNL |
| O-6 | $2,385 | $2,146 | 64,231 HNL |
Utilities and move-in
- Utility/recurring maintenance allowance: $423 a month with dependents, $317 without (11,381 HNL with dependents).
- Move-in housing allowance (MIHA) miscellaneous: $678, paid once when you sign a lease (18,255 HNL).
Rent ceilings effective 16 July 2026. Converted at DTMO's pay-system rate of 1 HNL = $0.03713 (August 16, 2026). DTMO revises it on the 1st and 16th of each month, so the dollar amount moves even when the ceiling does not.
COLA in Tegucigalpa
The COLA index here is 106 (effective August 16, 2026), meaning goods and services cost about 6% more than in the U.S. COLA is paid on top of base pay and OHA. Estimated monthly COLA by grade and number of dependents:
| Grade (YOS) | No deps | 1 dep | 2 deps | 3 deps | 4 deps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 (2 yrs) | $158 | $167 | $176 | $185 | $194 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $158 | $167 | $176 | $185 | $194 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $158 | $167 | $176 | $185 | $194 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $158 | $167 | $176 | $185 | $194 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $158 | $167 | $176 | $185 | $194 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $170 | $179 | $189 | $198 | $207 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $191 | $202 | $213 | $223 | $234 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $158 | $167 | $176 | $185 | $194 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $164 | $173 | $183 | $192 | $201 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $180 | $190 | $201 | $211 | $221 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $207 | $218 | $230 | $241 | $252 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $231 | $244 | $257 | $269 | $282 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $253 | $267 | $281 | $295 | $309 |
Estimates use 2026 base pay at the years of service shown and DTMO's spendable-income table (CY2026 tables (effective Feb 1, 2026)). COLA = spendable income × (index − 100) ÷ 100 ÷ 12. Members without dependents living in government quarters receive a reduced rate. Run your exact grade, years of service and dependents in the OCONUS COLA calculator.
How Tegucigalpa compares
The COLA index of 106 is the 1st-highest of 2 Honduras localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the bottom 7% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 1st of 2 in Honduras, the highest in the country.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $1,498 for E-1 to E-5, $1,822 from E-6 to E-8 (+$324), and $2,385 at E-9 (+$563); officers $1,498 for O-1 to O-2, $1,822 at O-3 (+$324), and $2,385 from O-4 to O-6 (+$563). A promotion that lands before you sign a lease raises what you can rent.
At the ceiling, an E-5 with two dependents draws about $2,097 a month here in OHA and COLA combined, tax-free. The same member receives $2,061 in BAH at the median U.S. housing area. Treat that as a rough guide: OHA pays your actual rent rather than a flat amount, and COLA exists because everyday prices here run higher.
How these rates have moved
The COLA index has moved from 108 (December 1, 2025) to 106 (April 1, 2026). At 2026 pay, that is −$59 a month for an E-5 with two dependents.
| Effective | COLA index | E-5, 2 deps* |
|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2026 | 106 | $176 |
| December 1, 2025 | 108 | $235 |
*Monthly COLA at 2026 base pay (6 years of service), so the column isolates the effect of the index.
Exchange rate: DTMO's pay-system rate was 1 HNL = $0.037365 on July 16, 2026 and $0.03713 on August 16, 2026 (−0.6%). The E-5 ceiling of 40,351 HNL is worth $1,498 today against $1,508 then, so the dollar amount on your LES fell by $9 a month without the ceiling itself changing.
From DTMO's published COLA indices and OHA exchange rates as recorded by this site each pay period.
Other Honduras localities
E-5 with dependents. Your OHA follows the locality of your duty station, so these apply only if you are assigned there.
| Locality | OHA rent ceiling | COLA index |
|---|---|---|
| Other (Honduras) | $1,192 | 106 |
Using these numbers
- Your exact OHA by grade and dependents: OHA calculator. Your exact COLA: OCONUS COLA calculator.
- Planning the move: PCS calculator for DLA, per diem and weight allowance.
- Coming home: COLA stops the day you leave. The COLA trap shows how to plan for it.
Sources: DTMO OHA rate tables and OCONUS COLA indices, refreshed each pay period. Estimates for planning; your finance office's figure is the one that pays.