If you’ve ever walked through the humidity of San Pedro Sula or grabbed a quick baleada in Tegucigalpa, you know that a blue 100-lempira bill feels like a decent amount of change in your pocket. It’s the workhorse of the Honduran economy. But the moment you start trying to convert 100 lempiras to dollars, things get a little murky. You look at Google. It gives you one number. You look at the airport kiosk. It gives you another. You look at the guy on the street corner in Roatán? Totally different story.
Money isn't static. Honestly, the exchange rate for the Honduran Lempira (HNL) against the US Dollar (USD) is a dance choreographed by the Central Bank of Honduras (Banco Central de Honduras), and lately, that dance has been a bit strained.
The raw math behind 100 lempiras to dollars
Let’s talk numbers. As of early 2026, the exchange rate generally hovers around 24.8 to 25.2 lempiras for every single US dollar. When you do the quick math on 100 lempiras to dollars, you’re looking at roughly $3.95 to $4.05 USD.
It’s not much.
Think about it this way: 100 lempiras is basically the price of a fancy coffee in the States. In Honduras, however, that same bill can buy you a full meal at a comedor, a couple of liters of milk, or a short taxi ride across town. The purchasing power parity here is wild. But why does the number change every time you refresh your browser?
Honduras uses a "crawling peg" system. It’s not a free-floating currency like the Euro or the Yen. The government basically manages the devaluation of the lempira to keep exports competitive while trying to prevent the kind of hyperinflation that has wrecked other Latin American economies. Because of this, the conversion for 100 lempiras moves in tiny, incremental steps.
Where you swap your money changes everything
You’ve got options. Some are smart. Some are... well, expensive lessons.
If you go to a major bank like Banco Atlántida or Ficohsa, you’re going to get the "official" rate. They’ll ask for your passport. They’ll make you fill out a form. It takes forever. For a mere 100 lempiras, it’s arguably not worth the twenty-minute wait in a cold, air-conditioned lobby.
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ATMs are usually your best bet for larger amounts, but for exactly 100 lempiras? The transaction fee will eat your lunch. Most Honduran ATMs charge between $5 and $10 per withdrawal for foreign cards. If you’re pulling out the equivalent of four dollars and paying ten dollars to do it, the math is offensive.
Then there’s the "street" rate. In tourist hubs like West Bay in Roatán, vendors might just tell you that 25 lempiras equals 1 dollar because it makes the mental math easier. In that scenario, your 100 lempiras equals exactly $4.00. It’s simple. It’s fair-ish. But if the official rate is 25.10, you’re losing a few cents. Over a whole vacation, those cents turn into dinner.
The "Remittance" factor and dollar scarcity
Honduras is deeply dependent on remittances—money sent home by people working abroad, mostly in the US. This creates a weird paradox. There is a lot of USD flowing into the country, but the Central Bank often restricts how much of it businesses can buy.
Recently, there’s been a "dollar shortage" in the local banking system. If you try to change 100 lempiras to dollars at a local bank, they might tell you they don't have any dollars to give you. Or they might limit you to a very small amount.
This scarcity drives the black market rate up. When the banks say "no," the guy with the wad of cash outside the grocery store says "yes," but he wants a premium. This is why you might see a "buy" rate and a "sell" rate that are miles apart.
Why does 100 lempiras feel like more in Tegucigalpa?
Inflation is a beast.
Even though 100 lempiras is only about $4, its value is tied to the local cost of living. If you’re a traveler, you’re thinking in dollars. If you’re a local earning the minimum wage—which varies by industry but often sits around 12,000 to 15,000 lempiras a month—that 100-lempira bill is a significant fraction of your daily earnings.
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When the lempira loses value against the dollar, the cost of imported goods like fuel, electronics, and processed foods goes up. Since Honduras imports a massive amount of its finished goods from the US, a dip in the exchange rate for 100 lempiras to dollars actually makes life harder for the average person in San Pedro Sula. It’s not just a number on a screen; it’s the price of a bag of flour.
Real-world examples of what 100 lempiras buys
Forget the spreadsheets. What does $4 (100 HNL) actually get you on the ground?
- Street Food: You can get three or four massive baleadas sencillas (flour tortillas with beans, cream, and cheese).
- Transportation: A "colectivo" taxi ride in Tegucigalpa usually costs around 20 lempiras. You could cross the city five times for 100 lempiras.
- Groceries: About two cartons of eggs or a few pounds of local coffee beans.
- Beer: Two or three Salva Vidas at a local spot, or maybe just one if you’re at a fancy resort.
If you’re trying to budget a trip, don't just look at the $4 value. Look at the local context. 100 lempiras is a "tipping" bill. It’s a "small snack" bill. It is rarely a "dinner for two" bill unless you’re eating very, very local.
The mistake of using dollars in Honduras
A lot of people think, "Hey, the dollar is strong, I'll just pay in USD."
Bad move.
When you pay with a $20 bill for something that costs 100 lempiras, the vendor has to give you change. They will almost certainly give you a terrible exchange rate. They might value your dollar at 23 or 24 lempiras instead of 25. By the time they hand you your change in lempiras, you’ve effectively paid a 10% "convenience tax."
Always convert your money at a reputable source and pay in the local currency. 100 lempiras is small enough that most people won't try to scam you on the conversion, but larger amounts will hurt.
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How to get the best rate today
If you actually need to swap your cash, follow the hierarchy of "least likely to rip you off":
- Digital Banks/Fintech: Using a card like Revolut or Wise often gives you the mid-market rate (the one you see on Google) with minimal fees.
- Local Credit Unions (Cooperativas): Sometimes they have slightly better rates than the massive commercial banks.
- The "Cambistas": These are the authorized money changers you see near border crossings. They are fast, but you need to know the current rate before you talk to them. Check an app like XE or Oanda first.
Keep in mind that the Lempira is a restricted currency. You can't easily buy it at your local bank in Ohio or London before you fly. You have to wait until you land. The ATMs at the Ramón Villeda Morales Airport (SAP) are notorious for being out of cash or having high fees, so try to have a backup plan.
The future of the Lempira
Economists are watching the BCH (Central Bank) closely. There is constant pressure to devalue the currency further to help the agricultural sector. Coffee and bananas are the lifeblood of Honduran exports. If the lempira is "cheaper," foreign companies can buy more Honduran products for fewer dollars.
However, if the government lets the lempira slide too far, the cost of living for Hondurans skyrockets. It’s a tightrope walk. For the foreseeable future, 100 lempiras to dollars will likely stay in that $3.80 to $4.10 range, slowly drifting downward as the years go by.
Actionable steps for your currency exchange
- Download an offline converter: Internet in the mountains of Lempira or the streets of Comayagua can be spotty. Have an app that works offline so you aren't guessing.
- Break your big bills: 500-lempira notes are hard to change in small shops. 100-lempira notes are the "goldilocks" size—everyone accepts them, and everyone has change for them.
- Avoid airport kiosks: This is a universal rule, but it bears repeating. Their "no commission" claim is a lie; they just bake the fee into a terrible exchange rate.
- Check the date: Honduras recently released new banknotes with updated security features. Ensure your 100-lempira bills aren't damaged or excessively torn, as some vendors (and most machines) will reject them.
The 100-lempira note features José Cecilio del Valle, a philosopher and politician who was a key figure in Central American independence. It’s a piece of history in your hand. Treat it as such, but don't overpay for the privilege of holding it.
If you are currently in Honduras, the most practical thing you can do is withdraw the maximum amount allowed from an ATM (usually around 5,000 lempiras) to minimize the impact of the flat transaction fee. This brings your effective exchange rate much closer to the official market value than doing small conversions of 100 or 200 lempiras at a time. Always choose "Decline Conversion" if the ATM asks if you want them to do the math for you—let your home bank handle the conversion for a better deal.