Last update: Oct 2026 303.4K

Cost of Living in Barbados

Name: Barbados
Address: BB

Across Barbados, living costs for one person average $2,104 a month, including rent and utilities, which take about half of the total. Other living expenses average about $36 a day.

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🇧🇧 Barbados

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barbados

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barbados actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends around $2,104 per month with rent on average in Barbados.

$2,104 /mo

A couple spends around $3,512 per month with rent on average in Barbados.

$3,512 /mo

A family of three spends around $4,921 per month with rent on average in Barbados.

$4,921 /mo

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 BBD 40.45

$12.64 BBD 25.28

$35.39 BBD 70.8

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 BBD 203

$69.9 BBD 140

$177 BBD 355

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 BBD 20.98

$9.88 BBD 19.75

$14.81 BBD 29.63

Cappuccino

$5.28 BBD 10.56

$2.52 BBD 5.03

$8.05 BBD 16.10

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 BBD 4.01

$1.51 BBD 3.02

$3.02 BBD 6.05

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 BBD 3.07

$1.01 BBD 2.02

$2.53 BBD 5.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 BBD 5.07

$1.77 BBD 3.55

$4.05 BBD 8.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 BBD 7.86

$2.95 BBD 5.90

$6.14 BBD 12.29

Milk (1 liter)

$3.71 BBD 7.43

$3.17 BBD 6.33

$4.55 BBD 9.11

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 BBD 5.90

$2.31 BBD 4.61

$5.12 BBD 10.25

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 BBD 7.90

$1.50 BBD 3.00

$7.60 BBD 15.19

Eggs

$5.42 BBD 10.85

$3.53 BBD 7.06

$8.83 BBD 17.65

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.46 BBD 14.91

$4.98 BBD 9.95

$10.95 BBD 21.90

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 BBD 21.17

$7.63 BBD 15.26

$18.32 BBD 36.63

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 BBD 20.56

$4.63 BBD 9.26

$12.86 BBD 25.73

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 BBD 9.33

$2.89 BBD 5.78

$7.28 BBD 14.55

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 BBD 6.77

$1.32 BBD 2.65

$5.89 BBD 11.78

Oranges (1kg)

$5.93 BBD 11.86

$2.95 BBD 5.89

$7.91 BBD 15.82

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 BBD 13.23

$3.60 BBD 7.19

$8.73 BBD 17.47

Potato (1kg)

$5.33 BBD 10.66

$1.11 BBD 2.23

$7.46 BBD 14.91

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 BBD 7.67

$1.11 BBD 2.21

$7.41 BBD 14.83

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 BBD 5.37

$1.96 BBD 3.92

$3.43 BBD 6.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 BBD 5.08

$1.62 BBD 3.24

$4.05 BBD 8.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.32 BBD 16.64

$5.14 BBD 10.27

$9.24 BBD 18.49

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 BBD 31.61

$7.90 BBD 15.81

$22.23 BBD 44.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 BBD 3.85

$0.98 BBD 1.97

$2.60 BBD 5.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 BBD 6.01

$1.83 BBD 3.67

$3.90 BBD 7.81

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 BBD 3.40

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.59 BBD 19.17

$7.57 BBD 15.14

$12.61 BBD 25.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 BBD 6.16

$2.57 BBD 5.13

$4.47 BBD 8.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.15 BBD 80.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 BBD 4.12

$1.88 BBD 3.76

$2.15 BBD 4.30

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.2K BBD 76.3K

$35.6K BBD 71.2K

$40.7K BBD 81.4K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.0K BBD 76.0K

$34.7K BBD 69.4K

$39.6K BBD 79.3K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$171 BBD 341

$99.6 BBD 199

$224 BBD 448

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$50.1 BBD 100

$40.30 BBD 80.6

$52.9 BBD 106

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.3 BBD 155

$59.5 BBD 119

$109 BBD 218

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 BBD 145

$40.42 BBD 80.8

$101 BBD 202

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 BBD 22.33

$8.93 BBD 17.86

$17.37 BBD 34.73

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,224 BBD 12.4K

$6,097 BBD 12.2K

$6,351 BBD 12.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 BBD 103

$20.30 BBD 40.61

$88.8 BBD 178

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 BBD 58.6

$20.07 BBD 40.14

$37.64 BBD 75.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 BBD 205

$34.51 BBD 69.0

$123 BBD 247

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 BBD 164

$63.1 BBD 126

$101 BBD 202

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 BBD 1,776

$754 BBD 1,508

$1,106 BBD 2,211

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 BBD 1,692

$507 BBD 1,015

$1,015 BBD 2,030

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 BBD 3,661

$1,209 BBD 2,418

$3,275 BBD 6,550

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,968 BBD 3,936

$1,471 BBD 2,941

$2,696 BBD 5,393

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,449 BBD 6,898

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,525 BBD 7,050

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,480 BBD 2,960

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.39

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Barbados $2,104

Accommodation & Living

$846 40.2%

Groceries & Markets

$423 20.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

$298 14.2%

Eating Out

$291 13.9%

Clothing & Footwear

$119 5.7%

Sport & Entertainment

$95 4.5%

Getting Around

$32 * 1.5%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

The average net salary in Barbados is $2,087 – comfortably above average monthly costs of $2,104. Most full-time workers can cover expenses and save.

Groceries average around $112 per month nationally. A mid-range dinner for two costs about $39.00.

Cost Highlights

Overall cost of living ($2,104) is 56% above the global median of $1,350.

Average rent ($245) is 62% below the global median of $652.

Dinner for two at a restaurant ($39.00) is 19% below the global median of $48.00.

Good to know

🕒 Local time

18:02 6:02 PM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

303,431

💱 Currency

Barbados Dollar BBD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BBD = 0.5 USD

1 BBD = 0.445 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

By City in Barbados

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Alexandra	1382		$275	$275	$627	$627	33.79	129.09
2	Barbados	623	90	$1,072	$1,852	$2,795	$6,275	133.38	183.98
3	Bel Air	-						-	-
4	Bridgetown	110000	117	$1,073	$2,410	$2,584	$4,831	15.47	140.48
5	Christchurch	54336		$1,114	$2,113	$3,261	$5,993	-	-
6	Ellerton	-						133.88	172.02
7	Holetown	1500		$363	$363	$1,247	$1,247	97.37	140.65
8	Oistins	2285						27.69	214.39
9	Speightstown	2500						257.56	133.21
10	The Crane	935						-	-
11	Wildey	1500						126.42	192.96
12	Woodbourne	1005						211.1	222.94

Barbados Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Barbados - Frequently Asked Questions

Cost of Living in Barbados gives you a practical baseline for planning. You may notice everyday needs sit within a comfortable mid-range compared with larger international hubs, while some imported goods can push prices higher. Housing options vary by neighborhood, from modest coastal apartments to larger inland homes; you can often find value in older buildings or longer leases. Seasonal demand can affect availability and short-term stays, so shoulder seasons offer quieter streets and better balance between work and exploration. Tip: Build a simple budget with clear categories for housing, groceries, transport, and leisure to compare neighborhoods.

When you start the housing search, focus on neighborhoods that balance beach access, amenities, and transit links. Local markets and farmers' stalls offer fresh produce, while supermarkets cover imported staples. For getting around, buses, ride-hailing services, or a scooter can handle most trips; walking is practical in well-connected zones. Use co-working spaces or cafes with reliable wifi if you work remotely. For errands, map practical hubs like grocery clusters and pharmacy strips near your chosen area. Barbados living cost is shaped by location and season, so plan for shifts between busy peak periods and quieter intervals. Tip: Build a simple weekly routine that groups errands by neighborhood to save time and transport.

Think in practical budgets and flexible plans rather than fixed numbers. Start with a simple framework that tracks housing, meals, transport, and leisure, adjusting as you settle into a rhythm. Seasonality matters: busy tourist periods can affect markets, noise levels, and service availability. To find the right neighborhood, map work needs, safety, greenspace, and accessibility to daily errands. Test a few areas on longer stays rather than quick visits, and watch for quiet streets near amenities if you prefer a calmer pace. Tip: Build a lightweight plan for three months, reviewing what works and what to adjust as you go.

Barbados is affordable by global standards, though costs vary a lot by region. Smaller cities and rural areas are genuinely cheap, while capitals and tourist spots are pricier – but still below international averages for similar quality.

Rent in Barbados varies a lot – Bridgetown has the highest prices, and the gap between capital and provincial rents can be 50% or more. Choosing which city to live in is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make.

Absolutely – in smaller cities across Barbados, $1,200 covers rent and daily expenses with room to spare for eating out, entertainment, and saving. Even mid-sized cities work at this budget level.