Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Bahamas and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in the United States: $2,734 a month against $3,377 in the Bahamas, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

161

Cost of Living Index in the Bahamas
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Bahamas Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇧🇸 Bahamas

$3,377

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Bahamas and in the United States

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,377 in the Bahamas versus $2,734 in the United States.

Bahamas $3,377
United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,923 in the Bahamas versus $3,985 in the United States.

Bahamas $5,923
United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,469 in the Bahamas versus $5,235 in the United States.

Bahamas $8,469
United States $5,235

The Bahamas ($27–$4,294) and the United States ($979–$5,160) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Living in the Bahamas is roughly 23% more expensive than in the United States on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: the Bahamas 148% above, the United States 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$49.01 BSD 49.01

$20.03 $20.03

144.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$162 BSD 162

$80.0 $80.0

102.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 BSD 11.84

$11.80 $11.80

0.34%

Cappuccino

$5.46 BSD 5.46

$5.55 $5.55

-1.62%

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

$3.16 BSD 3.16

$2.66 $2.66

18.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 BSD 1.98

$2.17 $2.17

-8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 BSD 4.89

$6.12 $6.12

-20.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 BSD 8.14

$7.94 $7.94

2.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.09 BSD 4.09

$1.04 $1.04

293.27%

White Bread (500g)

$5.38 BSD 5.38

$3.59 $3.59

49.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.18 BSD 6.18

$4.52 $4.52

36.73%

Eggs

$8.58 BSD 8.58

$4.28 $4.28

100.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 BSD 12.69

$13.22 $13.22

-4.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.59 BSD 12.59

$12.60 $12.60

-0.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.12 BSD 17.12

$17.60 $17.60

-2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.20 BSD 7.20

$5.30 $5.30

35.85%

Banana (1kg)

$3.83 BSD 3.83

$1.69 $1.69

126.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.62 BSD 6.62

$4.44 $4.44

49.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.96 BSD 9.96

$4.77 $4.77

108.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 BSD 3.13

$2.97 $2.97

5.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.66 BSD 3.66

$3.15 $3.15

16.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.42 BSD 4.42

$2.20 $2.20

100.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 BSD 2.77

$2.35 $2.35

17.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 BSD 14.92

$10.98 $10.98

35.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$28.55 BSD 28.55

$15.05 $15.05

89.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 BSD 4.62

$2.06 $2.06

124.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 BSD 4.11

$3.79 $3.79

8.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 BSD 2.13

$1.94 $1.94

9.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 BSD 152

$59.4 $59.4

155.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 BSD 7.79

$3.58 $3.58

117.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 BSD 2.97

$1.88 $1.88

57.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$76.0 BSD 76.0

$29.84 $29.84

154.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BSD 1.52

$1.02 $1.02

49.02%

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

$38.2K BSD 38.2K

$28.8K $28.8K

32.80%

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

$41.5K BSD 41.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

58.26%

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

$315 BSD 315

$218 $218

44.37%

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

$63.1 BSD 63.1

$62.5 $62.5

0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 BSD 101

$74.5 $74.5

35.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 BSD 113

$41.86 $41.86

170.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.06 BSD 46.06

$22.81 $22.81

101.93%

Cinema Ticket

$18.95 BSD 18.95

$14.70 $14.70

28.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$942 BSD 942

$1,489 $1,489

-36.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K BSD 15.4K

$25.3K $25.3K

-39.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 BSD 54.0

$54.3 $54.3

-0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.2 BSD 84.2

$42.71 $42.71

97.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 BSD 113

$94.1 $94.1

20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BSD 108

$114 $114

-4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 BSD 1,089

$1,659 $1,659

-34.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 BSD 1,251

$1,348 $1,348

-7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,554 BSD 3,554

$2,682 $2,682

32.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,509 BSD 3,509

$2,169 $2,169

61.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,035 BSD 6,035

$3,283 $3,283

83.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,429 BSD 3,429

$2,482 $2,482

38.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 BSD 2,474

$4,296 $4,296

-42.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.82

6.55

80.46%

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

Last update for the Bahamas: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bahamas

$1.3K 37%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 7.8% $97

Groceries & Markets

Bahamas

$597 17.7%

United States

$415 15.2% 30.5% $182

Eating Out

Bahamas

$554 16.4%

United States

$328 12% 40.8% $226

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahamas

$479 14.2%

United States

$355 13% 25.9% $124

Getting Around

Bahamas

$183 5.4%

United States

$80 2.9% 56.2% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Bahamas

$162 4.8%

United States

$137 5% 15.3% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Bahamas

$151 4.5%

United States

$71 2.6% 52.8% $80

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,140 in the Bahamas, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $1,495 in Nassau vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $2,211 in the Bahamas, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 42% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 101% more in the Bahamas.

Public transport is 137% more expensive in the Bahamas.

Salaries are about 2.1 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇧🇸 Bahamas

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

13:07 1:07 PM

Same time as the Bahamas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

399,440

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Bahamian Dollar BSD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BSD = 1 USD

1 BSD = 0.895 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BSD – Bahamian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇸 Bahamian Dollar ($)

Bahamian Dollar exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BSD (1 BSD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BSD (1 BSD = 0.895 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to BSD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bahamas United States 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bahamas
United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bahamas vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $3,377 per month in the Bahamas and $2,734 in the United States, there’s a 23% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in the United States: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

In the United States, $4,000 covers most cities easily; in the Bahamas it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: the United States wins on affordability; the Bahamas may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.