Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Bridgetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Bridgetown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,898 in Barbados versus $1,668 in Bridgetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,102 in Barbados versus $2,891 in Bridgetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,306 in Barbados versus $4,115 in Bridgetown.

Living in Barbados is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bridgetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 43% above, Bridgetown 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 BBD 40.20

$19.90 BBD 39.79

1.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 223

$92.5 BBD 185

20.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 BBD 20.41

$9.00 BBD 17.99

13.33%

Cappuccino

$4.35 BBD 8.69

$4.80 BBD 9.60

-9.38%

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

$2.05 BBD 4.11

$1.53 BBD 3.06

33.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 BBD 2.97

$1.28 BBD 2.56

16.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 BBD 5.89

$2.54 BBD 5.09

15.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 BBD 7.90

$5.84 BBD 11.68

-32.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.54 BBD 7.08

$3.81 BBD 7.62

-7.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 BBD 5.18

$2.75 BBD 5.50

-5.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 BBD 9.26

$3.28 BBD 6.57

41.16%

Eggs

$5.82 BBD 11.65

$5.56 BBD 11.13

4.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 BBD 13.11

$9.29 BBD 18.58

-29.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 BBD 26.57

$8.74 BBD 17.47

51.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 BBD 20.85

$9.88 BBD 19.77

5.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 BBD 9.21

$4.10 BBD 8.19

12.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 BBD 6.11

$2.54 BBD 5.09

20.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.50

$4.62 BBD 9.24

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 BBD 10.80

$3.12 BBD 6.23

73.08%

Potato (1kg)

$5.64 BBD 11.28

$2.87 BBD 5.74

96.52%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 BBD 9.77

$2.44 BBD 4.89

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$2.87 BBD 5.74

-1.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 BBD 6.03

$2.08 BBD 4.17

45.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 BBD 14.83

$8.21 BBD 16.41

-9.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 BBD 32.37

$13.63 BBD 27.26

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 BBD 3.39

$1.66 BBD 3.32

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BBD 5.76

$2.92 BBD 5.83

-1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BBD 3.56

$1.79 BBD 3.58

-0.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.56 BBD 51.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 BBD 12.80

$17.38 BBD 34.75

-63.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 BBD 6.66

$0.99 BBD 1.97

236.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.24 BBD 44.48

$40.18 BBD 80.4

-44.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 BBD 4.00

$2.03 BBD 4.06

-1.48%

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

$49.0K BBD 98.1K

$34.5K BBD 68.9K

42.30%

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

$40.1K BBD 80.1K

$37.3K BBD 74.6K

7.40%

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

$192 BBD 384

$85.8 BBD 172

123.90%

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

$48.96 BBD 97.9

$58.1 BBD 116

-15.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.8 BBD 176

$49.93 BBD 99.9

75.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 BBD 147

$72.2 BBD 144

1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$10.16 BBD 20.32

$10.42 BBD 20.85

-2.50%

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

$263 BBD 526

$240 BBD 479

9.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,494 BBD 13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 BBD 110

$60.3 BBD 121

-8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 BBD 56.3

$64.0 BBD 128

-55.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 BBD 173

$182 BBD 363

-52.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 BBD 110

$124 BBD 247

-55.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 BBD 1,314

$599 BBD 1,198

9.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 BBD 1,319

$485 BBD 970

35.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 BBD 4,217

$1,782 BBD 3,565

18.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 BBD 2,818

$1,337 BBD 2,675

5.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,536 BBD 7,072

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,559 BBD 7,117

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,341 BBD 2,683

$1,587 BBD 3,174

-15.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

5.85

26.50%

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

Last update for Barbados: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bridgetown: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Barbados and $599 in Bridgetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bridgetown pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $112 in Barbados vs $92.0 in Bridgetown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $363 per month, with Bridgetown cheaper across the board.

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

Barbados vs Bridgetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbados and Bridgetown differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,898 vs $1,668 including rent). Bridgetown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Bridgetown. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Barbados versus $599 in Bridgetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,898 per month in Barbados versus $1,668 in Bridgetown – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,668 in Bridgetown versus $1,898 in Barbados, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bridgetown but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Bridgetown the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barbados and Bridgetown are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bridgetown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.