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: $1,961 in Barbados versus $1,655 in Bridgetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,190 in Barbados versus $2,966 in Bridgetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,418 in Barbados versus $4,278 in Bridgetown.

Living in Barbados is roughly 18% more expensive than Bridgetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 46% above, Bridgetown 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 BBD 39.72

$20.21 BBD 40.42

-1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 BBD 223

$95.5 BBD 191

16.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$9.00 BBD 18.01

14.78%

Cappuccino

$4.47 BBD 8.93

$4.91 BBD 9.83

-8.96%

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

$2.06 BBD 4.11

$1.54 BBD 3.08

33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 BBD 2.97

$1.28 BBD 2.55

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 BBD 5.90

$2.44 BBD 4.87

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 BBD 8.13

$6.15 BBD 12.30

-33.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$3.83 BBD 7.67

-8.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 BBD 5.22

$2.74 BBD 5.48

-4.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 BBD 9.18

$3.40 BBD 6.79

35.00%

Eggs

$5.85 BBD 11.71

$5.60 BBD 11.21

4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$9.56 BBD 19.13

-28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 BBD 26.07

$9.07 BBD 18.13

43.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$10.02 BBD 20.04

3.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 BBD 9.45

$3.98 BBD 7.96

18.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 BBD 6.36

$2.65 BBD 5.29

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 BBD 10.87

$4.81 BBD 9.62

13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.49

$3.11 BBD 6.22

68.81%

Potato (1kg)

$5.51 BBD 11.02

$2.75 BBD 5.51

100.36%

Onion (1kg)

$4.90 BBD 9.81

$2.46 BBD 4.91

99.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 BBD 5.64

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$2.15 BBD 4.30

42.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 BBD 14.63

$8.07 BBD 16.14

-9.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 BBD 31.68

$13.58 BBD 27.17

16.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 BBD 3.51

$1.61 BBD 3.23

8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 BBD 5.52

$2.97 BBD 5.94

-7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$1.78 BBD 3.56

-2.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.33 BBD 52.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 BBD 12.45

$17.17 BBD 34.34

-63.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$1.02 BBD 2.05

242.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.11 BBD 44.21

$40.46 BBD 80.9

-45.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 BBD 3.98

$2.06 BBD 4.11

-3.40%

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

$50.6K BBD 101.2K

$34.7K BBD 69.4K

45.80%

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

$39.9K BBD 79.8K

$37.2K BBD 74.4K

7.28%

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

$194 BBD 388

$86.8 BBD 174

123.64%

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

$49.35 BBD 98.7

$58.4 BBD 117

-15.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 BBD 176

$49.56 BBD 99.1

77.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.3 BBD 145

$70.2 BBD 140

2.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.10

$10.43 BBD 20.86

-3.64%

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

$265 BBD 529

$246 BBD 493

7.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,508 BBD 13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 BBD 111

$61.2 BBD 122

-8.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.59 BBD 57.2

$63.9 BBD 128

-55.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 BBD 178

$182 BBD 364

-50.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 BBD 112

$126 BBD 251

-55.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 BBD 1,346

$588 BBD 1,177

14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 BBD 1,359

$477 BBD 955

42.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 BBD 4,280

$1,809 BBD 3,617

18.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 BBD 2,806

$1,327 BBD 2,654

5.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,504 BBD 7,008

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,442 BBD 6,885

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,315 BBD 2,630

$1,574 BBD 3,148

-16.47%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bridgetown: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Barbados and $588 in Bridgetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bridgetown pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $111 in Barbados vs $95.0 in Bridgetown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $368 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,961 vs $1,655 including rent). Bridgetown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bridgetown earns 20% less. 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: $673 in Barbados versus $588 in Bridgetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,961 per month in Barbados versus $1,655 in Bridgetown – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,655 in Bridgetown versus $1,961 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 18% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.