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: $1,951 in Barbados versus $1,675 in Bridgetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,145 in Barbados versus $2,963 in Bridgetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,338 in Barbados versus $4,251 in Bridgetown.

Living in Barbados is roughly 16% more expensive than Bridgetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 46% above, Bridgetown 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 BBD 40.58

$19.86 BBD 39.72

2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 224

$92.7 BBD 185

20.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 BBD 20.83

$9.45 BBD 18.90

10.26%

Cappuccino

$4.51 BBD 9.02

$4.98 BBD 9.96

-9.44%

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

$2.04 BBD 4.08

$1.51 BBD 3.03

35.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BBD 2.85

$1.27 BBD 2.55

11.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 BBD 6.15

$2.45 BBD 4.89

25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 BBD 7.89

$6.07 BBD 12.14

-35.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.66 BBD 7.32

$3.99 BBD 7.99

-8.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 BBD 5.34

$2.73 BBD 5.45

-2.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 BBD 9.15

$3.40 BBD 6.80

34.71%

Eggs

$6.08 BBD 12.17

$5.57 BBD 11.14

9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$9.74 BBD 19.49

-29.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 BBD 26.17

$8.81 BBD 17.63

48.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 BBD 20.64

$10.03 BBD 20.07

2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 BBD 9.48

$3.98 BBD 7.96

19.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 BBD 6.08

$2.68 BBD 5.36

13.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 BBD 10.85

$4.68 BBD 9.36

15.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 BBD 10.72

$3.00 BBD 6.00

78.67%

Potato (1kg)

$5.46 BBD 10.93

$2.89 BBD 5.78

88.93%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 BBD 9.74

$2.38 BBD 4.76

104.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 BBD 5.72

$2.77 BBD 5.55

3.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$2.15 BBD 4.31

42.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.43 BBD 14.87

$8.06 BBD 16.12

-7.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 BBD 32.10

$13.99 BBD 27.99

14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$1.69 BBD 3.38

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$2.91 BBD 5.82

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 BBD 3.47

$1.72 BBD 3.45

1.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.30 BBD 52.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 BBD 12.74

$17.59 BBD 35.19

-63.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 BBD 6.71

$0.99 BBD 1.97

238.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.18 BBD 44.37

$40.52 BBD 81.1

-45.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 BBD 4.04

$2.13 BBD 4.26

-5.16%

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

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

$34.8K BBD 69.7K

44.99%

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

$39.3K BBD 78.5K

$37.2K BBD 74.4K

5.49%

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

$195 BBD 390

$87.4 BBD 175

122.83%

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

$48.60 BBD 97.2

$57.2 BBD 114

-15.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.7 BBD 171

$48.99 BBD 98.0

74.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 BBD 145

$69.7 BBD 139

4.02%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.11

$10.22 BBD 20.43

-1.66%

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

$264 BBD 529

$239 BBD 478

10.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,589 BBD 13.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 BBD 110

$60.2 BBD 120

-8.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 BBD 57.5

$63.8 BBD 128

-54.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 BBD 174

$187 BBD 373

-53.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 BBD 112

$126 BBD 251

-55.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 BBD 1,308

$583 BBD 1,166

12.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 BBD 1,322

$472 BBD 945

39.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 BBD 4,216

$1,785 BBD 3,569

18.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 BBD 2,790

$1,334 BBD 2,669

4.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,468 BBD 6,936

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,551 BBD 7,103

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 BBD 2,101

$1,556 BBD 3,112

-32.48%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bridgetown: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Barbados and $583 in Bridgetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bridgetown pays 48% 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 $93.0 in Bridgetown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $369 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,951 vs $1,675 including rent). Bridgetown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bridgetown earns 48% 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: $654 in Barbados versus $583 in Bridgetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,951 per month in Barbados versus $1,675 in Bridgetown – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,675 in Bridgetown versus $1,951 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 16% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.