Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Holetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Holetown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,961 in Barbados versus $700 in Holetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,190 in Barbados versus $1,398 in Holetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,418 in Barbados versus $2,095 in Holetown.

Living in Barbados is roughly 180% more expensive than Holetown, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barbados is 46% above, Holetown is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 BBD 39.72

$12.37 BBD 24.74

60.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 BBD 223

$98.1 BBD 196

13.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$15.04 BBD 30.07

-31.32%

Cappuccino

$4.47 BBD 8.93

$4.38 BBD 8.76

2.05%

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

$2.06 BBD 4.11

$1.54 BBD 3.07

33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 BBD 2.97

$1.27 BBD 2.54

16.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 BBD 5.90

$1.97 BBD 3.94

49.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 BBD 8.13

$2.95 BBD 5.90

37.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$1.95 BBD 3.90

78.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 BBD 5.22

$1.28 BBD 2.56

103.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 BBD 9.18

$3.94 BBD 7.89

16.50%

Eggs

$5.85 BBD 11.71

$7.04 BBD 14.07

-16.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$12.03 BBD 24.06

-43.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 BBD 26.07

$12.31 BBD 24.62

5.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 BBD 9.45

$7.03 BBD 14.06

-32.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 BBD 6.36

$7.31 BBD 14.61

-56.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 BBD 10.87

$5.93 BBD 11.86

-8.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.49

$2.43 BBD 4.85

116.05%

Potato (1kg)

$5.51 BBD 11.02

$4.10 BBD 8.20

34.39%

Onion (1kg)

$4.90 BBD 9.81

$3.03 BBD 6.06

61.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 BBD 5.64

$2.53 BBD 5.06

11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$2.54 BBD 5.08

20.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 BBD 14.63

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 BBD 31.68

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 BBD 3.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 BBD 5.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$1.80 BBD 3.60

-3.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 BBD 12.45

$29.70 BBD 59.4

-79.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.11 BBD 44.21

$40.73 BBD 81.5

-45.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 BBD 3.98

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

$50.6K BBD 101.2K

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

$39.9K BBD 79.8K

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

$194 BBD 388

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

$49.35 BBD 98.7

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 BBD 176

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.3 BBD 145

$76.0 BBD 152

-4.97%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.10

$12.51 BBD 25.02

-19.66%

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

$265 BBD 529

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,287 BBD 12.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 BBD 111

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.59 BBD 57.2

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 BBD 178

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 BBD 112

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 BBD 1,346

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 BBD 1,359

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 BBD 4,280

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 BBD 2,806

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,315 BBD 2,630

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

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

Last update for Barbados: June 7, 2026

Last update for Holetown: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $111 in Barbados vs $98.0 in Holetown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $348 per month, with Holetown 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 Holetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbados and Holetown differ by about 180% in total monthly costs ($1,961 vs $700 including rent). Holetown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,941 in Barbados and $1,051 in Holetown to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Holetown – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $111 in Barbados. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,961 per month in Barbados versus $700 in Holetown – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $700 in Holetown versus $1,961 in Barbados, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Holetown but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Holetown 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 Holetown 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 Holetown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.