Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,951 in Barbados versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,145 in Barbados versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,338 in Barbados versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Barbados is roughly 32% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 46% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 BBD 40.58

$12.98 MX$226

56.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 224

$53.1 MX$923

111.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 BBD 20.83

$9.72 MX$169

7.20%

Cappuccino

$4.51 BBD 9.02

$3.75 MX$65.2

20.27%

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

$2.04 BBD 4.08

$1.57 MX$27.30

29.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BBD 2.85

$1.13 MX$19.64

25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 BBD 6.15

$3.18 MX$55.3

-3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 BBD 7.89

$4.66 MX$81.1

-15.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.66 BBD 7.32

$1.62 MX$28.21

125.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 BBD 5.34

$2.71 MX$47.09

-1.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 BBD 9.15

$1.88 MX$32.70

143.62%

Eggs

$6.08 BBD 12.17

$2.51 MX$43.65

142.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$10.08 MX$175

-32.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 BBD 26.17

$8.29 MX$144

57.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 BBD 20.64

$11.94 MX$208

-13.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 BBD 9.48

$2.86 MX$49.77

65.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 BBD 6.08

$1.75 MX$30.45

73.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 BBD 10.85

$2.08 MX$36.27

160.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 BBD 10.72

$1.97 MX$34.27

172.08%

Potato (1kg)

$5.46 BBD 10.93

$2.16 MX$37.58

152.78%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 BBD 9.74

$2.18 MX$37.94

123.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 BBD 5.72

$1.39 MX$24.20

105.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$1.12 MX$19.57

173.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.43 BBD 14.87

$4.20 MX$73.1

76.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 BBD 32.10

$14.25 MX$248

12.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$1.76 MX$30.68

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$3.68 MX$64.1

-22.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 BBD 3.47

$0.39 MX$6.71

346.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 BBD 12.74

$1.39 MX$24.12

358.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 BBD 6.71

$0.30 MX$5.29

1016.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.18 BBD 44.37

$5.42 MX$94.3

309.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 BBD 4.04

$1.35 MX$23.50

49.63%

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

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

167.47%

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

$39.3K BBD 78.5K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

69.60%

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

$195 BBD 390

$40.82 MX$710

377.17%

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

$48.60 BBD 97.2

$27.50 MX$479

76.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.7 BBD 171

$30.38 MX$529

181.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 BBD 145

$53.4 MX$930

35.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.11

$6.27 MX$109

60.29%

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

$264 BBD 529

$436 MX$7,588

-39.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 BBD 110

$56.8 MX$988

-3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 BBD 57.5

$44.79 MX$779

-35.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 BBD 174

$103 MX$1,789

-15.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 BBD 112

$108 MX$1,878

-48.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 BBD 1,308

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-34.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 BBD 1,322

$620 MX$10.8K

6.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 BBD 4,216

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-1.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 BBD 2,790

$1,235 MX$21.5K

12.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 BBD 2,101

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-1.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

11.34

-34.74%

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

Last update for Barbados: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Barbados and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 2% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $286 per month, with Mexico City 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbados and Mexico City differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,951 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 2% 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 $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% 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 $1,484 in Mexico City – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,951 in Barbados, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.