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: $1,961 in Barbados versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,190 in Barbados versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,418 in Barbados versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Barbados is roughly 36% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 46% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 BBD 39.72

$12.98 MX$223

53.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 BBD 223

$52.6 MX$903

111.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$9.43 MX$162

9.54%

Cappuccino

$4.47 BBD 8.93

$3.57 MX$61.3

25.21%

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

$2.06 BBD 4.11

$1.61 MX$27.55

27.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 BBD 2.97

$1.15 MX$19.81

28.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 BBD 5.90

$3.15 MX$54.0

-6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 BBD 8.13

$4.86 MX$83.4

-16.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$1.70 MX$29.17

105.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 BBD 5.22

$2.64 MX$45.23

-1.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 BBD 9.18

$1.90 MX$32.67

141.58%

Eggs

$5.85 BBD 11.71

$2.54 MX$43.62

130.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$10.08 MX$173

-32.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 BBD 26.07

$8.29 MX$142

57.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$11.57 MX$199

-10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 BBD 9.45

$3.03 MX$52.0

55.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 BBD 6.36

$1.71 MX$29.35

85.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 BBD 10.87

$2.05 MX$35.16

165.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.49

$2.06 MX$35.36

154.85%

Potato (1kg)

$5.51 BBD 11.02

$2.06 MX$35.43

167.48%

Onion (1kg)

$4.90 BBD 9.81

$2.17 MX$37.25

125.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 BBD 5.64

$1.40 MX$24.08

101.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$1.12 MX$19.26

173.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 BBD 14.63

$4.29 MX$73.7

70.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 BBD 31.68

$15.41 MX$265

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 BBD 3.51

$1.67 MX$28.74

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 BBD 5.52

$3.69 MX$63.3

-25.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$0.38 MX$6.55

355.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 BBD 12.45

$1.38 MX$23.70

350.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$0.28 MX$4.74

1146.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.11 BBD 44.21

$5.42 MX$92.9

307.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 BBD 3.98

$1.28 MX$21.98

55.47%

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

$50.6K BBD 101.2K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

166.62%

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

$39.9K BBD 79.8K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

70.07%

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

$194 BBD 388

$41.02 MX$704

373.40%

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

$49.35 BBD 98.7

$26.92 MX$462

83.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 BBD 176

$29.69 MX$510

195.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.3 BBD 145

$52.3 MX$898

38.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.10

$6.18 MX$106

62.62%

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

$265 BBD 529

$427 MX$7,331

-38.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 BBD 111

$56.8 MX$975

-2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.59 BBD 57.2

$44.83 MX$769

-36.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 BBD 178

$105 MX$1,794

-14.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 BBD 112

$106 MX$1,819

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 BBD 1,346

$995 MX$17.1K

-32.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 BBD 1,359

$621 MX$10.7K

9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 BBD 4,280

$2,126 MX$36.5K

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 BBD 2,806

$1,254 MX$21.5K

11.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,315 BBD 2,630

$1,107 MX$19.0K

18.75%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Barbados and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $111 in Barbados vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $288 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,961 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barbados pays 19% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $673 in Barbados versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% 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 $1,447 in Mexico City – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,961 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 36% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.