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: $1,898 in Barbados versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,102 in Barbados versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,306 in Barbados versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Barbados is roughly 29% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 43% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 BBD 40.20

$13.14 MX$229

52.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 223

$53.5 MX$934

108.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 BBD 20.41

$9.33 MX$163

9.32%

Cappuccino

$4.35 BBD 8.69

$3.70 MX$64.5

17.57%

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

$2.05 BBD 4.11

$1.60 MX$27.98

28.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 BBD 2.97

$1.12 MX$19.49

33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 BBD 5.89

$3.14 MX$54.7

-6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 BBD 7.90

$4.85 MX$84.5

-18.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.54 BBD 7.08

$1.65 MX$28.84

114.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 BBD 5.18

$2.71 MX$47.34

-4.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 BBD 9.26

$1.91 MX$33.29

142.41%

Eggs

$5.82 BBD 11.65

$2.59 MX$45.17

124.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 BBD 13.11

$9.81 MX$171

-33.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 BBD 26.57

$8.43 MX$147

57.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 BBD 20.85

$11.93 MX$208

-12.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 BBD 9.21

$2.95 MX$51.5

56.27%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 BBD 6.11

$1.74 MX$30.35

75.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.50

$2.04 MX$35.66

157.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 BBD 10.80

$2.06 MX$35.93

162.14%

Potato (1kg)

$5.64 BBD 11.28

$2.15 MX$37.49

162.33%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 BBD 9.77

$2.26 MX$39.33

115.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$1.39 MX$24.17

104.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 BBD 6.03

$1.12 MX$19.47

169.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 BBD 14.83

$4.22 MX$73.6

75.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 BBD 32.37

$17.51 MX$305

-7.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 BBD 3.39

$1.71 MX$29.82

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BBD 5.76

$3.63 MX$63.4

-20.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BBD 3.56

$0.35 MX$6.15

408.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 BBD 12.80

$1.38 MX$24.00

363.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 BBD 6.66

$0.28 MX$4.81

1089.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.24 BBD 44.48

$5.28 MX$92.0

321.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 BBD 4.00

$1.36 MX$23.69

47.06%

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

$49.0K BBD 98.1K

$19.1K MX$333.2K

156.67%

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

$40.1K BBD 80.1K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

69.69%

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

$192 BBD 384

$40.53 MX$707

374.09%

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

$48.96 BBD 97.9

$27.38 MX$478

78.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.8 BBD 176

$30.38 MX$530

189.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 BBD 147

$52.2 MX$911

40.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$10.16 BBD 20.32

$6.19 MX$108

64.14%

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

$263 BBD 526

$425 MX$7,414

-38.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 BBD 110

$58.3 MX$1,017

-5.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 BBD 56.3

$44.57 MX$777

-36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 BBD 173

$103 MX$1,805

-16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 BBD 110

$109 MX$1,897

-49.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 BBD 1,314

$1,014 MX$17.7K

-35.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 BBD 1,319

$623 MX$10.9K

5.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 BBD 4,217

$2,119 MX$37.0K

-0.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 BBD 2,818

$1,223 MX$21.3K

15.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,341 BBD 2,683

$1,052 MX$18.4K

27.48%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Barbados and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 27% 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: $112 in Barbados vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $293 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,898 vs $1,472 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Barbados, 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: $657 in Barbados versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,898 per month in Barbados versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,898 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 29% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.