Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Canada Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Canada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $703 per month in Barbados vs $2,320 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,229 per month in Barbados vs $3,376 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Barbados vs $4,432 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Barbados is roughly 70% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Barbados sits 47% below the global median, while Canada is 74% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barbados
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.94 BBD 39.87
$18.11 CA$25.43
10.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.2 BBD 198
$73.9 CA$104
34.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.17 BBD 20.34
$11.22 CA$15.75
-9.36%
Cappuccino
$4.96 BBD 9.92
$3.78 CA$5.31
31.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BBD 3.65
$2.16 CA$3.03
-15.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 BBD 2.80
$1.76 CA$2.47
-20.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 BBD 5.07
$5.87 CA$8.24
-56.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 BBD 8.07
$5.90 CA$8.28
-31.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barbados
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.47 BBD 6.94
$2.20 CA$3.09
57.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.66 BBD 5.32
$2.79 CA$3.92
-4.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.10 BBD 8.20
$3.64 CA$5.10
12.64%
Eggs
$5.67 BBD 11.33
$3.52 CA$4.94
61.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.97 BBD 15.93
$11.44 CA$16.05
-30.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.21 BBD 22.43
$12.51 CA$17.56
-10.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.32 BBD 20.65
$15.01 CA$21.07
-31.25%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 BBD 8.26
$4.21 CA$5.92
-1.90%
Banana (1kg)
$3.23 BBD 6.45
$1.43 CA$2.01
125.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.00 BBD 10.00
$3.94 CA$5.53
26.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 BBD 8.18
$4.14 CA$5.82
-1.21%
Potato (1kg)
$4.08 BBD 8.17
$2.77 CA$3.88
47.29%
Onion (1kg)
$3.22 BBD 6.43
$2.77 CA$3.89
16.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.58 BBD 5.16
$2.55 CA$3.58
1.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 BBD 4.56
$1.86 CA$2.61
22.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.11 BBD 16.21
$14.58 CA$20.47
-44.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.72 BBD 31.44
$13.23 CA$18.57
18.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 BBD 3.51
$2.94 CA$4.12
-40.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 BBD 5.66
$3.27 CA$4.59
-13.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Barbados
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 BBD 3.53
$2.61 CA$3.66
-32.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.07 BBD 50.1
$78.3 CA$110
-67.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$14.72 BBD 29.43
$3.51 CA$4.93
319.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 BBD 4.86
$1.55 CA$2.17
56.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.59 BBD 81.2
$28.70 CA$40.29
41.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 BBD 3.98
$1.20 CA$1.68
65.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.1K BBD 80.2K
$24.6K CA$34.6K
62.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K BBD 74.3K
$20.6K CA$28.8K
80.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barbados
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$126 BBD 253
$155 CA$218
-18.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.14 BBD 98.3
$46.34 CA$65.0
6.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.3 BBD 119
$63.5 CA$89.2
-6.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barbados
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.3 BBD 147
$42.90 CA$60.2
70.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.87 CA$25.08
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.10 BBD 20.21
$11.50 CA$16.14
-12.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barbados
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$269 BBD 537
$815 CA$1,144
-67.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,536 BBD 15.1K
$12.0K CA$16.9K
-37.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barbados
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 BBD 115
$55.7 CA$78.1
3.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.97 BBD 75.9
$42.56 CA$59.7
-10.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 BBD 205
$88.2 CA$124
16.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4 BBD 181
$108 CA$151
-15.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barbados
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$679 BBD 1,358
$1,332 CA$1,869
-49.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$551 BBD 1,103
$1,177 CA$1,652
-53.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,729 BBD 3,458
$2,194 CA$3,079
-21.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 BBD 2,418
$1,888 CA$2,650
-35.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,544 BBD 7,088
$4,592 CA$6,446
-22.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,470 BBD 6,940
$3,805 CA$5,340
-8.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barbados
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,274 BBD 2,547
$2,913 CA$4,088
-56.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.62
6.33
-11.22%

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

Last update for Barbados: July 26, 2026

Last update for Canada: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $197 in Barbados vs $1,283 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $599 in Bridgetown and $1,468 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $1,464 in Barbados vs $2,911 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 551% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 84% more in Canada.

Public transport is 1525% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 99% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Barbados.

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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Barbados and Canada compare in cost of living?
Barbados is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 126% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Barbados and Canada?
Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Barbados or Canada?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Barbados, contributing to the overall 126% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $3,000 go in Barbados compared to Canada?
$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Barbados, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Barbados and in Canada?
Barbados is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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