Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $587 per month in Barbados vs $719 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,090 per month in Barbados vs $1,147 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,593 per month in Barbados vs $1,574 in China, rent included.

The cost of living in Barbados is roughly 18% lower than in China on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Barbados and China are more affordable than the global median – Barbados 57% lower, China 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.41 BBD 44.82

$2.92 ¥19.58

667.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 BBD 203

$22.23 ¥149

355.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 BBD 19.72

$5.13 ¥34.34

92.20%

Cappuccino

$5.01 BBD 10.02

$2.99 ¥20.03

67.56%

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

$1.88 BBD 3.77

$0.52 ¥3.50

261.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BBD 2.80

$0.28 ¥1.87

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 BBD 5.13

$1.05 ¥7.04

144.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 BBD 8.18

$2.26 ¥15.17

80.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.58 BBD 7.16

$1.81 ¥12.11

97.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 BBD 5.89

$1.68 ¥11.23

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 BBD 7.99

$0.90 ¥6.05

344.44%

Eggs

$5.65 BBD 11.31

$1.56 ¥10.43

262.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 BBD 15.24

$13.24 ¥88.7

-42.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 BBD 20.71

$3.49 ¥23.40

196.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 BBD 19.62

$11.23 ¥75.2

-12.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 BBD 9.59

$1.86 ¥12.43

157.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.43 BBD 6.86

$1.26 ¥8.47

172.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 BBD 11.92

$1.53 ¥10.22

289.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 BBD 13.23

$1.26 ¥8.45

424.60%

Potato (1kg)

$5.44 BBD 10.87

$0.73 ¥4.91

645.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 BBD 7.83

$0.88 ¥5.89

344.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 BBD 5.38

$0.65 ¥4.33

313.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 BBD 5.13

$0.58 ¥3.88

343.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 BBD 18.05

$3.71 ¥24.84

143.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 BBD 31.61

$11.80 ¥79.0

33.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 BBD 3.86

$0.85 ¥5.69

127.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.11

$1.67 ¥11.19

83.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 BBD 3.60

$0.29 ¥1.93

520.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.38 BBD 26.76

$22.67 ¥152

-40.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 BBD 18.68

$1.50 ¥10.07

522.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 BBD 5.82

$0.35 ¥2.32

731.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.86 BBD 79.7

$7.29 ¥48.84

446.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 BBD 4.18

$1.22 ¥8.18

71.31%

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

$37.7K BBD 75.5K

$19.0K ¥127.2K

98.68%

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

$38.0K BBD 76.1K

$17.4K ¥116.2K

119.21%

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

$171 BBD 343

$54.0 ¥362

217.60%

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

$50.2 BBD 100

$8.41 ¥56.4

496.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 BBD 157

$10.82 ¥72.5

627.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 BBD 156

$40.41 ¥271

92.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.63 ¥98.0

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 BBD 20.39

$6.60 ¥44.18

54.55%

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

$452 ¥3,025

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,027 BBD 10.1K

$19.2K ¥128.9K

-73.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 BBD 102

$44.23 ¥296

15.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 BBD 79.3

$35.46 ¥238

11.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 BBD 194

$74.7 ¥500

29.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 BBD 144

$78.6 ¥527

-8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 BBD 1,737

$394 ¥2,642

120.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$837 BBD 1,674

$243 ¥1,630

243.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 BBD 3,638

$845 ¥5,660

115.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,017 BBD 4,033

$481 ¥3,221

319.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,480 BBD 6,960

$4,609 ¥30.9K

-24.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,489 BBD 6,978

$2,327 ¥15.6K

49.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 BBD 2,954

$1,060 ¥7,100

39.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.39

3.47

141.79%

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

Last update for Barbados: September 13, 2026

Last update for China: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $248 in Barbados vs $294 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,196 in Bridgetown and $985 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $2,046 in Barbados vs $867 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 19% higher in China.

Dining out costs 90% more in Barbados.

Public transport is 750% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 136% higher in Barbados, 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 China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

China is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 47% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Barbados, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Barbados consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in China, contributing to the overall 47% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in China, but in Barbados it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

China 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.