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 $712 per month in Barbados vs $711 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Barbados vs $1,131 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,761 per month in Barbados vs $1,550 in China, rent included.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 BBD 40.30

$2.75 ¥18.83

632.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 BBD 196

$24.03 ¥165

308.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 BBD 20.38

$4.96 ¥33.95

105.44%

Cappuccino

$4.87 BBD 9.75

$3.12 ¥21.37

56.09%

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

$1.80 BBD 3.59

$0.48 ¥3.26

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 BBD 2.66

$0.27 ¥1.84

392.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 BBD 5.13

$0.98 ¥6.73

162.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 BBD 7.89

$2.15 ¥14.69

83.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.55 BBD 7.10

$1.83 ¥12.53

93.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 BBD 5.28

$1.68 ¥11.54

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 BBD 7.92

$0.91 ¥6.21

335.16%

Eggs

$5.47 BBD 10.95

$1.56 ¥10.66

250.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 BBD 15.71

$12.97 ¥88.9

-39.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.85 BBD 21.70

$3.25 ¥22.23

233.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 BBD 20.72

$10.51 ¥72.0

-1.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 BBD 8.33

$1.81 ¥12.41

130.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 BBD 6.34

$1.30 ¥8.90

143.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 BBD 10.11

$1.50 ¥10.26

237.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 BBD 7.90

$1.15 ¥7.87

243.48%

Potato (1kg)

$4.18 BBD 8.36

$0.76 ¥5.20

450.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 BBD 6.32

$0.89 ¥6.07

255.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 BBD 5.28

$0.58 ¥3.97

355.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 BBD 4.43

$0.58 ¥3.95

282.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 BBD 15.78

$3.50 ¥23.95

125.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.92 BBD 31.83

$11.55 ¥79.1

37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 BBD 3.50

$0.78 ¥5.31

124.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BBD 5.91

$1.61 ¥11.03

83.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 BBD 3.53

$0.44 ¥3.01

302.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.91 BBD 49.82

$21.15 ¥145

17.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 BBD 30.20

$1.36 ¥9.35

1010.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 BBD 4.89

$0.36 ¥2.44

580.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.30 BBD 80.6

$6.61 ¥45.28

509.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 BBD 4.14

$1.13 ¥7.74

83.19%

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

$40.5K BBD 81.0K

$19.7K ¥135.2K

105.22%

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

$37.5K BBD 74.9K

$17.1K ¥117.0K

119.29%

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

$125 BBD 250

$50.9 ¥349

145.43%

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

$49.94 BBD 99.9

$10.03 ¥68.7

397.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 BBD 122

$11.33 ¥77.6

439.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.4 BBD 147

$40.13 ¥275

82.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 BBD 20.17

$6.09 ¥41.74

65.52%

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

$262 BBD 525

$418 ¥2,860

-37.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,288 BBD 14.6K

$17.3K ¥118.2K

-57.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 BBD 113

$46.40 ¥318

21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.76 BBD 77.5

$32.92 ¥226

17.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 BBD 205

$71.1 ¥487

43.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 BBD 185

$72.9 ¥499

27.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 BBD 1,328

$438 ¥3,003

51.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 BBD 1,082

$259 ¥1,775

108.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 BBD 3,487

$926 ¥6,341

88.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 BBD 2,438

$548 ¥3,754

122.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,479 BBD 6,958

$5,047 ¥34.6K

-31.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,450 BBD 6,901

$2,666 ¥18.3K

29.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,149 BBD 2,298

$1,074 ¥7,357

6.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

4.06

38.42%

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

Last update for Barbados: April 26, 2026

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $198 in Barbados vs $286 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $583 in Bridgetown and $886 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $1,303 in Barbados vs $834 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 44% higher in China.

Dining out costs 76% more in Barbados.

Public transport is 350% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 56% higher in Barbados, giving Barbados stronger purchasing power.

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 14% 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 14% 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.