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 $706 per month in Barbados vs $713 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,238 per month in Barbados vs $1,132 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,769 per month in Barbados vs $1,551 in China, rent included.

Barbados is roughly 1% cheaper than China on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 BBD 39.66

$2.86 ¥19.36

593.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 BBD 199

$23.29 ¥158

328.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 BBD 20.18

$4.83 ¥32.66

108.90%

Cappuccino

$4.83 BBD 9.66

$3.04 ¥20.52

58.88%

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

$1.77 BBD 3.54

$0.45 ¥3.03

293.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BBD 2.80

$0.27 ¥1.81

418.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 BBD 4.92

$0.99 ¥6.71

148.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 BBD 8.08

$2.03 ¥13.74

99.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.41 BBD 6.82

$1.75 ¥11.86

94.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 BBD 5.37

$1.67 ¥11.31

61.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 BBD 7.92

$0.97 ¥6.56

308.25%

Eggs

$5.75 BBD 11.51

$1.54 ¥10.45

273.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 BBD 16.03

$13.30 ¥89.9

-39.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 BBD 22.41

$3.21 ¥21.69

249.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.30 BBD 20.60

$10.79 ¥73.0

-4.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 BBD 8.50

$1.81 ¥12.27

134.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 BBD 6.22

$1.31 ¥8.84

137.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.02 BBD 10.04

$1.50 ¥10.15

234.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 BBD 8.15

$1.14 ¥7.74

257.02%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 BBD 8.10

$0.73 ¥4.90

454.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 BBD 6.45

$0.87 ¥5.86

270.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 BBD 5.29

$0.57 ¥3.85

363.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 BBD 4.60

$0.54 ¥3.63

325.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 BBD 16.35

$3.53 ¥23.88

131.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 BBD 31.67

$11.71 ¥79.2

35.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 BBD 3.64

$0.84 ¥5.67

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 BBD 5.79

$1.67 ¥11.29

73.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BBD 3.57

$0.41 ¥2.75

334.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.27 BBD 50.6

$20.78 ¥141

21.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.83 BBD 29.66

$1.36 ¥9.21

990.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 BBD 4.94

$0.33 ¥2.21

648.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.42 BBD 80.9

$6.86 ¥46.40

489.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 BBD 4.17

$1.12 ¥7.57

85.71%

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

$39.5K BBD 78.9K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

105.59%

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

$37.6K BBD 75.2K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

122.21%

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

$123 BBD 245

$51.8 ¥350

136.90%

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

$50.4 BBD 101

$9.85 ¥66.6

411.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 BBD 118

$11.13 ¥75.3

431.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 BBD 142

$39.10 ¥264

82.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.10

$6.25 ¥42.24

60.80%

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

$264 BBD 527

$404 ¥2,732

-34.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,296 BBD 14.6K

$17.8K ¥120.5K

-59.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 BBD 115

$46.11 ¥312

24.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 BBD 75.9

$32.27 ¥218

17.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 BBD 201

$72.7 ¥491

38.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 BBD 186

$72.9 ¥493

27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 BBD 1,370

$445 ¥3,009

53.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 BBD 1,099

$255 ¥1,727

115.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 BBD 3,456

$927 ¥6,266

86.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 BBD 2,435

$532 ¥3,600

128.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 BBD 6,985

$4,943 ¥33.4K

-29.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,550 BBD 7,101

$2,492 ¥16.9K

42.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,298 BBD 2,597

$1,057 ¥7,148

22.81%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $200 in Barbados vs $286 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $588 in Bridgetown and $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $1,445 in Barbados vs $862 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 43% higher in China.

Dining out costs 76% more in Barbados.

Public transport is 350% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 68% 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 13% 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 13% 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.