Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and ItalyCost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Italy
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $712 per month in Barbados vs $1,718 in Italy, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Barbados vs $2,623 in Italy, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,761 per month in Barbados vs $3,528 in Italy, rent included.
🙂Barbados is roughly 59% cheaper than Italy on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Barbados sits 47% below the global median, while Italy is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.15BBD 40.30
$17.24€14.72
16.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.1BBD 196
$80.3€68.6
22.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.19BBD 20.38
$11.44€9.77
-10.93%
Cappuccino
$4.87BBD 9.75
$1.92€1.64
153.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80BBD 3.59
$2.98€2.55
-39.60%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33BBD 2.66
$1.32€1.13
0.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.57BBD 5.13
$5.83€4.98
-55.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.95BBD 7.89
$5.16€4.41
-23.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.55BBD 7.10
$1.69€1.44
110.06%
White Bread(500g)
$2.64BBD 5.28
$2.41€2.06
9.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.96BBD 7.92
$3.00€2.57
32.00%
Eggs
$5.47BBD 10.95
$4.08€3.49
34.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.85BBD 15.71
$16.21€13.85
-51.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.85BBD 21.70
$12.65€10.80
-14.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.36BBD 20.72
$20.13€17.19
-48.53%
Apples(1kg)
$4.17BBD 8.33
$2.60€2.22
60.38%
Banana(1kg)
$3.17BBD 6.34
$2.21€1.89
43.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.06BBD 10.11
$2.61€2.23
93.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.95BBD 7.90
$3.28€2.80
20.43%
Potato(1kg)
$4.18BBD 8.36
$1.95€1.66
114.36%
Onion(1kg)
$3.16BBD 6.32
$1.83€1.56
72.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.64BBD 5.28
$1.55€1.32
70.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22BBD 4.43
$0.50€0.43
344.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.89BBD 15.78
$6.88€5.87
14.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.92BBD 31.83
$6.86€5.86
132.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75BBD 3.50
$1.80€1.54
-2.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96BBD 5.91
$2.53€2.16
17.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Barbados
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.77BBD 3.53
$1.94€1.65
-8.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.91BBD 49.82
$41.82€35.71
-40.44%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$15.10BBD 30.20
$5.71€4.87
164.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.45BBD 4.89
$1.53€1.31
60.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$40.30BBD 80.6
$35.12€29.99
14.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.07BBD 4.14
$2.03€1.73
1.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.5KBBD 81.0K
$31.8K€27.2K
27.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.5KBBD 74.9K
$33.3K€28.4K
12.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125BBD 250
$224€191
-44.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.94BBD 99.9
$13.50€11.53
269.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.2BBD 122
$30.92€26.41
97.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$73.4BBD 147
$56.3€48.07
30.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.38€21.68
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.08BBD 20.17
$10.41€8.89
-3.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$262BBD 525
$575€491
-54.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,288BBD 14.6K
$10.6K€9,022
-31.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.5BBD 113
$89.4€76.4
-36.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.76BBD 77.5
$39.72€33.92
-2.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102BBD 205
$99.5€85.0
2.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7BBD 185
$130€111
-28.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barbados
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$664BBD 1,328
$854€729
-22.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$541BBD 1,082
$651€556
-16.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,744BBD 3,487
$1,478€1,262
18.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,219BBD 2,438
$1,109€947
9.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,479BBD 6,958
$3,926€3,353
-11.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,450BBD 6,901
$2,410€2,058
43.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,149BBD 2,298
$1,932€1,650
-40.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.62
4.41
27.44%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barbados: April 26, 2026
Last update for Italy: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $198 in Barbados vs $742 in Italy. For reference, capital cities sit at $583 in Bridgetown and $1,349 in Rome.
💰Average salary: $1,303 in Barbados vs $1,935 in Italy. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 275% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 100% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 1000% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 49% higher in Italy, 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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Barbados and Italy compare in cost of living?
Barbados is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 85% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Barbados and Italy?
Housing costs more in Italy, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Italy consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Barbados or Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Barbados, contributing to the overall 85% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $3,000 go in Barbados vs Italy?
$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Barbados, but in Italy it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Barbados and Italy?
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.