Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $587 per month in Barbados vs $1,782 in Italy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,090 per month in Barbados vs $2,722 in Italy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,593 per month in Barbados vs $3,662 in Italy, rent included.

The cost of living in Barbados is roughly 67% lower than in Italy on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Barbados sits 57% below the global median, while Italy is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.41 BBD 44.82
$21.07 €18.36
6.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 BBD 203
$81.0 €70.7
25.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.86 BBD 19.72
$11.50 €10.02
-14.26%
Cappuccino
$5.01 BBD 10.02
$2.10 €1.83
138.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 BBD 3.77
$3.07 €2.67
-38.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 BBD 2.80
$1.44 €1.25
-2.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 BBD 5.13
$5.86 €5.11
-56.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 BBD 8.18
$5.72 €4.99
-28.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.58 BBD 7.16
$1.59 €1.39
125.16%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 BBD 5.89
$2.41 €2.10
21.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.00 BBD 7.99
$2.99 €2.61
33.78%
Eggs
$5.65 BBD 11.31
$4.34 €3.78
30.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.62 BBD 15.24
$17.62 €15.36
-56.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 BBD 20.71
$12.69 €11.06
-18.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.81 BBD 19.62
$20.80 €18.13
-52.84%
Apples (1kg)
$4.79 BBD 9.59
$2.61 €2.28
83.52%
Banana (1kg)
$3.43 BBD 6.86
$2.14 €1.87
60.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.96 BBD 11.92
$2.79 €2.43
113.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.61 BBD 13.23
$3.37 €2.94
96.14%
Potato (1kg)
$5.44 BBD 10.87
$2.04 €1.78
166.67%
Onion (1kg)
$3.91 BBD 7.83
$1.96 €1.71
99.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.69 BBD 5.38
$1.56 €1.36
72.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 BBD 5.13
$0.53 €0.46
384.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.03 BBD 18.05
$6.84 €5.96
32.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.80 BBD 31.61
$7.71 €6.72
104.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 BBD 3.86
$1.86 €1.62
3.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 BBD 6.11
$2.49 €2.17
22.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Barbados
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.80 BBD 3.60
$1.91 €1.67
-5.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.38 BBD 26.76
$44.16 €38.49
-69.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.34 BBD 18.68
$5.87 €5.12
59.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.91 BBD 5.82
$1.70 €1.49
71.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.86 BBD 79.7
$35.16 €30.65
13.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 BBD 4.18
$2.11 €1.84
-0.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.7K BBD 75.5K
$36.9K €32.2K
2.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K BBD 76.1K
$36.5K €31.8K
4.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 BBD 343
$229 €200
-25.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$50.2 BBD 100
$12.09 €10.54
315.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$78.7 BBD 157
$31.57 €27.52
149.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.8 BBD 156
$54.1 €47.18
43.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.51 €21.37
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.20 BBD 20.39
$10.78 €9.40
-5.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$562 €490
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,027 BBD 10.1K
$12.2K €10.7K
-58.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.0 BBD 102
$94.3 €82.2
-45.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.62 BBD 79.3
$40.72 €35.50
-2.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.1 BBD 194
$104 €90.7
-6.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 BBD 144
$136 €119
-47.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barbados
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$868 BBD 1,737
$832 €725
4.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$837 BBD 1,674
$646 €564
29.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,819 BBD 3,638
$1,450 €1,264
25.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,017 BBD 4,033
$1,081 €942
86.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,480 BBD 6,960
$3,816 €3,326
-8.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,489 BBD 6,978
$2,312 €2,015
50.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,477 BBD 2,954
$1,954 €1,703
-24.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.39
3.57
135.01%

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

Last update for Barbados: September 13, 2026

Last update for Italy: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $248 in Barbados vs $748 in Italy. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,196 in Bridgetown and $1,238 in Rome.

Average salary: $2,046 in Barbados vs $1,958 in Italy. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 202% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 88% more in Italy.

Public transport is 2000% more expensive in Italy.

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 56% 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 56% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $3,000 go in Barbados compared to 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 in 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.

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