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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $703 per month in Barbados vs $1,720 in Italy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,229 per month in Barbados vs $2,626 in Italy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Barbados vs $3,531 in Italy, rent included.

The cost of living in Barbados is roughly 59% lower than in Italy on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Barbados sits 47% below the global median, while Italy is 29% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.94 BBD 39.87
$17.16 €14.96
16.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.2 BBD 198
$81.4 €70.9
21.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.17 BBD 20.34
$11.60 €10.11
-12.33%
Cappuccino
$4.96 BBD 9.92
$1.98 €1.73
150.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BBD 3.65
$3.00 €2.62
-39.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 BBD 2.80
$1.36 €1.18
2.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 BBD 5.07
$5.92 €5.16
-57.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 BBD 8.07
$5.25 €4.58
-23.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.47 BBD 6.94
$1.70 €1.49
104.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.66 BBD 5.32
$2.37 €2.07
12.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.10 BBD 8.20
$3.03 €2.65
35.31%
Eggs
$5.67 BBD 11.33
$3.95 €3.44
43.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.97 BBD 15.93
$16.66 €14.53
-52.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.21 BBD 22.43
$12.26 €10.68
-8.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.32 BBD 20.65
$20.06 €17.49
-48.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 BBD 8.26
$2.55 €2.23
61.96%
Banana (1kg)
$3.23 BBD 6.45
$2.20 €1.92
46.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.00 BBD 10.00
$2.75 €2.40
81.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 BBD 8.18
$3.22 €2.81
27.02%
Potato (1kg)
$4.08 BBD 8.17
$1.94 €1.69
110.31%
Onion (1kg)
$3.22 BBD 6.43
$1.82 €1.59
76.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.58 BBD 5.16
$1.48 €1.29
74.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 BBD 4.56
$0.50 €0.43
356.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.11 BBD 16.21
$7.13 €6.21
13.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.72 BBD 31.44
$7.37 €6.43
113.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 BBD 3.51
$1.76 €1.53
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 BBD 5.66
$2.53 €2.20
11.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Barbados
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 BBD 3.53
$1.99 €1.73
-11.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.07 BBD 50.1
$42.32 €36.90
-40.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$14.72 BBD 29.43
$5.67 €4.94
159.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 BBD 4.86
$1.52 €1.32
59.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.59 BBD 81.2
$34.94 €30.46
16.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 BBD 3.98
$2.09 €1.83
-4.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.1K BBD 80.2K
$32.7K €28.5K
22.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K BBD 74.3K
$32.9K €28.7K
12.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$126 BBD 253
$227 €198
-44.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.14 BBD 98.3
$13.58 €11.84
261.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.3 BBD 119
$31.57 €27.52
87.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.3 BBD 147
$57.7 €50.3
27.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.23 €22.00
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.10 BBD 20.21
$10.59 €9.24
-4.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$269 BBD 537
$568 €495
-52.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,536 BBD 15.1K
$10.5K €9,187
-28.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 BBD 115
$90.7 €79.0
-36.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.97 BBD 75.9
$40.49 €35.30
-6.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 BBD 205
$99.8 €87.0
2.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4 BBD 181
$130 €113
-30.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barbados
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$679 BBD 1,358
$865 €754
-21.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$551 BBD 1,103
$672 €586
-18.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,729 BBD 3,458
$1,523 €1,328
13.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 BBD 2,418
$1,078 €940
12.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,544 BBD 7,088
$3,767 €3,284
-5.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,470 BBD 6,940
$2,360 €2,058
47.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,274 BBD 2,547
$1,949 €1,699
-34.65%
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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $197 in Barbados vs $743 in Italy. For reference, capital cities sit at $599 in Bridgetown and $1,334 in Rome.

Average salary: $1,464 in Barbados vs $1,912 in Italy. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 277% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 100% more in Italy.

Public transport is 1000% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 31% higher in Italy, 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 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 84% 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 84% 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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