Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Italy Cost 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
$20.15 BBD 40.30
$17.24 €14.72
16.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.1 BBD 196
$80.3 €68.6
22.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 BBD 20.38
$11.44 €9.77
-10.93%
Cappuccino
$4.87 BBD 9.75
$1.92 €1.64
153.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 BBD 3.59
$2.98 €2.55
-39.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 BBD 2.66
$1.32 €1.13
0.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 BBD 5.13
$5.83 €4.98
-55.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.95 BBD 7.89
$5.16 €4.41
-23.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.55 BBD 7.10
$1.69 €1.44
110.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 BBD 5.28
$2.41 €2.06
9.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.96 BBD 7.92
$3.00 €2.57
32.00%
Eggs
$5.47 BBD 10.95
$4.08 €3.49
34.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.85 BBD 15.71
$16.21 €13.85
-51.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.85 BBD 21.70
$12.65 €10.80
-14.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.36 BBD 20.72
$20.13 €17.19
-48.53%
Apples (1kg)
$4.17 BBD 8.33
$2.60 €2.22
60.38%
Banana (1kg)
$3.17 BBD 6.34
$2.21 €1.89
43.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.06 BBD 10.11
$2.61 €2.23
93.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.95 BBD 7.90
$3.28 €2.80
20.43%
Potato (1kg)
$4.18 BBD 8.36
$1.95 €1.66
114.36%
Onion (1kg)
$3.16 BBD 6.32
$1.83 €1.56
72.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 BBD 5.28
$1.55 €1.32
70.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 BBD 4.43
$0.50 €0.43
344.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.89 BBD 15.78
$6.88 €5.87
14.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.92 BBD 31.83
$6.86 €5.86
132.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 BBD 3.50
$1.80 €1.54
-2.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 BBD 5.91
$2.53 €2.16
17.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Barbados
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 BBD 3.53
$1.94 €1.65
-8.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.91 BBD 49.82
$41.82 €35.71
-40.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$15.10 BBD 30.20
$5.71 €4.87
164.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.45 BBD 4.89
$1.53 €1.31
60.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.30 BBD 80.6
$35.12 €29.99
14.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 BBD 4.14
$2.03 €1.73
1.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.5K BBD 81.0K
$31.8K €27.2K
27.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.5K BBD 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)
$125 BBD 250
$224 €191
-44.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.94 BBD 99.9
$13.50 €11.53
269.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.2 BBD 122
$30.92 €26.41
97.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.4 BBD 147
$56.3 €48.07
30.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.38 €21.68
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.08 BBD 20.17
$10.41 €8.89
-3.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$262 BBD 525
$575 €491
-54.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,288 BBD 14.6K
$10.6K €9,022
-31.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.5 BBD 113
$89.4 €76.4
-36.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.76 BBD 77.5
$39.72 €33.92
-2.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 BBD 205
$99.5 €85.0
2.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 BBD 185
$130 €111
-28.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barbados
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$664 BBD 1,328
$854 €729
-22.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$541 BBD 1,082
$651 €556
-16.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,744 BBD 3,487
$1,478 €1,262
18.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,219 BBD 2,438
$1,109 €947
9.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,479 BBD 6,958
$3,926 €3,353
-11.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,450 BBD 6,901
$2,410 €2,058
43.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barbados
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,149 BBD 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.

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