Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Mexico Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Mexico

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $706 per month in Barbados vs $1,123 in Mexico, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,238 per month in Barbados vs $1,789 in Mexico, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,769 per month in Barbados vs $2,455 in Mexico, rent included.

Barbados is roughly 37% cheaper than Mexico on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Barbados and Mexico are more affordable than the global median – Barbados 47% lower, Mexico 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.83 BBD 39.66
$10.44 MX$179
89.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.7 BBD 199
$42.03 MX$721
137.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.09 BBD 20.18
$8.16 MX$140
23.65%
Cappuccino
$4.83 BBD 9.66
$3.36 MX$57.6
43.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 BBD 3.54
$1.33 MX$22.83
33.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 BBD 2.80
$0.91 MX$15.56
53.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.46 BBD 4.92
$2.33 MX$40.00
5.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 BBD 8.08
$4.26 MX$73.2
-5.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.41 BBD 6.82
$1.53 MX$26.23
122.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.69 BBD 5.37
$2.58 MX$44.37
4.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.96 BBD 7.92
$1.75 MX$29.96
126.29%
Eggs
$5.75 BBD 11.51
$2.39 MX$41.10
140.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.02 BBD 16.03
$8.37 MX$144
-4.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.21 BBD 22.41
$7.87 MX$135
42.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.30 BBD 20.60
$10.74 MX$184
-4.10%
Apples (1kg)
$4.25 BBD 8.50
$2.83 MX$48.52
50.18%
Banana (1kg)
$3.11 BBD 6.22
$1.46 MX$25.03
113.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.02 BBD 10.04
$1.92 MX$32.89
161.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.07 BBD 8.15
$1.87 MX$32.14
117.65%
Potato (1kg)
$4.05 BBD 8.10
$1.99 MX$34.18
103.52%
Onion (1kg)
$3.22 BBD 6.45
$2.08 MX$35.65
54.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 BBD 5.29
$1.32 MX$22.69
100.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.30 BBD 4.60
$1.01 MX$17.38
127.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.18 BBD 16.35
$4.28 MX$73.6
91.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.83 BBD 31.67
$11.48 MX$197
37.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 BBD 3.64
$1.60 MX$27.51
13.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 BBD 5.79
$2.94 MX$50.4
-1.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.78 BBD 3.57
$0.65 MX$11.09
173.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.27 BBD 50.6
$26.49 MX$455
-4.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$14.83 BBD 29.66
$2.57 MX$44.17
477.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.47 BBD 4.94
$1.97 MX$33.74
25.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.42 BBD 80.9
$10.46 MX$180
286.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 BBD 4.17
$1.30 MX$22.38
60.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.5K BBD 78.9K
$20.4K MX$350.9K
92.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K BBD 75.2K
$23.0K MX$394.3K
63.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 BBD 245
$62.3 MX$1,070
96.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$50.4 BBD 101
$23.43 MX$402
115.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.1 BBD 118
$28.55 MX$490
107.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.2 BBD 142
$35.43 MX$608
101.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.25 MX$313
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.05 BBD 20.10
$4.63 MX$79.4
117.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$264 BBD 527
$252 MX$4,331
4.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,296 BBD 14.6K
$5,610 MX$96.3K
30.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 BBD 115
$51.6 MX$885
11.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.93 BBD 75.9
$40.05 MX$687
-5.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 BBD 201
$92.9 MX$1,595
8.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.8 BBD 186
$89.3 MX$1,533
3.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$685 BBD 1,370
$652 MX$11.2K
4.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$550 BBD 1,099
$455 MX$7,808
20.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,728 BBD 3,456
$1,223 MX$21.0K
41.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 BBD 2,435
$872 MX$15.0K
39.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,493 BBD 6,985
$2,613 MX$44.8K
33.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,550 BBD 7,101
$1,574 MX$27.0K
125.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,298 BBD 2,597
$792 MX$13.6K
64.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.62
11.45
-50.92%

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

Last update for Barbados: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mexico: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $200 in Barbados vs $529 in Mexico. For reference, capital cities sit at $588 in Bridgetown and $995 in Mexico City.

Average salary: $1,445 in Barbados vs $769 in Mexico. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 165% higher in Mexico.

Public transport is 175% more expensive in Mexico.

Salaries are 88% 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 Mexico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Barbados and Mexico compare in cost of living?
Barbados is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 58% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Barbados and Mexico?
Housing costs more in Mexico, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Mexico consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Barbados or Mexico?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Barbados, contributing to the overall 58% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $3,000 go in Barbados vs Mexico?
$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Barbados, but in Mexico it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Barbados and Mexico?
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.

Barbados vs other spots: cost of living compared

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