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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $703 per month in Barbados vs $1,122 in Mexico, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,229 per month in Barbados vs $1,785 in Mexico, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Barbados vs $2,447 in Mexico, rent included.

The cost of living in Barbados is roughly 37% lower than in 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
$19.94 BBD 39.87
$10.48 MX$183
90.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.2 BBD 198
$42.43 MX$740
133.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.17 BBD 20.34
$7.70 MX$134
32.08%
Cappuccino
$4.96 BBD 9.92
$3.44 MX$60.0
44.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BBD 3.65
$1.26 MX$22.00
45.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 BBD 2.80
$0.91 MX$15.84
53.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 BBD 5.07
$2.36 MX$41.09
7.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 BBD 8.07
$4.30 MX$74.9
-6.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.47 BBD 6.94
$1.48 MX$25.79
134.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.66 BBD 5.32
$2.55 MX$44.51
4.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.10 BBD 8.20
$1.71 MX$29.75
139.77%
Eggs
$5.67 BBD 11.33
$2.36 MX$41.17
140.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.97 BBD 15.93
$8.79 MX$153
-9.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.21 BBD 22.43
$7.56 MX$132
48.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.32 BBD 20.65
$11.02 MX$192
-6.35%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 BBD 8.26
$2.69 MX$46.95
53.53%
Banana (1kg)
$3.23 BBD 6.45
$1.44 MX$25.06
124.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.00 BBD 10.00
$1.94 MX$33.85
157.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 BBD 8.18
$1.85 MX$32.32
121.08%
Potato (1kg)
$4.08 BBD 8.17
$1.97 MX$34.32
107.11%
Onion (1kg)
$3.22 BBD 6.43
$2.01 MX$35.05
60.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.58 BBD 5.16
$1.32 MX$23.07
95.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 BBD 4.56
$1.00 MX$17.45
128.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.11 BBD 16.21
$4.10 MX$71.6
97.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.72 BBD 31.44
$11.44 MX$199
37.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 BBD 3.51
$1.65 MX$28.74
6.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 BBD 5.66
$3.04 MX$53.1
-6.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 BBD 3.53
$0.66 MX$11.51
166.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.07 BBD 50.1
$26.28 MX$458
-4.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$14.72 BBD 29.43
$2.69 MX$46.88
447.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 BBD 4.86
$2.00 MX$34.84
21.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.59 BBD 81.2
$10.63 MX$185
281.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 BBD 3.98
$1.28 MX$22.30
55.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.1K BBD 80.2K
$20.6K MX$359.9K
94.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K BBD 74.3K
$23.2K MX$405.4K
59.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$126 BBD 253
$63.5 MX$1,107
99.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.14 BBD 98.3
$23.01 MX$401
113.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.3 BBD 119
$28.12 MX$490
110.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.3 BBD 147
$35.83 MX$625
104.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.61 MX$324
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.10 BBD 20.21
$4.71 MX$82.2
114.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$269 BBD 537
$248 MX$4,332
8.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,536 BBD 15.1K
$5,644 MX$98.4K
33.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 BBD 115
$52.8 MX$921
8.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.97 BBD 75.9
$41.62 MX$726
-8.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 BBD 205
$92.7 MX$1,617
10.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4 BBD 181
$87.3 MX$1,522
3.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$679 BBD 1,358
$644 MX$11.2K
5.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$551 BBD 1,103
$439 MX$7,660
25.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,729 BBD 3,458
$1,206 MX$21.0K
43.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 BBD 2,418
$868 MX$15.1K
39.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,544 BBD 7,088
$2,595 MX$45.3K
36.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,470 BBD 6,940
$1,569 MX$27.4K
121.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barbados
Mexico
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,274 BBD 2,547
$807 MX$14.1K
57.88%
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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $197 in Barbados vs $530 in Mexico. For reference, capital cities sit at $599 in Bridgetown and $1,014 in Mexico City.

Average salary: $1,464 in Barbados vs $761 in Mexico. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 169% higher in Mexico.

Public transport is 175% more expensive in Mexico.

Salaries are 92% higher in Barbados, 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 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 54% 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 54% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $3,000 go in Barbados compared to 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 in 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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