Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Barbados Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Barbados

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,961 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $3,190 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $4,418 in Barbados.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 19% more expensive than Barbados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Barbados 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$19.86 BBD 39.72

-14.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$111 BBD 223

-37.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$10.33 BBD 20.65

33.40%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$4.47 BBD 8.93

-38.26%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.40

$2.06 BBD 4.11

35.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.48 BBD 2.97

34.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$2.95 BBD 5.90

47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$4.06 BBD 8.13

16.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$3.49 BBD 6.97

-63.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.61 BBD 5.22

-21.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$4.59 BBD 9.18

-56.64%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$5.85 BBD 11.71

-42.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$6.85 BBD 13.69

174.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$13.03 BBD 26.07

-28.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$10.33 BBD 20.65

85.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$4.72 BBD 9.45

-42.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$3.18 BBD 6.36

-26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$5.44 BBD 10.87

-61.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$5.25 BBD 10.49

-45.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$5.51 BBD 11.02

-64.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$4.90 BBD 9.81

-63.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$2.82 BBD 5.64

-48.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$3.06 BBD 6.13

-71.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$7.32 BBD 14.63

-7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$15.84 BBD 31.68

-50.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.75 BBD 3.51

-20.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.76 BBD 5.52

-14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$1.73 BBD 3.46

68.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$6.22 BBD 12.45

-28.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$3.49 BBD 6.97

-41.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$22.11 BBD 44.21

33.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.99 BBD 3.98

-8.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.8K €33.5K

$50.6K BBD 101.2K

-23.27%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.1K €28.5K

$39.9K BBD 79.8K

-17.04%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$189 €163

$194 BBD 388

-2.55%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.80 €19.65

$49.35 BBD 98.7

-53.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$87.9 BBD 176

-57.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$72.3 BBD 145

-20.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$10.05 BBD 20.10

7.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$728 €628

$265 BBD 529

175.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$55.7 BBD 111

59.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$28.59 BBD 57.2

28.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$89.2 BBD 178

14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$55.9 BBD 112

107.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$673 BBD 1,346

133.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$679 BBD 1,359

79.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$2,140 BBD 4,280

30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$1,403 BBD 2,806

40.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$1,315 BBD 2,630

78.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.4

-54.19%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barbados: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $673 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 78% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $111 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $430 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

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

Barcelona vs Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Barbados differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,961 including rent). Barbados is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 78% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $673 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,337 per month in Barcelona versus $1,961 in Barbados – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,961 in Barbados versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barbados but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Barbados the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Barbados are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Barbados gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.