Cost of Living Comparison Between Bridgetown and Barbados Cost of Living Comparison Between Bridgetown and Barbados

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,666 in Bridgetown versus $1,954 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,915 in Bridgetown versus $3,210 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,163 in Bridgetown versus $4,465 in Barbados.

Living in Bridgetown costs roughly 15% less than in Barbados, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bridgetown 25% above, Barbados 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.68 BBD 39.36

$20.32 BBD 40.64

-3.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.4 BBD 185

$114 BBD 228

-18.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 BBD 18.09

$10.18 BBD 20.35

-11.10%

Cappuccino

$5.01 BBD 10.02

$4.39 BBD 8.78

14.12%

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

$1.51 BBD 3.02

$2.07 BBD 4.13

-27.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 BBD 2.43

$1.47 BBD 2.93

-17.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 BBD 5.03

$3.03 BBD 6.07

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 BBD 11.67

$4.01 BBD 8.02

45.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.99 BBD 7.99

$3.49 BBD 6.99

14.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 BBD 5.49

$2.59 BBD 5.19

6.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 BBD 6.48

$4.55 BBD 9.10

-28.79%

Eggs

$5.57 BBD 11.13

$5.80 BBD 11.59

-3.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 BBD 19.41

$6.49 BBD 12.97

49.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 BBD 18.42

$13.17 BBD 26.33

-30.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BBD 20.11

$10.48 BBD 20.96

-4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 BBD 7.81

$4.70 BBD 9.40

-16.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 BBD 5.34

$3.21 BBD 6.41

-16.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 BBD 9.28

$5.43 BBD 10.86

-14.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 BBD 6.29

$5.46 BBD 10.92

-42.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 BBD 5.78

$5.57 BBD 11.14

-48.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 BBD 4.73

$4.92 BBD 9.83

-52.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 BBD 5.48

$2.79 BBD 5.58

-1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 BBD 4.16

$2.91 BBD 5.82

-28.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 BBD 16.43

$7.68 BBD 15.37

6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 BBD 26.98

$16.24 BBD 32.49

-16.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 BBD 3.19

$1.69 BBD 3.38

-5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 BBD 5.96

$2.75 BBD 5.50

8.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 BBD 3.60

$1.70 BBD 3.41

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.52 BBD 53.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.81 BBD 35.61

$6.21 BBD 12.42

186.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 BBD 1.97

$3.44 BBD 6.89

-71.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.67 BBD 79.3

$22.24 BBD 44.47

78.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 BBD 4.07

$2.02 BBD 4.04

0.50%

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

$35.4K BBD 70.9K

$49.3K BBD 98.5K

-28.08%

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

$37.1K BBD 74.2K

$40.4K BBD 80.8K

-8.18%

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

$86.4 BBD 173

$192 BBD 384

-55.00%

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

$58.9 BBD 118

$48.89 BBD 97.8

20.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.19 BBD 96.4

$85.7 BBD 171

-43.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.4 BBD 141

$72.1 BBD 144

-2.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.09

$9.90 BBD 19.79

1.52%

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

$245 BBD 490

$266 BBD 531

-7.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,559 BBD 13.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 BBD 124

$54.4 BBD 109

13.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 BBD 126

$28.10 BBD 56.2

124.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 BBD 361

$88.8 BBD 178

103.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 BBD 255

$55.0 BBD 110

131.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 BBD 1,199

$661 BBD 1,321

-9.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 BBD 954

$657 BBD 1,315

-27.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 BBD 3,612

$2,129 BBD 4,258

-15.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 BBD 2,659

$1,406 BBD 2,812

-5.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 BBD 6,976

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,486 BBD 6,971

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,565 BBD 3,129

$1,309 BBD 2,618

19.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.4

-20.95%

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

Last update for Bridgetown: June 14, 2026

Last update for Barbados: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $600 in Bridgetown and $661 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bridgetown pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $92.0 in Bridgetown vs $114 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $430 per month, with Bridgetown 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

Bridgetown vs Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bridgetown and Barbados differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,666 vs $1,954 including rent). Bridgetown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bridgetown pays 20% 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: $600 in Bridgetown versus $661 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,666 per month in Bridgetown versus $1,954 in Barbados – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,666 in Bridgetown versus $1,954 in Barbados, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bridgetown but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Bridgetown 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, Bridgetown 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 Bridgetown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.