Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Barbados Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Barbados

Name: Barbados
Address: BB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,676 per month in Costa Rica vs $587 in Barbados, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,636 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,090 in Barbados, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,595 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,593 in Barbados, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 186% higher than in Barbados on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 23% above the global median, while Barbados is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.06 ₡4,916

$22.41 BBD 44.82

-50.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 ₡25.1K

$101 BBD 203

-44.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 ₡4,855

$9.86 BBD 19.72

10.75%

Cappuccino

$4.48 ₡1,992

$5.01 BBD 10.02

-10.58%

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

$2.34 ₡1,042

$1.88 BBD 3.77

24.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₡843

$1.40 BBD 2.80

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,471

$2.57 BBD 5.13

28.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ₡1,975

$4.09 BBD 8.18

8.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ₡1,081

$3.58 BBD 7.16

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 ₡1,621

$2.94 BBD 5.89

24.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 ₡1,268

$4.00 BBD 7.99

-28.75%

Eggs

$4.15 ₡1,844

$5.65 BBD 11.31

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₡4,504

$7.62 BBD 15.24

32.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 ₡4,690

$10.36 BBD 20.71

1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 ₡6,136

$9.81 BBD 19.62

40.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 ₡2,278

$4.79 BBD 9.59

6.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₡763

$3.43 BBD 6.86

-49.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 ₡1,649

$5.96 BBD 11.92

-37.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,511

$6.61 BBD 13.23

-48.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,536

$5.44 BBD 10.87

-36.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 ₡1,384

$3.91 BBD 7.83

-20.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₡509

$2.69 BBD 5.38

-57.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₡1,231

$2.57 BBD 5.13

7.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 ₡2,429

$9.03 BBD 18.05

-39.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 ₡7,249

$15.80 BBD 31.61

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₡1,196

$1.93 BBD 3.86

39.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₡1,480

$3.06 BBD 6.11

8.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡500

$1.80 BBD 3.60

-37.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 ₡29.2K

$13.38 BBD 26.76

391.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₡971

$9.34 BBD 18.68

-76.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 ₡922

$2.91 BBD 5.82

-28.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 ₡4,181

$39.86 BBD 79.7

-76.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡692

$2.09 BBD 4.18

-25.36%

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

$33.9K ₡15.1M

$37.7K BBD 75.5K

-10.04%

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

$37.4K ₡16.6M

$38.0K BBD 76.1K

-1.67%

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

$96.4 ₡42.8K

$171 BBD 343

-43.79%

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

$31.48 ₡14.0K

$50.2 BBD 100

-37.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 ₡26.4K

$78.7 BBD 157

-24.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 ₡29.3K

$77.8 BBD 156

-15.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 ₡9,978

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 ₡3,957

$10.20 BBD 20.39

-12.75%

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

$748 ₡332.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$5,027 BBD 10.1K

155.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 ₡34.2K

$51.0 BBD 102

50.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 ₡25.2K

$39.62 BBD 79.3

43.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₡59.2K

$97.1 BBD 194

37.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.7K

$71.9 BBD 144

49.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 ₡388.1K

$868 BBD 1,737

0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₡288.9K

$837 BBD 1,674

-22.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 ₡790.8K

$1,819 BBD 3,638

-2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 ₡530.0K

$2,017 BBD 4,033

-40.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,452 ₡1.1M

$3,480 BBD 6,960

-29.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,642 ₡729.8K

$3,489 BBD 6,978

-52.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,059 ₡470.5K

$1,477 BBD 2,954

-28.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

8.39

13.95%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: September 13, 2026

Last update for Barbados: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $833 in Costa Rica vs $248 in Barbados. For reference, capital cities sit at $965 in San Jose and $1,196 in Bridgetown.

Average salary: $1,101 in Costa Rica vs $2,046 in Barbados. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 236% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 33% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 700% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 86% 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

Costa Rica vs Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbados is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 27% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Barbados, contributing to the overall 27% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Barbados, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

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.