Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Barbados Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Barbados

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Italy vs $706 in Barbados, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,624 per month in Italy vs $1,238 in Barbados, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Italy vs $1,769 in Barbados, rent included.

The cost of living in Italy is about 143% higher than in Barbados on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Italy sits 29% above the global median, while Barbados is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Barbados
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.21 €15.02
$20.04 BBD 40.08
-14.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 €69.8
$102 BBD 204
-21.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.80 €10.29
$10.18 BBD 20.37
15.91%
Cappuccino
$1.90 €1.65
$4.94 BBD 9.88
-61.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.63
$1.84 BBD 3.67
64.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 €1.16
$1.35 BBD 2.70
-1.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.89 €5.14
$2.53 BBD 5.07
132.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.67
$4.11 BBD 8.21
30.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Barbados
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 €1.41
$3.48 BBD 6.95
-53.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 €2.08
$2.73 BBD 5.46
-12.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.92 €2.55
$4.10 BBD 8.21
-28.78%
Eggs
$4.04 €3.52
$5.59 BBD 11.19
-27.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.85 €14.70
$7.88 BBD 15.77
113.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.61 €11.00
$11.18 BBD 22.35
12.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.66 €18.03
$10.04 BBD 20.08
105.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.19
$4.26 BBD 8.52
-41.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 €1.85
$3.12 BBD 6.25
-32.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.35
$4.91 BBD 9.82
-45.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.36 €2.93
$4.11 BBD 8.22
-18.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.03 €1.77
$4.05 BBD 8.09
-49.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.58
$3.19 BBD 6.38
-43.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.49 €1.30
$2.56 BBD 5.12
-41.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 €0.44
$2.22 BBD 4.45
-77.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.11 €6.21
$7.97 BBD 15.94
-10.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.34 €6.40
$15.77 BBD 31.53
-53.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 €1.59
$1.72 BBD 3.44
5.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.14
$2.91 BBD 5.82
-15.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Barbados
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.74
$1.77 BBD 3.55
12.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.36 €36.96
$24.84 BBD 49.68
70.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.84 €5.10
$14.73 BBD 29.46
-60.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 €1.38
$2.44 BBD 4.89
-35.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.13 €30.65
$40.16 BBD 80.3
-12.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.86
$2.06 BBD 4.11
3.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K €28.4K
$39.3K BBD 78.5K
-17.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K €29.0K
$37.0K BBD 74.0K
-10.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Barbados
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 €195
$124 BBD 248
79.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.33 €11.63
$50.2 BBD 100
-73.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.68 €27.64
$60.9 BBD 122
-48.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Barbados
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 €49.64
$72.5 BBD 145
-21.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.50 €22.25
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.55 €9.21
$10.10 BBD 20.19
4.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Barbados
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$584 €510
$261 BBD 521
124.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K €9,214
$7,444 BBD 14.9K
41.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Barbados
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5 €79.0
$57.4 BBD 115
57.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 €35.02
$38.34 BBD 76.7
4.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €88.7
$102 BBD 204
-0.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €116
$92.7 BBD 185
43.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Barbados
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$858 €748
$663 BBD 1,327
29.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 €580
$547 BBD 1,094
21.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,486 €1,297
$1,795 BBD 3,591
-17.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,085 €946
$1,206 BBD 2,413
-10.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,757 €3,278
$3,486 BBD 6,972
7.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,396 €2,091
$3,488 BBD 6,976
-31.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Barbados
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,945 €1,697
$1,273 BBD 2,545
52.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
5.62
-21.53%

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

Last update for Italy: June 14, 2026

Last update for Barbados: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $742 in Italy vs $200 in Barbados. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,346 in Rome and $600 in Bridgetown.

Average salary: $1,939 in Italy vs $1,437 in Barbados. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 271% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 100% more in Italy.

Public transport is 1000% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 35% higher in Italy, 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
Italy vs Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Barbados and Italy compare in cost of living?
Barbados is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 85% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Barbados and Italy?
Housing costs more in Italy, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Italy consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Barbados or Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Barbados, contributing to the overall 85% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $3,000 go in Barbados compared to Italy?
$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Barbados, but in Italy it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Barbados and in Italy?
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.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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