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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,951 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $3,145 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $4,338 in Barbados.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 24% less than in Barbados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Barbados 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$226

$20.29 BBD 40.58

-36.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$923

$112 BBD 224

-52.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

$10.42 BBD 20.83

-6.72%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

$4.51 BBD 9.02

-16.85%

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

$1.57 MX$27.30

$2.04 BBD 4.08

-23.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.64

$1.42 BBD 2.85

-20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$3.08 BBD 6.15

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.1

$3.94 BBD 7.89

18.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.21

$3.66 BBD 7.32

-55.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.09

$2.67 BBD 5.34

1.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.70

$4.58 BBD 9.15

-58.95%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.65

$6.08 BBD 12.17

-58.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

$6.85 BBD 13.69

47.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$13.09 BBD 26.17

-36.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

$10.32 BBD 20.64

15.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.77

$4.74 BBD 9.48

-39.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.45

$3.04 BBD 6.08

-42.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$5.42 BBD 10.85

-61.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.27

$5.36 BBD 10.72

-63.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.58

$5.46 BBD 10.93

-60.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.94

$4.87 BBD 9.74

-55.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$2.86 BBD 5.72

-51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$3.06 BBD 6.13

-63.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$7.43 BBD 14.87

-43.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

$16.05 BBD 32.10

-11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.73 BBD 3.46

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.1

$2.84 BBD 5.68

29.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$1.74 BBD 3.47

-77.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$6.37 BBD 12.74

-78.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.29

$3.35 BBD 6.71

-91.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$22.18 BBD 44.37

-75.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.50

$2.02 BBD 4.04

-33.17%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

-62.61%

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

$39.3K BBD 78.5K

-41.04%

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

$40.82 MX$710

$195 BBD 390

-79.04%

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

$27.50 MX$479

$48.60 BBD 97.2

-43.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$529

$85.7 BBD 171

-64.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

$72.5 BBD 145

-26.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$10.05 BBD 20.11

-37.61%

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

$436 MX$7,588

$264 BBD 529

64.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

$54.9 BBD 110

3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

$28.75 BBD 57.5

55.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

$86.9 BBD 174

18.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$56.0 BBD 112

92.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$654 BBD 1,308

52.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

$661 BBD 1,322

-6.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

$2,108 BBD 4,216

1.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

$1,395 BBD 2,790

-11.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

$1,051 BBD 2,101

1.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.4

53.24%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barbados: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $654 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $112 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $434 per month, with Mexico City 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

Mexico City vs Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Barbados differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,951 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 2% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $654 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $1,951 in Barbados – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,951 in Barbados, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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, Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.