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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,898 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $3,102 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $4,306 in Barbados.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 22% less than in Barbados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Barbados 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$20.10 BBD 40.20

-34.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$112 BBD 223

-52.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$10.20 BBD 20.41

-8.53%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$4.35 BBD 8.69

-14.94%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$2.05 BBD 4.11

-21.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$1.49 BBD 2.97

-24.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$2.94 BBD 5.89

6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$3.95 BBD 7.90

22.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$3.54 BBD 7.08

-53.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$2.59 BBD 5.18

4.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$4.63 BBD 9.26

-58.75%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$5.82 BBD 11.65

-55.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$6.56 BBD 13.11

49.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$13.28 BBD 26.57

-36.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$10.42 BBD 20.85

14.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$4.61 BBD 9.21

-36.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$3.05 BBD 6.11

-42.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$5.25 BBD 10.50

-61.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$5.40 BBD 10.80

-61.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$5.64 BBD 11.28

-61.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$4.88 BBD 9.77

-53.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$2.84 BBD 5.68

-51.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$3.02 BBD 6.03

-62.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$7.41 BBD 14.83

-43.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$16.18 BBD 32.37

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$1.69 BBD 3.39

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$2.88 BBD 5.76

26.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$1.78 BBD 3.56

-80.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$6.40 BBD 12.80

-78.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$3.33 BBD 6.66

-91.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$22.24 BBD 44.48

-76.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$2.00 BBD 4.00

-32.00%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$49.0K BBD 98.1K

-61.04%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$40.1K BBD 80.1K

-41.07%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$192 BBD 384

-78.91%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$48.96 BBD 97.9

-44.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$87.8 BBD 176

-65.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$73.6 BBD 147

-29.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$10.16 BBD 20.32

-39.07%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$263 BBD 526

61.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$55.2 BBD 110

5.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$28.15 BBD 56.3

58.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$86.7 BBD 173

19.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$54.9 BBD 110

98.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$657 BBD 1,314

54.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$660 BBD 1,319

-5.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$2,109 BBD 4,217

0.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$1,409 BBD 2,818

-13.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$1,341 BBD 2,683

-21.55%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Barbados: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $657 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 27% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $112 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $431 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,898 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Barbados. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $657 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $1,898 in Barbados – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,898 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 29% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.