Barbados Shopping List, the Price of 20 Selected Items

I have been asked the question many times by my friends back home, what is the cost of living like in Barbados compared to back home in Scotland.

Some things such as a car are much more expensive here, whether it’s a new car or a second hand one. For example a second hand black 1997 BMW  323i would set you back around $39,000 BDS here, or brand new Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.6 for about $62,000.

I would have taken my car from the UK which was a 2004 Peogeut 307, but It would have cost me about 3 times what the car was worth in shipping and import duties. So you can see the reason why I sold it before I immigrated to Barbados.

Petrol on the other hand is a fair bit cheaper here and you don’t even have to fill your car up yourself, there is usually a pretty young Bajan girl to do the task for you. Also to park your car in the city centre it is a lot cheaper here, I parked in the centre of Bridgetown for 4 hours last week and it would have cost me 6 times more to park in the city centre than back home in Aberdeen.

Also if I was to buy a piece of land and build a house through my company Awaken Paradise Property Consultants I would get a hell of lot more for a lot less money than I would back home.

I would say in comparison to back home in Scotland that the cost of living overall is a little bit more expensive in Barbados, I would hazard a guess and say  that it was between 20 – 30 % more expensive here.

I have put together a wee shopping list of things to give people a rough idea as to how much things cost in a supermarket in Barbados. Because Barbados is a fairly small island and there isn’t a huge amount of supermarkets to choose from. There also doesn’t seem to be much price competition between supermarkets like there is back home.

Barbados Supermarket Price on 20 Selected Items, prices are In Barbados Dollars:

Kellogg’s Cornflakes, 500g = $12.59
Frosties 482g = $10.24
Hellmans Mayonnaise 887g = $ 13.89
Tuna Chunks 120g = $2.79
Libby’s Corn beef = $3.39
1 Litre of Suplegen = $8.99
2 Litre bottle of Coca Cola = $ 4.35
4 Pack of toilet rolls = $11.25
1 Roll of Kitchen Roll = $ 4.15
Colgate Total Whitening 170g = $7.65
Ajax washing up liquid 473ml = $4.19
Fabreze air freshener 275g = $10.55
1 small bag of potatoes 1.175g = $3,00
1 Orange =$0.66
2kg Oven chips = $14.45
Smoked back bacon 200g = $7.65
Whole chicken 1.025kg = $ 10.24
Minced beef 0.360g = $5.68
Leg of Lamb 2.580kg = $81.40
Bottle of Banks beer 275ml = $2.25

The slightly higher costs of living in Barbados are something, which I accept without grumbling because the lifestyle benefits that I gain from living here make it a minor inconvenience. Barbados isn’t the cheapest place to live in the world, but it is also not the most expensive place to live either.

July 22, 2008 | Filed Under Barbados Essential Info 

Comments

2 Responses to “Barbados Shopping List, the Price of 20 Selected Items”

  1. jdid on July 22nd, 2008 9:05 pm

    its a little scary in the supermarket at times though.

  2. garryaw on July 22nd, 2008 10:19 pm

    I know what you mean, some things I wouldnt think twice about buying in the supermarket back in the UK, I question whether I can do without them or not here.

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