7 Top Tips for Living Affordably in Barbados

After living on the island as a tourist, then as a resident, these are the best pieces of advice I’ve acquired from locals, permanent residents, and personal experience. Act on these now to start living more affordably in Barbados, without sacrificing comfort or quality of life.

Reading 7 Top Tips for Living Affordably in Barbados 4 minutes

By Rysel McLean0 comments

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Best affordable way to live and shop cheaply in Barbados

For those of us fortunate enough to travel the world and live in different countries it is understandable that now more than ever (post pandemic and mid global cost of living crisis) we have a desire to do this as cost-effectively as possible. If you have opted to make the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados either your temporary or permanent residence, the purpose of this is to help you do exactly this, not live on a budget but rather more affordably but still comfortable. Do share any tips you have picked up in the comments!

"After living on the island as a tourist, then as a resident, these are the best pieces of advice I’ve acquired from locals, permanent residents, and personal experience. Act on these now to start living more affordably in Barbados, without sacrificing comfort or quality of life."

Food shopping

Massy Stores is the largest supermarket on the island, and one will find most if not all the produce one needs there. Anyone living in Barbados for longer than a minute will tell you though that Massy isn’t the cheapest!

Jordan's is another supermarket one will find on the island and items tend to be a few dollars cheaper that Massy. For fresh fruit and vegetables, head to Cheapside Public Market Barbados which is bursting with local farmers selling fresh produce. Cost U Less (costuless.com) is similar to Costco or PriceSmart and whilst it may not have as broad a variety as Massy, it’s worth buying higher quantity items there and general cupboard goods tend to be cheaper. There is also a Price Smart in Barbados for bulk buying however it does come with an annual membership fee.

Shop second hand or pre-loved items

Barbados has become a very transient society, moreso with the introduction of the welcome stamp visa. Not dissimilar to London, New York, Cayman Islands etc individuals and families are moving to Barbados for work and play. With people more frequently leaving the island, there is increased opportunity for those coming to the island to purchase quality second hand items from those leaving. RjMcLean is a great place to buy (and sell) quality checked second hand items in great condition saving you from having to scour the island for same.

Getting around

The most affordable way to get around Barbados is by bus. However is you are staying for a longer period of time, it will probably be more cost effective to lease a vehicle or even buy one second hand as there are lots of second hand vehicles on the market.

Entertainment

Many hotels do deals during the off-peak season (April/May to October). Restaurants have great menu deals, hotels run staycation offers and discounts on rooms. A really great time to experience some fancy restaurants and hotels at much lower prices.

Dining out

If you’ve been here long enough you already know the more trendy, upscale beach bars. When the vacation is over and real life (kind of) kicks in, you just want a good value meal try Jus Grillin’, Worthing food court, Café Sol, Zaccios, Almond Shak where meals average $25 to $50BBD.

Where to stay

The east coast is the cheapest and a good option if you are after a very quiet experience, away from too much busyness. South coast has the buzzing night life and isn’t as expensive as the West Coast which is home to some of the best beaches on the island.

Stop buying bottled water!

Last but not least, save coins and the environment and drink straight from the tap - clean and tasty!