Moving to Barbados from Ireland

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ireland to Barbados — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Ireland to Barbados.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Ireland and Barbados stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IE
0.9
BB
15.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IE
2.8
BB
10.0

Ireland performs better than Barbados across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IE
$8,772
BB
$1,153
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IE
40.6
BB
29.7

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IE
13.0
BB
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IE
6.0t
BB
2.5t

Ireland generally does better on environment, though Barbados leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IE
32.1
BB
37.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IE
22.2%
BB
87.5%

Ireland generally does better on infrastructure, though Barbados leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IE
4.3%
BB
8.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$115,600
BB
$17,400

Ireland generally does better on employment & economy, though Barbados leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IE
81.7 yrs
BB
78.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IE
3.5
BB
9.6

Ireland generally does better on family life, though Barbados leads in education spending.

Data: The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland and Barbados. To live, work, or study long-term in Barbados, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Barbados's immigration authority.

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Barbados

Visa Free
Ireland passport holders can enter Barbados without a visa.
Barbados passport

Barbados passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
Barbados passport holders can enter Ireland without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Barbados?

With 37.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Barbados can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Ireland and Barbados.

Is Barbados safe for expats?

Ireland performs better than Barbados across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Barbados is 15.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland.

How is healthcare in Barbados compared to Ireland?

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 29.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Barbados, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. Barbados scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).

What language do they speak in Barbados?

The official language in Barbados is English. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.

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At a Glance

IE BB
Population 5,275,004 302,674
Currency Euro (€) Barbadian Dollar (BBD)
Languages English, Irish English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +353 +1246
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112