Moving to Barbados from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Barbados, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Spain 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

ES
0.7
BB
15.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ES
3.5
BB
10.0

Spain performs better than Barbados across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ES
$4,935
BB
$1,153
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
BB
29.7

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain 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

ES
10.0
BB
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
BB
2.5t

Spain 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

ES
36.0
BB
37.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
BB
87.5%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
BB
8.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
BB
$17,400

Barbados generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
BB
78.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
BB
9.6

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

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Barbados

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

Barbados passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Barbados passport holders can enter Spain 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 Spain and Barbados.

Is Barbados safe for expats?

Spain performs better than Barbados across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Barbados is 15.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain.

How is healthcare in Barbados compared to Spain?

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 29.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Barbados, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Barbados scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

What language do they speak in Barbados?

The official language in Barbados is English. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES BB
Population 47,163,418 302,674
Currency Euro (€) Barbadian Dollar (BBD)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +34 +1246
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112