Cost of Living in Bermuda: A Sourced Monthly Budget (2026)
This guide is general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice. Some links may be affiliate links. See our disclosure.
Bermuda is one of the most expensive places in the world to live. That’s easy to say and hard to plan around. This guide puts real, sourced numbers on the main costs so you can build a budget before you accept a job offer or apply for Permission to Reside.
Where the numbers come from: government sources (gov.bm, bermudalaws.bm), providers’ own price pages, and Numbeo, a crowd-sourced cost-of-living database. Numbeo figures are averages of user submissions (107 entries from 16 contributors for Hamilton in the year to September 2026), so treat them as a rough guide rather than official statistics (numbeo.com). All prices are in Bermuda dollars, which are equal to US dollars (BMA).
The headline numbers
Numbeo’s model, as of September 2026, estimates monthly costs excluding rent of:
- about $2,068 for a single person, and
- about $7,568 for a family of four.
On the same data, Hamilton is about 98% more expensive than Tucson, Arizona excluding rent, and rent is about 259% higher (numbeo.com).
Rent: the biggest line
| Property (Numbeo average, Sep 2026) | Monthly rent |
|---|---|
| 1-bed, city centre | $3,868 (range $2,500–$5,500) |
| 1-bed, outside centre | $2,662 (range $2,000–$3,470) |
| 3-bed, city centre | $8,430 (range $7,500–$15,000) |
| 3-bed, outside centre | $7,564 (range $6,120–$10,000) |
Source: numbeo.com.
As a reality check against real listings, JBM Realty’s public rentals on 4 September 2026 were a two-bedroom in Sandys at $4,400/month and a three-bedroom Warwick house at $6,200/month (jbm-realty.com). That’s one agency’s asking prices, not an island-wide average.
See renting in Bermuda and where to live: the parishes.
Groceries
Almost all food is imported. Selected Numbeo averages (September 2026):
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Milk, 1 litre | $4.92 |
| Loaf of white bread (1lb) | $7.27 |
| Eggs, 12 | $7.18 |
| Chicken fillets, 1lb | $9.66 |
| Local cheese, 1lb | $10.66 |
| Apples, 1lb | $4.11 |
| Lettuce, one head | $6.24 |
| Mid-range bottle of wine | $24.00 |
Source: numbeo.com.
Food inflation: the Government’s April 2026 Consumer Price Index showed overall inflation of 2.5% year on year, with food up 4.0%. Meats were up 11.7% and poultry 8.7% (gov.bm CPI report, gov.bm).
Eating out
Numbeo averages: $50 for a meal at an inexpensive restaurant, $150 for a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant, $7.50 for a pint of local draught beer, and $6.20 for a cappuccino (numbeo.com).
Utilities, phone and internet
| Cost | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities, ~915 sq ft flat (electricity, cooling, water, rubbish) | ~$288/month (range $200–$400) | Numbeo |
| Home fibre broadband, 500 Mbps (One Communications FibreWire) | $130/month | onecomm.bm |
| Mobile, unlimited data (Paradise Mobile “Data Freedom”) | $103/month | paradisemobile.bm |
| Mobile, 10GB then slower (Paradise “Essentials”) | $73/month | paradisemobile.bm |
The April 2026 CPI showed fuel and power down 7.7% on the year, led by an 8.0% fall in electricity prices (gov.bm).
More in phones, eSIMs and internet in Bermuda.
Transport
- Bus: about $5 one way, or $69 for a monthly pass (Numbeo averages).
- Taxi: about $6.50 to start plus about $4.81 a mile (Numbeo averages).
- Petrol: about $2.39 a litre (Numbeo average).
- A new compact car such as a VW Golf: about $37,500 (Numbeo average).
- Driving licence road test: $75 (tcd.bm).
Households can register only one private car (Motor Car Act 1951), so many people budget for a car plus a scooter, or for buses and ferries. See getting around Bermuda.
Healthcare
If you’re employed, your employer must provide at least Standard Health Benefit cover and may deduct up to half the standard premium from your pay (Health Insurance Act 1970). On Permission to Reside, you pay for private cover yourself. Premiums depend on age and plan, so get quotes. See health insurance.
Childcare and schools
- Private full-day preschool: about $1,320 a month per child (Numbeo average).
- Saltus Grammar School: $27,820 a year in one payment for 2026–27 (saltus.bm).
- Warwick Academy: $24,267 a year (warwick.bm).
See schools in Bermuda.
Tax and deductions from your pay
There’s no personal income tax, but employees pay payroll tax on a sliding scale. For 2026–27 the employee rates are 0.25% on the first $48,000, then 7.75% up to $96,000, then 10.75% up to $200,000 (gov.bm). There are also pension contributions. See Bermuda payroll tax and pensions.
Three example budgets (monthly, rough)
These combine the figures above. They’re illustrations, not quotes.
Single professional, one-bed outside Hamilton
- Rent: ~$2,662
- Living costs excluding rent (Numbeo single-person estimate): ~$2,068
- Total: roughly $4,700 a month, before tax, pension and health insurance
Single professional, one-bed in the centre
- Rent: ~$3,868 + living costs ~$2,068 = roughly $5,900 a month
Family of four, three-bed outside the centre, two children at private school
- Rent: ~$7,564
- Living costs excluding rent (Numbeo family estimate): ~$7,568
- School fees: two × $24,267 ÷ 12 = ~$4,045
- Total: roughly $19,200 a month
Put that next to the $75,000-a-year minimum for Permission to Reside (about $6,250 a month) and you can see why the legal minimum isn’t a comfortable budget.
How to cut costs
- Live outside Hamilton and commute by ferry or bus.
- Share a house for the first year while you learn the island.
- Ship less and buy second-hand locally. Imported goods generally pay duty at 25% (Customs).
- Convert money cheaply. Compare providers by the amount received, for example Wise. See sending money to Bermuda.
- Negotiate a housing allowance into your job offer if you can.
Before you accept a job offer
Work out your net monthly pay after payroll tax, pension and your share of health insurance, then subtract realistic rent for the parish you’d live in. If what’s left looks thin, negotiate before you sign. Our moving checklist covers the rest.
Figures checked 12 October 2026. Numbeo data is crowd-sourced and changes often.
Related: one-off cost of moving from the UK · Bermuda vs Cayman vs Isle of Man
FAQ
How much does it cost to live in Bermuda?
Numbeo estimates monthly costs excluding rent of about $2,068 for a single person and about $7,568 for a family of four (September 2026). These are crowd-sourced averages, not official statistics.
How much is rent in Bermuda?
Numbeo averages are about $3,868 for a city-centre one-bed, $2,662 for a one-bed outside the centre, $8,430 for a city-centre three-bed and $7,564 for a three-bed outside the centre.
How much are private school fees?
Saltus Grammar School is $27,820 a year in one payment for 2026–27, and Warwick Academy is $24,267 a year.
Is $75,000 enough to live in Bermuda?
$75,000 is about $6,250 a month. A single person renting a one-bed in the centre would spend roughly $5,900 a month before tax, pension and health insurance, so the legal minimum for Permission to Reside isn't a comfortable budget.
How can I cut costs in Bermuda?
Live outside Hamilton and commute by ferry or bus, share a house at first, ship less (imports generally pay 25% duty), convert money cheaply and negotiate a housing allowance.