Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Bilbao 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Bilbao is 6.0% lower than in Madrid (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Bilbao is 9.4% lower than in Madrid | |
| Rent Prices in Bilbao are 16.3% lower than in Madrid | |
| Restaurant Prices in Bilbao are 5.0% higher than in Madrid | |
| Groceries Prices in Bilbao are 11.8% lower than in Madrid | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Bilbao is 1.4% lower than in Madrid | |
Restaurants | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.00 € | 16.00 € | +6.7 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 60.00 € | 67.50 € | +12.5 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 10.00 € | 11.00 € | +10.0 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 3.50 € | 3.50 € | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 4.00 € | 2.90 € | -27.5 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 2.56 € | 2.06 € | -19.6 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.68 € | 2.65 € | -1.3 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.73 € | 1.92 € | +11.4 % |
Markets | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.09 € | 1.11 € | +1.3 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.17 € | 1.19 € | +1.1 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.72 € | 0.65 € | -9.8 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 3.30 € | 2.85 € | -13.7 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 6.65 € | 5.44 € | -18.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.48 € | 3.27 € | -6.2 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 7.40 € | 4.99 € | -32.6 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.04 € | 1.10 € | +5.4 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.92 € | 0.85 € | -7.2 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.03 € | 1.04 € | +0.9 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.09 € | 0.95 € | -12.7 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.79 € | 0.54 € | -31.4 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.86 € | 0.99 € | +14.7 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.18 € | 1.05 € | -10.7 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 0.77 € | 0.78 € | +1.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 7.00 € | 7.00 € | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 1.20 € | 1.55 € | +29.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.02 € | 3.00 € | +48.6 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 6.00 € | 6.00 € | 0.0 % |
Transportation | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.50 € | 1.70 € | +13.3 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 35.50 € | 45.00 € | +26.8 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.50 € | 4.90 € | +40.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 2.09 € | 1.45 € | -30.8 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 25.00 € | 29.00 € | +16.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.57 € | 1.55 € | -1.3 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 31,500.00 € | 31,500.00 € | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 28,561.82 € | 27,135.71 € | -5.0 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 172.85 € | 122.74 € | -29.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 15.88 € | 19.00 € | +19.7 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 29.25 € | 28.33 € | -3.1 % |
Sports And Leisure | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 45.07 € | 50.83 € | +12.8 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 14.04 € | 13.67 € | -2.6 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 10.00 € | 9.50 € | -5.0 % |
Childcare | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 591.50 € | 475.00 € | -19.7 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 14,985.62 € | 10,291.33 € | -31.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 85.35 € | 71.00 € | -16.8 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 33.47 € | 31.25 € | -6.6 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 88.50 € | 66.25 € | -25.1 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 98.75 € | 105.00 € | +6.3 % |
Rent Per Month | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,307.24 € | 1,007.14 € | -23.0 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 996.60 € | 881.00 € | -11.6 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,364.84 € | 1,965.00 € | -16.9 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,574.23 € | 1,372.50 € | -12.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 684.87 € | 450.80 € | -34.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 354.97 € | 294.20 € | -17.1 % |
Salaries And Financing | Madrid Edit |
Bilbao Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,244.37 € | 2,005.48 € | -10.6 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 3.13 | 3.08 | -1.4 % |
| Last update: | 14 February 2026 | 7 February 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 249 | 21 | |
Moving to Madrid? Explore:
Moving to Bilbao? Explore:
Cities near Madrid: | Cost of Living in Pozuelo de Alarcon | 8.64 miles |
| Cost of Living in Getafe | 9.04 miles |
| Cost of Living in Coslada | 9.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Moraleja | 11.07 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rivas-Vaciamadrid | 12.79 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fuenlabrada | 15.28 miles |
| Cost of Living in Mostoles | 15.34 miles |
| Cost of Living in Alcala de Henares | 20.54 miles |
| Cost of Living in Soto del Real | 26.90 miles |
| Cost of Living in Aranjuez | 30.41 miles |
Cities near Bilbao: | Cost of Living in Algorta, Basque country | 8.31 miles |
| Cost of Living in Vitoria-Gasteiz | 40.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Sebastian | 62.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in Santander | 63.40 miles |
| Cost of Living in Pamplona | 96.90 miles |
| Cost of Living in Burgos | 98.92 miles |
| Cost of Living in Gijon | 168.80 miles |
| Cost of Living in Valladolid | 176.25 miles |
| Cost of Living in Oviedo | 178.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in Leon | 209.17 miles |