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Bilbao vs Ljubljana cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ช๐ธ Bilbao
๐ธ๐ฎ Ljubljana
At a glance
- Where Ljubljana is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (40%โ), SIM card (33%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (21%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Ljubljana is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: language โ Bilbao 3 vs Ljubljana 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bilbao | Ljubljana | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 17$19.8 | โฌ 14$16.3 | Ljubljana โ18% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 3$3.49 | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | Bilbao โ14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 32$37.2 | โฌ 28$32.6 | Ljubljana โ12% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 2.3$2.67 | โฌ 2.2$2.56 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 4.2$4.88 | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | Ljubljana โ17% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 8$9.3 | โฌ 7$8.14 | Ljubljana โ12% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 10$11.6 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Ljubljana โ10% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 7$8.14 | โฌ 5.5$6.4 | Ljubljana โ21% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 1.7$1.98 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | Ljubljana โ12% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 12$14 | Ljubljana โ40% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 110$128 | โฌ 110$128 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 950$1,105 | โฌ 780$907 | Ljubljana โ18% |
| Laundry | โฌ 9$10.5 | โฌ 8$9.3 | Ljubljana โ11% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | โฌ 10$11.6 | Ljubljana โ33% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 17$19.8 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Ljubljana โ12% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 50$58.1 | โฌ 50$58.1 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 50$58.1 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Ljubljana โ20% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 16$18.6 | โฌ 13$15.1 | Ljubljana โ19% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bilbao or Ljubljana?
Ljubljana is 12% cheaper than Bilbao. Daily budget $264 vs $246; a month $5,042 vs $4,188.
Which is easier to travel, Bilbao or Ljubljana?
Ljubljana is easier: Ljubljana 1.4/5 vs Bilbao 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bilbao and Ljubljana?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bilbao is about $5,042 and Ljubljana about $4,188 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.