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Bilbao vs Madrid cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ช๐ธ Bilbao
๐ช๐ธ Madrid
At a glance
- Where Madrid is clearly cheaper: Laundry (67%โ), Half-day tour (30%โ), Local meal (18%โ)
- Where Bilbao is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (43%โ), Street food (40%โ), Bottled water (33%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bilbao 1 vs Madrid 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bilbao | Madrid | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 17$19.8 | โฌ 14$16.3 | Madrid โ18% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 3$3.49 | โฌ 5$5.81 | Bilbao โ40% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 32$37.2 | โฌ 30$34.9 | Madrid โ6% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 2.3$2.67 | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | Bilbao โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 4.2$4.88 | โฌ 4$4.65 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 8$9.3 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Bilbao โ11% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | โฌ 1.2$1.4 | Bilbao โ33% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | Bilbao โ17% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 10$11.6 | โฌ 11$12.8 | Bilbao โ9% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 7$8.14 | โฌ 7$8.14 | similar |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 1.7$1.98 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | Madrid โ12% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 35$40.7 | Bilbao โ43% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 110$128 | โฌ 120$140 | Bilbao โ8% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 950$1,105 | โฌ 1,250$1,453 | Bilbao โ24% |
| Laundry | โฌ 9$10.5 | โฌ 3$3.49 | Madrid โ67% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | โฌ 15$17.4 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 17$19.8 | โฌ 18$20.9 | Bilbao โ6% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 50$58.1 | โฌ 50$58.1 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 50$58.1 | โฌ 35$40.7 | Madrid โ30% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 16$18.6 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Madrid โ6% |
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 Madrid?
Bilbao and Madrid cost about the same. Daily budget $264 vs $267; a month $5,042 vs $5,187.
Which is easier to travel, Bilbao or Madrid?
About the same: Bilbao 2.0/5, Madrid 1.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bilbao and Madrid?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bilbao is about $5,042 and Madrid about $5,187 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.