Popular cities
Bilbao vs Siena cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ช๐ธ Bilbao
๐ฎ๐น Siena
At a glance
- Where Siena is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (38%โ), Studio rent (month) (37%โ), Cocktail & wine (25%โ)
- Where Bilbao is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (67%โ), Street food (57%โ), SIM card (40%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Bilbao is easier to travel (2.0 vs 2.2). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bilbao 1 vs Siena 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bilbao | Siena | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 17$19.8 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Siena โ12% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 3$3.49 | โฌ 7$8.14 | Bilbao โ57% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 32$37.2 | โฌ 32$37.2 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 2.3$2.67 | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | Siena โ22% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 4.2$4.88 | โฌ 5.5$6.4 | Bilbao โ24% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 8$9.3 | โฌ 6$6.98 | Siena โ25% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | โฌ 1$1.16 | Bilbao โ20% |
| 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 2$2.33 | Bilbao โ15% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 60$69.8 | Bilbao โ67% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 110$128 | โฌ 120$140 | Bilbao โ8% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 950$1,105 | โฌ 600$698 | Siena โ37% |
| Laundry | โฌ 9$10.5 | โฌ 9$10.5 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | โฌ 25$29.1 | Bilbao โ40% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 17$19.8 | โฌ 18$20.9 | Bilbao โ6% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 50$58.1 | โฌ 60$69.8 | Bilbao โ17% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 50$58.1 | โฌ 75$87.2 | Bilbao โ33% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 16$18.6 | โฌ 10$11.6 | Siena โ38% |
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 Siena?
Siena is 10% cheaper than Bilbao. Daily budget $264 vs $272; a month $5,042 vs $3,904.
Which is easier to travel, Bilbao or Siena?
Bilbao is easier: Bilbao 2.0/5 vs Siena 2.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bilbao and Siena?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bilbao is about $5,042 and Siena about $3,904 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.