Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Almelo Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Almelo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,008 per month in Bilbao vs $2,365 in Almelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,876 per month in Bilbao vs $3,409 in Almelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,743 per month in Bilbao vs $4,453 in Almelo, rent included.

Bilbao is about 15% cheaper than Almelo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bilbao and Almelo sit above the global median – Bilbao by 50%, Almelo by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.06 €14.69

$7.11 €6.12

139.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 €60.8

$88.3 €76.0

-19.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €9.78

$13.77 €11.86

-17.50%

Cappuccino

$2.30 €1.98

$3.55 €3.06

-35.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.97 €2.56

1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.27 €1.95

-12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 €3.16

$5.71 €4.92

-35.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 €3.23

$3.43 €2.96

9.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.32 €1.13

-2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 €1.28

$2.02 €1.74

-26.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$3.24 €2.79

-47.22%

Eggs

$2.92 €2.51

$4.81 €4.14

-39.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.66 €13.49

$8.61 €7.41

81.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 €7.46

$15.71 €13.53

-44.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 €11.73

$16.98 €14.63

-19.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$2.25 €1.93

19.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.50 €2.16

-6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$1.97 €1.70

23.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.47 €2.99

-29.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$2.05 €1.77

-17.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.98 €1.70

13.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.94 €0.81

54.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.43 €0.37

165.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 €6.02

$12.10 €10.42

-42.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.18

$7.11 €6.12

17.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.42 €1.22

-4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.47 €2.13

8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.30 €1.12

49.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.89 €42.10

$91.7 €79.0

-46.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.70

$3.85 €3.31

41.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 €0.79

$1.02 €0.88

-10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.74 €29.06

$29.98 €25.82

12.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.57

$2.25 €1.94

-19.11%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.0K €33.6K

$29.4K €25.3K

32.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.4K €27.9K

$31.8K €27.4K

1.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$155 €134

$211 €182

-26.57%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.95 €18.90

$21.70 €18.68

1.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.79 €29.96

$33.68 €29.01

3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 €48.48

$43.95 €37.84

28.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 €8.77

$17.32 €14.92

-41.17%

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 €8.77

$13.27 €11.43

-23.21%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$542 €466

$1,769 €1,523

-69.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,116 €7,850

$8,505 €7,324

7.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.5 €73.6

$67.5 €58.1

26.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 €30.11

$25.65 €22.09

36.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 €71.2

$84.1 €72.4

-1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €96.8

$87.9 €75.7

27.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €953

$1,362 €1,173

-18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 €813

$1,280 €1,102

-26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 €1,546

$1,969 €1,695

-8.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 €1,165

$1,985 €1,710

-31.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,928 €5,105

$5,698 €4,907

4.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,727 €3,209

$4,499 €3,874

-17.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,453 €2,112

$4,246 €3,656

-42.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

3.64

-7.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bilbao: June 2, 2026

Last update for Almelo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,107 in Bilbao versus $1,362 in Almelo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 73% higher in Almelo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Bilbao versus $88.0 in Almelo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $318 – making Bilbao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bilbao vs Almelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Almelo costs about 18% more than Bilbao, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,013 per month in Bilbao and $3,547 in Almelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bilbao, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 88% less in Bilbao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $542 per month in Bilbao and $1,769 in Almelo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bilbao, where all-in costs run around $2,008, than in Almelo at $2,365. In Bilbao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almelo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bilbao costs $2,008 versus $2,365 in Almelo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bilbao. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Almelo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.