Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Elizabethtown, KY Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Elizabethtown, KY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,181 in Bilbao versus $2,054 in Elizabethtown, KY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,178 in Bilbao versus $2,970 in Elizabethtown, KY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,175 in Bilbao versus $3,887 in Elizabethtown, KY.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 6% more expensive than in Elizabethtown, KY, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 59% above, Elizabethtown, KY 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.78

$15.01 $15.01

37.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 €61.5

$49.49 $49.49

44.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 €11.09

$9.91 $9.91

30.07%

Cappuccino

$2.66 €2.29

$5.05 $5.05

-47.33%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$2.19 $2.19

43.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.92 $1.92

-3.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 €3.08

$5.36 $5.36

-33.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$7.29 $7.29

-52.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$0.83 $0.83

68.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.18 $2.18

-23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$2.05 $2.05

-24.39%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.90

$2.74 $2.74

22.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 €12.99

$12.77 $12.77

18.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 €6.97

$11.18 $11.18

-27.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.61 €11.71

$15.84 $15.84

-14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$5.74 $5.74

-51.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.65 $1.65

29.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.30

$4.29 $4.29

-37.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$4.82 $4.82

-49.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.61 $2.61

-42.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$3.15 $3.15

-18.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.10

$2.08 $2.08

-38.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.90 $1.90

-54.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 €5.88

$5.88 $5.88

16.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$14.95 $14.95

-45.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$2.05 $2.05

-21.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.26

$3.10 $3.10

-15.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 €1.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 €45.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €5.02

$3.82 $3.82

52.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.27 $1.27

-15.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.10 €29.34

$24.52 $24.52

39.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.77 $0.77

122.08%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$36.6K $36.6K

-0.48%

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

$31.6K €27.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

25.51%

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

$149 €128

$150 $150

-0.82%

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

$20.81 €17.90

$76.2 $76.2

-72.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 €27.11

$69.5 $69.5

-54.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.54

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 €13.94

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 €9.10

$10.80 $10.80

-2.13%

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

$555 €477

$1,445 $1,445

-61.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.1K

$19.2K $19.2K

-38.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 €80.5

$45.52 $45.52

105.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 €30.93

$40.53 $40.53

-11.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 €61.6

$81.8 $81.8

-12.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €116

$86.1 $86.1

56.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,121

$1,208 $1,208

7.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 €946

$963 $963

14.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 €2,205

$1,945 $1,945

31.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 €1,555

$1,503 $1,503

20.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,083 €5,234

$1,780 $1,780

241.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,833 €3,298

$1,763 $1,763

117.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,439 €2,099

$3,315 $3,315

-26.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.98

6.21

-52.01%

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

Last update for Bilbao: August 30, 2026

Last update for Elizabethtown, KY: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Bilbao and $1,208 in Elizabethtown, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabethtown, KY pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Bilbao vs $49.00 in Elizabethtown, KY. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $362, with Bilbao cheaper for home cooking.

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 Elizabethtown, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Elizabethtown, KY differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,181 vs $2,054 including rent). Elizabethtown, KY is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Elizabethtown, KY. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,302 in Bilbao versus $1,208 in Elizabethtown, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,181 per month in Bilbao versus $2,054 in Elizabethtown, KY – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,054 in Elizabethtown, KY versus $2,181 in Bilbao, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Elizabethtown, KY but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Elizabethtown, KY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bilbao and Elizabethtown, KY are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Elizabethtown, KY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.