Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Hamrun Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Hamrun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,181 in Bilbao versus $1,697 in Hamrun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,178 in Bilbao versus $2,623 in Hamrun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,175 in Bilbao versus $3,550 in Hamrun.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 29% more expensive than in Hamrun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 59% above, Hamrun 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.79

$12.92 €11.12

59.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 €61.5

$57.4 €49.37

24.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 €11.10

$9.49 €8.17

35.83%

Cappuccino

$2.66 €2.29

$2.05 €1.76

29.76%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$2.01 €1.73

56.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.49 €1.28

24.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 €3.09

$2.09 €1.80

71.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$2.27 €1.96

52.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.32 €1.13

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.35 €1.16

22.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$4.44 €3.82

-65.09%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.90

$4.46 €3.84

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 €13.00

$8.44 €7.26

78.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 €6.97

$10.87 €9.36

-25.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.61 €11.72

$18.94 €16.30

-28.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$4.27 €3.67

-35.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.80 €2.41

-23.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.30

$3.72 €3.20

-27.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$3.46 €2.98

-29.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.65 €2.28

-43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$2.13 €1.83

20.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.10

$2.38 €2.05

-46.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.33 €1.14

-35.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 €5.88

$7.21 €6.20

-5.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$8.44 €7.26

-3.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.83 €1.58

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.48 €2.14

6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.63 €2.27

-28.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 €45.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €5.02

$5.94 €5.12

-1.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$2.38 €2.05

-55.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.10 €29.35

$27.84 €23.96

22.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.58 €1.36

8.23%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$39.3K €33.8K

-7.32%

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

$31.6K €27.2K

$40.5K €34.9K

-21.89%

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

$149 €128

$107 €92.4

38.87%

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

$20.81 €17.91

$26.85 €23.11

-22.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 €27.12

$28.71 €24.71

9.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.56

$65.8 €56.6

-12.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 €13.94

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 €9.10

$10.38 €8.94

1.83%

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

$555 €477

$376 €324

47.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.1K

$11.6K €10.0K

0.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 €80.5

$91.7 €79.0

1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 €30.95

$41.52 €35.74

-13.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 €61.6

$105 €90.5

-31.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €116

$81.5 €70.1

65.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,121

$875 €753

48.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 €946

$773 €665

42.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 €2,206

$1,622 €1,396

58.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 €1,556

$1,384 €1,191

30.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,083 €5,236

$4,005 €3,448

51.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,833 €3,299

$2,871 €2,472

33.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,439 €2,100

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.98

2.9

2.76%

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

Last update for Bilbao: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hamrun: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Bilbao and $875 in Hamrun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Bilbao vs $57.0 in Hamrun. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $338, 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 Hamrun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Hamrun differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,181 vs $1,697 including rent). Hamrun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,272 in Bilbao and $2,545 in Hamrun to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,302 in Bilbao versus $875 in Hamrun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 20% 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 $1,697 in Hamrun – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,697 in Hamrun versus $2,181 in Bilbao, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamrun but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Hamrun 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 Hamrun 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 Hamrun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.