Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Houma, LA Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Houma, LA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,988 in Bilbao versus $2,370 in Houma, LA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,817 in Bilbao versus $3,423 in Houma, LA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,646 in Bilbao versus $4,477 in Houma, LA.

Living in Bilbao costs roughly 16% less than in Houma, LA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 48% above, Houma, LA 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.17 €14.61

$14.86 $14.86

15.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €59.8

$49.09 $49.09

43.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 €9.86

$10.10 $10.10

14.75%

Cappuccino

$2.41 €2.05

$5.59 $5.59

-56.89%

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

$2.96 €2.52

$2.04 $2.04

45.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.76

$1.96 $1.96

5.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 €3.14

$3.18 $3.18

16.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 €3.23

$4.82 $4.82

-21.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.04

$1.09 $1.09

11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 €1.25

$2.92 $2.92

-49.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.45

$2.37 $2.37

-28.27%

Eggs

$2.88 €2.45

$1.72 $1.72

67.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 €13.31

$10.55 $10.55

48.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 €7.73

$11.26 $11.26

-19.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 €11.25

$15.19 $15.19

-12.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.29

$5.30 $5.30

-49.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.07

$1.24 $1.24

95.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 €2.05

$5.38 $5.38

-55.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.11

$3.96 $3.96

-37.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 €1.42

$2.17 $2.17

-23.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 €1.88

$2.79 $2.79

-20.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.96 $1.96

-25.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.94

$1.80 $1.80

-38.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.08

$8.58 $8.58

-16.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 €7.20

$13.11 $13.11

-35.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.92 $1.92

-27.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.20

$2.79 $2.79

-7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.01 $2.01

-3.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.60 €41.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 €4.74

$3.91 $3.91

42.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 €0.80

$1.27 $1.27

-25.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.16 €29.07

$60.4 $60.4

-43.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.48

$0.75 $0.75

132.00%

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

$39.0K €33.2K

$37.0K $37.0K

5.38%

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

$31.6K €26.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

25.97%

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

$156 €133

$137 $137

13.94%

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

$21.83 €18.57

$45.01 $45.01

-51.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 €29.59

$47.45 $47.45

-26.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 €48.30

$27.14 $27.14

109.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.18 €8.66

Cinema Ticket

$10.30 €8.76

$12.11 $12.11

-14.95%

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

$559 €476

$1,288 $1,288

-56.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,940 €7,608

$9,920 $9,920

-9.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 €71.8

$35.59 $35.59

136.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.72 €29.55

$41.92 $41.92

-17.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 €69.8

$72.3 $72.3

13.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 €94.6

$77.1 $77.1

44.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 €933

$1,017 $1,017

7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 €796

$1,378 $1,378

-32.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 €1,561

$2,661 $2,661

-31.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 €1,132

$2,187 $2,187

-39.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,862 €4,988

$1,457 $1,457

302.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 €3,219

$1,448 $1,448

161.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,416 €2,056

$3,797 $3,797

-36.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

6.61

-48.87%

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

Last update for Bilbao: April 13, 2026

Last update for Houma, LA: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,097 in Bilbao and $1,017 in Houma, LA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houma, LA pays 57% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70 in Bilbao vs $49 in Houma, LA. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $348, 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 Houma, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Houma, LA differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,988 vs $2,370 including rent). Bilbao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Houma, LA earns 57% less. 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: $1,097 in Bilbao versus $1,017 in Houma, LA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Houma, LA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,988 per month in Bilbao versus $2,370 in Houma, LA – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,988 in Bilbao versus $2,370 in Houma, LA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bilbao but tight or insufficient in Houma, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Bilbao 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 Houma, LA 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 Bilbao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Houma, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.