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: $2,176 in Bilbao versus $2,036 in Houma, LA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,210 in Bilbao versus $2,988 in Houma, LA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,244 in Bilbao versus $3,941 in Houma, LA.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 7% more expensive than in Houma, LA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 58% above, Houma, LA 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.59 €17.74

$19.80 $19.80

3.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 €63.2

$49.16 $49.16

49.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.61 €10.87

$12.13 $12.13

3.96%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.27

$5.57 $5.57

-52.78%

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

$3.05 €2.63

$2.23 $2.23

36.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.66 $1.66

13.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.07 $3.07

16.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.94

$4.83 $4.83

-29.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.09 $1.09

28.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 €1.41

$3.92 $3.92

-58.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$5.00 $5.00

-68.40%

Eggs

$3.30 €2.84

$1.71 $1.71

92.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 €12.86

$10.40 $10.40

43.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 €7.11

$10.08 $10.08

-18.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 €12.01

$15.17 $15.17

-8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$5.16 $5.16

-46.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.30 $1.30

59.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$5.36 $5.36

-50.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 €2.16

$4.14 $4.14

-39.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$2.07 $2.07

-23.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$3.27 $3.27

-21.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.01 $2.01

-35.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$2.69 $2.69

-67.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.96 €6.00

$8.53 $8.53

-18.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.19 €7.06

$13.25 $13.25

-38.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.48 $2.48

-35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 €2.24

$3.99 $3.99

-34.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 €1.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 €44.89

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 €5.04

$3.40 $3.40

71.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.52 $1.52

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.30 €28.70

$34.51 $34.51

-3.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.86 $0.86

104.65%

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

$36.8K €31.7K

$35.1K $35.1K

5.01%

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

$32.0K €27.5K

$26.0K $26.0K

22.82%

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

$150 €129

$151 $151

-0.47%

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

$20.95 €18.06

$71.1 $71.1

-70.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.43 €27.09

$47.00 $47.00

-33.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.44

$27.26 $27.26

110.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 €13.73

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 €9.14

$12.39 $12.39

-14.37%

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

$552 €476

$1,539 $1,539

-64.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.3K

$10.4K $10.4K

15.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 €80.9

$58.1 $58.1

61.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.72 €30.79

$43.03 $43.03

-16.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 €62.0

$87.3 $87.3

-17.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

$122 $122

7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 €1,144

$1,044 $1,044

27.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 €940

$922 $922

18.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,518 €2,170

$1,552 $1,552

62.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 €1,540

$1,442 $1,442

23.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,053 €5,218

$1,461 $1,461

314.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,882 €3,346

$1,444 $1,444

168.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,446 €2,109

$3,709 $3,709

-34.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.98

-25.50%

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

Last update for Bilbao: September 6, 2026

Last update for Houma, LA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Bilbao and $1,044 in Houma, LA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houma, LA pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Bilbao vs $49.00 in Houma, LA. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $380, 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 7% in total monthly costs ($2,176 vs $2,036 including rent). Houma, LA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Houma, LA. 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: $1,327 in Bilbao versus $1,044 in Houma, LA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,176 per month in Bilbao versus $2,036 in Houma, LA – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,036 in Houma, LA versus $2,176 in Bilbao, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Houma, LA but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Houma, LA 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 Houma, LA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.