Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Mahe Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Mahe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,010 in Bilbao versus $1,831 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,865 in Bilbao versus $2,484 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,720 in Bilbao versus $3,138 in Mahe.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 10% more expensive than in Mahe, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 50% above, Mahe 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 €15.38

$15.62 SCR 224

12.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €60.5

$70.1 SCR 1,004

-1.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.14

$7.82 SCR 112

48.08%

Cappuccino

$2.27 €1.99

$4.34 SCR 62.3

-47.70%

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

$2.91 €2.55

$2.29 SCR 32.85

27.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.75 SCR 25.10

17.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 €3.34

$8.43 SCR 121

-54.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 €3.27

$5.26 SCR 75.3

-29.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.53 SCR 21.95

-19.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 €1.30

$1.04 SCR 14.87

42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.48

$1.77 SCR 25.31

-4.52%

Eggs

$2.88 €2.52

$4.09 SCR 58.6

-29.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.26 €13.37

$15.62 SCR 224

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 €7.89

$7.82 SCR 112

15.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 €11.93

$12.50 SCR 179

8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.43

$2.02 SCR 28.94

37.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.05

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 €2.15

$2.24 SCR 32.15

9.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$5.08 SCR 72.8

-53.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.51

$0.99 SCR 14.24

73.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 €1.97

$0.94 SCR 13.44

139.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.29

$1.03 SCR 14.71

42.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.94

$11.97 SCR 172

-43.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 €7.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.17

$2.02 SCR 29.01

-33.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 €2.28

$2.05 SCR 29.36

26.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.85 SCR 12.18

125.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.79 €43.61

$24.36 SCR 349

104.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 €4.87

$10.51 SCR 151

-47.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 €0.85

$3.17 SCR 45.40

-69.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.92 €28.83

$10.43 SCR 149

215.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.57 SCR 22.42

12.10%

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

$38.0K €33.2K

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

$32.2K €28.2K

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

$156 €136

$83.0 SCR 1,189

87.53%

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

$22.02 €19.28

$20.78 SCR 298

5.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.35 €30.09

$159 SCR 2,276

-78.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €50.5

$51.9 SCR 744

11.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.20 €8.93

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 €8.81

$6.28 SCR 90.0

60.19%

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

$549 €481

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,097 €7,967

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 €72.0

$27.08 SCR 388

203.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.78 €30.46

$10.80 SCR 155

222.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 €72.2

$43.76 SCR 627

88.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €98.9

$55.5 SCR 794

103.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 €952

$844 SCR 12.1K

28.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 €839

$862 SCR 12.3K

11.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 €1,583

$1,717 SCR 24.6K

5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 €1,189

$1,038 SCR 14.9K

30.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,777 €5,059

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,699 €3,239

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,391 €2,094

$886 SCR 12.7K

170.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

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

Last update for Bilbao: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mahe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,087 in Bilbao and $844 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 170% 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: $69.0 in Bilbao vs $70.0 in Mahe. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $240, with Mahe 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 Mahe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Mahe differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,010 vs $1,831 including rent). Mahe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 170% higher in Bilbao, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,087 in Bilbao versus $844 in Mahe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Bilbao. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,010 per month in Bilbao versus $1,831 in Mahe – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,831 in Mahe versus $2,010 in Bilbao, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mahe but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Mahe 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 Mahe 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 Mahe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.