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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,181 in Bilbao versus $1,832 in Monroe, LA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,178 in Bilbao versus $2,781 in Monroe, LA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,175 in Bilbao versus $3,730 in Monroe, LA.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 19% more expensive than in Monroe, LA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 59% above, Monroe, LA 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.79

$15.30 $15.30

35.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 €61.5

$39.67 $39.67

80.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 €11.10

$9.97 $9.97

29.29%

Cappuccino

$2.66 €2.29

$3.06 $3.06

-13.07%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$1.96 $1.96

60.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.33 $2.33

-20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 €3.09

$5.57 $5.57

-35.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$6.52 $6.52

-46.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.06 $1.06

32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.79 $2.79

-40.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$2.72 $2.72

-43.01%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.90

$3.06 $3.06

10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 €13.00

$8.76 $8.76

72.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 €6.97

$7.59 $7.59

6.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.61 €11.72

$14.91 $14.91

-8.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$4.95 $4.95

-44.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.41 $1.41

51.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.73 $2.73

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$3.76 $3.76

-35.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.78 $2.78

-45.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$2.59 $2.59

-1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.52 $1.52

-16.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.93 $1.93

-55.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 €5.88

$7.86 $7.86

-13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$11.77 $11.77

-30.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.73 $1.73

-7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.72 $1.72

52.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 €1.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 €45.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €5.02

$2.51 $2.51

132.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.48 $1.48

-27.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.10 €29.35

$23.97 $23.97

42.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.91 $0.91

87.91%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$36.1K $36.1K

0.72%

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

$31.6K €27.2K

$26.0K $26.0K

21.68%

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

$149 €128

$172 $172

-13.15%

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

$20.81 €17.91

$52.7 $52.7

-60.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 €27.12

$61.7 $61.7

-48.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.56

$47.00 $47.00

22.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 €13.94

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 €9.10

$13.03 $13.03

-18.88%

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

$555 €477

$789 $789

-29.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.1K

$19.2K $19.2K

-38.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 €80.5

$39.35 $39.35

137.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 €30.95

$39.05 $39.05

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 €61.6

$63.1 $63.1

13.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €116

$95.9 $95.9

40.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,121

$989 $989

31.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 €946

$810 $810

35.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 €2,206

$2,172 $2,172

17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 €1,556

$1,614 $1,614

11.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,083 €5,236

$1,947 $1,947

212.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,833 €3,299

$1,812 $1,812

111.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,439 €2,100

$3,685 $3,685

-33.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.98

6.25

-52.32%

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

Last update for Bilbao: August 30, 2026

Last update for Monroe, LA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Bilbao and $989 in Monroe, LA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monroe, LA pays 51% 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 $40.00 in Monroe, LA. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $312, 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 Monroe, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Monroe, LA differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,181 vs $1,832 including rent). Monroe, LA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Monroe, 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: $1,302 in Bilbao versus $989 in Monroe, LA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 11% 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 $1,832 in Monroe, LA – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,832 in Monroe, LA versus $2,181 in Bilbao, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Monroe, LA but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Monroe, 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 Monroe, 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 Monroe, LA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.