Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Rethymno Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Rethymno

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,176 in Bilbao versus $1,385 in Rethymno.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,210 in Bilbao versus $2,096 in Rethymno.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,244 in Bilbao versus $2,807 in Rethymno.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 57% more expensive than in Rethymno, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 58% above, Rethymno 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.59 €17.74

$15.03 €12.96

36.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 €63.2

$58.2 €50.2

25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.61 €10.87

$10.63 €9.16

18.63%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.27

$3.69 €3.18

-28.73%

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

$3.05 €2.63

$1.71 €1.47

78.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$0.55 €0.48

243.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.78 €4.12

-25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.94

$5.36 €4.62

-36.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.86 €1.61

-24.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.49 €1.28

10.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$2.25 €1.94

-29.78%

Eggs

$3.30 €2.84

$4.59 €3.96

-28.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 €12.86

$15.24 €13.14

-2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 €7.11

$10.12 €8.73

-18.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 €12.01

$15.55 €13.41

-10.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.08 €1.80

33.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.18 €1.88

-5.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$1.26 €1.09

111.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 €2.16

$1.83 €1.58

36.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.03 €0.89

53.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$0.98 €0.84

161.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.68 €0.58

89.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.73 €0.63

19.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.96 €6.00

$4.54 €3.91

53.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.19 €7.06

$6.28 €5.41

30.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.84 €1.59

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 €2.24

$1.90 €1.64

36.84%

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

$4.62 €3.98

26.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.17 €1.01

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.30 €28.70

$11.55 €9.96

188.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.27 €1.96

-22.47%

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

$36.8K €31.7K

$23.0K €19.8K

59.94%

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

$32.0K €27.5K

$25.7K €22.1K

24.44%

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

$150 €129

$163 €141

-8.03%

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

$20.95 €18.06

$18.81 €16.21

11.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.43 €27.09

$32.18 €27.74

-2.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.44

$64.9 €56.0

-11.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 €13.73

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 €9.14

$8.46 €7.29

25.41%

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

$552 €476

$382 €329

44.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.3K

$4,244 €3,658

182.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 €80.9

$86.9 €74.9

7.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.72 €30.79

$11.58 €9.98

208.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 €62.0

$45.86 €39.53

56.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

$46.41 €40.00

182.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 €1,144

$575 €496

130.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 €940

$454 €392

140.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,518 €2,170

$916 €789

174.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 €1,540

$725 €625

146.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,053 €5,218

$4,304 €3,710

40.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,882 €3,346

$3,106 €2,678

24.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,446 €2,109

$1,245 €1,073

96.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.98

4.3

-30.70%

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

Last update for Bilbao: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rethymno: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Bilbao and $575 in Rethymno. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 97% 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: $73.0 in Bilbao vs $58.0 in Rethymno. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $284, 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 Rethymno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Rethymno differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($2,176 vs $1,385 including rent). Rethymno is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 97% 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: $1,327 in Bilbao versus $575 in Rethymno. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 1% 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 $1,385 in Rethymno – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,385 in Rethymno versus $2,176 in Bilbao, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rethymno but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Rethymno 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 Rethymno 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 Rethymno gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.