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: $2,008 in Bilbao versus $1,449 in Rethymno.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,876 in Bilbao versus $2,232 in Rethymno.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,743 in Bilbao versus $3,015 in Rethymno.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 39% more expensive than Rethymno, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 50% above, Rethymno 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.06 €14.68

$13.81 €11.88

23.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 €60.8

$46.46 €39.96

52.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €9.77

$11.43 €9.83

-0.61%

Cappuccino

$2.30 €1.98

$3.39 €2.91

-32.15%

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

$3.01 €2.59

$1.76 €1.51

71.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.70

$0.47 €0.40

321.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 €3.16

$5.96 €5.13

-38.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 €3.23

$5.90 €5.08

-36.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.89 €1.63

-31.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.44 €1.24

3.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.66 €2.29

-35.71%

Eggs

$2.92 €2.51

$4.25 €3.66

-31.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.66 €13.47

$16.85 €14.49

-7.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 €7.45

$11.63 €10.01

-25.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 €11.72

$14.64 €12.59

-6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$2.25 €1.94

19.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.19 €1.88

6.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$1.49 €1.28

63.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.87 €1.61

31.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$0.77 €0.66

119.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.92

$1.55 €1.33

44.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.93 €0.80

55.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.37 €0.31

208.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 €6.02

$5.16 €4.44

35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.17

$6.87 €5.91

21.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.88 €1.62

-28.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.30

$3.42 €2.94

-21.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.59 €1.37

22.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.89 €42.06

$45.98 €39.55

6.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.70

$4.73 €4.07

15.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 €0.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.74 €29.03

$11.46 €9.86

194.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$2.10 €1.81

-13.33%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$34.2K €29.4K

14.19%

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

$32.4K €27.9K

$26.0K €22.4K

24.77%

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

$155 €133

$158 €136

-1.68%

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

$21.95 €18.88

$19.69 €16.93

11.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.79 €29.93

$33.21 €28.56

4.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 €48.43

$47.65 €40.99

18.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 €8.76

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 €8.76

$7.99 €6.87

27.53%

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

$542 €466

$384 €331

40.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,116 €7,842

$4,208 €3,619

116.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.5 €73.5

$99.5 €85.6

-14.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 €30.08

$45.67 €39.29

-23.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 €71.2

$87.5 €75.3

-5.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €96.7

$136 €117

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €952

$583 €501

89.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 €812

$441 €379

114.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 €1,544

$968 €833

85.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 €1,164

$765 €658

76.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,928 €5,100

$4,050 €3,483

46.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,727 €3,206

$2,923 €2,514

27.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,453 €2,110

$1,165 €1,002

110.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

4.3

-21.40%

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

Last update for Bilbao: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rethymno: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,107 in Bilbao and $583 in Rethymno. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 111% 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: $71.0 in Bilbao vs $46.00 in Rethymno. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $297, 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 39% in total monthly costs ($2,008 vs $1,449 including rent). Rethymno is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bilbao pays 111% more on average, 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: $1,107 in Bilbao versus $583 in Rethymno. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $542 in Bilbao versus $384 in Rethymno. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,449 in Rethymno versus $2,008 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 39% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.