Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Saint Charles, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Saint Charles, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,181 in Bilbao versus $2,114 in Saint Charles, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,178 in Bilbao versus $3,420 in Saint Charles, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,175 in Bilbao versus $4,725 in Saint Charles, MO.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 3% more expensive than in Saint Charles, MO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 59% above, Saint Charles, MO 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.78

$15.13 $15.13

36.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 €61.5

$61.7 $61.7

15.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 €11.09

$13.59 $13.59

-5.15%

Cappuccino

$2.66 €2.29

$4.81 $4.81

-44.70%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$2.97 $2.97

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.12 $1.12

66.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.95 $4.95

-27.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$6.12 $6.12

-43.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$0.99 $0.99

41.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.41 $2.41

-31.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$5.31 $5.31

-70.81%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.90

$3.81 $3.81

-11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 €12.99

$12.17 $12.17

24.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 €6.97

$15.53 $15.53

-47.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.61 €11.71

$18.06 $18.06

-24.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$3.57 $3.57

-22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.70 $2.70

-20.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.30

$5.49 $5.49

-51.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$6.63 $6.63

-63.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 €1.30

$3.43 $3.43

-55.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$2.93 $2.93

-12.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.98 $1.98

-35.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$3.04 $3.04

-71.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 €5.88

$12.19 $12.19

-43.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

$12.91 $12.91

-36.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$2.09 $2.09

-23.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.26

$4.61 $4.61

-42.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 €1.63

$4.87 $4.87

-61.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 €45.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €5.02

$3.52 $3.52

65.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$2.06 $2.06

-48.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.10 €29.34

$17.60 $17.60

93.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.84 $0.84

103.57%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$36.7K $36.7K

-0.75%

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

$31.6K €27.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

19.15%

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

$149 €128

$227 $227

-34.35%

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

$20.81 €17.90

$52.9 $52.9

-60.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 €27.11

$63.9 $63.9

-50.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.54

$50.1 $50.1

14.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 €13.94

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 €9.10

$14.56 $14.56

-27.40%

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

$555 €477

$1,000 $1,000

-44.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.1K

$12.4K $12.4K

-5.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 €80.5

$65.2 $65.2

43.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 €30.93

$32.36 $32.36

11.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 €61.6

$64.5 $64.5

10.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €116

$98.6 $98.6

36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,121

$1,519 $1,519

-14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 €946

$811 $811

35.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 €2,205

$1,937 $1,937

32.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 €1,555

$1,932 $1,932

-6.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,083 €5,234

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,833 €3,298

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,439 €2,099

$4,128 $4,128

-40.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.98

6.36

-53.14%

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

Last update for Bilbao: August 30, 2026

Last update for Saint Charles, MO: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Bilbao and $1,519 in Saint Charles, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Charles, MO pays 69% 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 $62.0 in Saint Charles, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $434, 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 Saint Charles, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Saint Charles, MO differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,181 vs $2,114 including rent). Saint Charles, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Saint Charles, MO. 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 $1,519 in Saint Charles, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 54% 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 $2,114 in Saint Charles, MO – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,114 in Saint Charles, MO versus $2,181 in Bilbao, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Saint Charles, MO but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Charles, MO 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 Saint Charles, MO 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 Saint Charles, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.