Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Ulsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Ulsan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,010 in Bilbao versus $1,428 in Ulsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,865 in Bilbao versus $2,216 in Ulsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,720 in Bilbao versus $3,004 in Ulsan.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 41% more expensive than in Ulsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 50% above, Ulsan 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 €15.36

$6.75 ₩10.0K

160.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €60.4

$29.58 ₩44.0K

133.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.13

$4.77 ₩7,101

142.77%

Cappuccino

$2.27 €1.99

$3.06 ₩4,550

-25.82%

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

$2.91 €2.54

$1.12 ₩1,665

159.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$0.38 ₩567

442.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 €3.34

$2.62 ₩3,899

45.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 €3.27

$3.33 ₩4,953

12.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.75 ₩2,600

-29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 €1.30

$2.25 ₩3,341

-34.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.48

$1.80 ₩2,674

-6.11%

Eggs

$2.88 €2.52

$2.99 ₩4,455

-3.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.26 €13.35

$10.35 ₩15.4K

47.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 €7.88

$8.31 ₩12.4K

8.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 €11.91

$27.98 ₩41.6K

-51.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.42

$7.10 ₩10.6K

-60.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.04

$3.12 ₩4,650

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 €2.15

$7.42 ₩11.0K

-66.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$4.53 ₩6,747

-47.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.51

$3.59 ₩5,341

-52.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 €1.97

$2.39 ₩3,561

-5.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.29

$2.03 ₩3,023

-27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$0.87 ₩1,293

27.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.93

$3.34 ₩4,964

102.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 €7.06

$16.64 ₩24.8K

-51.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.17

$1.69 ₩2,512

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 €2.28

$3.38 ₩5,030

-23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.93 ₩1,385

106.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.79 €43.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 €4.87

$2.47 ₩3,672

125.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 €0.85

$0.84 ₩1,245

15.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.92 €28.80

$16.48 ₩24.5K

99.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.22 ₩1,817

44.26%

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

$38.0K €33.2K

$27.6K ₩41.1M

37.34%

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

$32.2K €28.2K

$24.8K ₩36.9M

30.08%

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

$156 €136

$193 ₩287.3K

-19.43%

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

$22.02 €19.26

$50.1 ₩74.5K

-56.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.35 €30.06

$28.02 ₩41.7K

22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €50.5

$60.0 ₩89.2K

-3.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.20 €8.92

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 €8.80

$10.40 ₩15.5K

-3.27%

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

$549 €480

$262 ₩389.4K

109.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,097 €7,959

$14.0K ₩20.9M

-35.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 €72.0

$101 ₩150.4K

-18.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.78 €30.43

$47.02 ₩70.0K

-26.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 €72.2

$89.3 ₩132.9K

-7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €98.8

$115 ₩171.6K

-2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 €951

$277 ₩412.3K

292.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 €838

$370 ₩551.0K

158.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 €1,582

$1,051 ₩1.6M

72.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 €1,188

$760 ₩1.1M

78.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,777 €5,054

$4,065 ₩6.0M

42.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,699 €3,236

$2,374 ₩3.5M

55.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,391 €2,092

$2,011 ₩3.0M

18.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

-15.50%

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

Last update for Bilbao: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,087 in Bilbao and $277 in Ulsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 19% 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 $30.00 in Ulsan. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $405, 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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Ulsan differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,010 vs $1,428 including rent). Ulsan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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 $277 in Ulsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 43% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,010 per month in Bilbao versus $1,428 in Ulsan – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,428 in Ulsan versus $2,010 in Bilbao, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ulsan but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Ulsan 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 Ulsan 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 Ulsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.