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: $2,008 in Bilbao versus $1,444 in Ulsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,876 in Bilbao versus $2,188 in Ulsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,743 in Bilbao versus $2,932 in Ulsan.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 39% more expensive than Ulsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.06 €14.68

$6.46 ₩9,791

164.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 €60.8

$29.90 ₩45.3K

136.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €9.77

$4.83 ₩7,313

135.20%

Cappuccino

$2.30 €1.98

$3.15 ₩4,766

-26.98%

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

$3.01 €2.59

$1.12 ₩1,691

168.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.70

$0.39 ₩591

407.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 €3.16

$2.60 ₩3,935

41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 €3.23

$3.29 ₩4,984

13.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.74 ₩2,640

-25.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 €1.28

$2.19 ₩3,315

-31.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.79 ₩2,717

-4.47%

Eggs

$2.92 €2.51

$2.88 ₩4,362

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.66 €13.47

$10.55 ₩16.0K

48.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 €7.45

$8.30 ₩12.6K

4.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 €11.72

$27.12 ₩41.1K

-49.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$7.16 ₩10.8K

-62.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$3.28 ₩4,975

-28.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$7.29 ₩11.0K

-66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.43 ₩6,712

-44.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$3.74 ₩5,662

-54.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.92

$2.47 ₩3,738

-9.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$2.08 ₩3,151

-30.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.90 ₩1,365

26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 €6.02

$3.32 ₩5,032

110.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.17

$16.65 ₩25.2K

-49.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.69 ₩2,560

-20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.30

$3.47 ₩5,260

-22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.67

$0.94 ₩1,418

106.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.89 €42.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.70

$2.40 ₩3,630

127.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.79 ₩1,191

15.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.74 €29.03

$16.48 ₩25.0K

104.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.18 ₩1,785

54.24%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$27.6K ₩41.9M

41.19%

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

$32.4K €27.9K

$25.2K ₩38.2M

28.74%

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

$155 €133

$187 ₩283.3K

-17.05%

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

$21.95 €18.88

$50.3 ₩76.2K

-56.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.79 €29.93

$27.92 ₩42.3K

24.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 €48.43

$59.4 ₩90.0K

-5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 €8.76

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 €8.76

$10.27 ₩15.6K

-0.78%

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

$542 €466

$252 ₩382.6K

114.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,116 €7,842

$13.9K ₩21.0M

-34.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.5 €73.5

$102 ₩154.3K

-16.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 €30.08

$47.53 ₩72.0K

-26.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 €71.2

$87.0 ₩131.7K

-4.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €96.7

$115 ₩174.9K

-2.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €952

$275 ₩416.9K

302.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 €812

$371 ₩562.0K

154.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 €1,544

$1,055 ₩1.6M

70.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 €1,164

$764 ₩1.2M

77.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,928 €5,100

$3,918 ₩5.9M

51.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,727 €3,206

$2,353 ₩3.6M

58.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,453 €2,110

$2,022 ₩3.1M

21.34%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,107 in Bilbao and $275 in Ulsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 21% 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 $30.00 in Ulsan. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $403, 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 39% in total monthly costs ($2,008 vs $1,444 including rent). Ulsan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bilbao pays 21% 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 $275 in Ulsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 42% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,008 per month in Bilbao versus $1,444 in Ulsan – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,444 in Ulsan versus $2,008 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 39% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.