Cost of Living Comparison Between Houma, LA and Bilbao Cost of Living Comparison Between Houma, LA and Bilbao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,323 in Houma, LA versus $2,008 in Bilbao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,372 in Houma, LA versus $2,876 in Bilbao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,422 in Houma, LA versus $3,743 in Bilbao.

Living in Houma, LA is roughly 16% more expensive than Bilbao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Houma, LA 73% above, Bilbao 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 $14.91

$17.06 €14.69

-12.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 $50.6

$70.6 €60.8

-28.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$11.36 €9.78

-10.30%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$2.30 €1.98

141.30%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$3.01 €2.59

-34.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.98 €1.71

3.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.67 €3.16

-12.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 $4.74

$3.75 €3.23

26.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.29 €1.11

-13.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.49 €1.28

104.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.71 €1.47

39.77%

Eggs

$1.71 $1.71

$2.92 €2.51

-41.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 $10.41

$15.66 €13.48

-33.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$8.66 €7.46

30.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$13.63 €11.73

11.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$2.69 €2.32

101.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$2.33 €2.01

-44.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.43 €2.09

121.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.45 €2.11

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.69 €1.45

22.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.24 €1.93

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.45 €1.25

33.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.14 €0.99

55.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.49 $8.49

$6.99 €6.02

21.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 $13.25

$8.34 €7.18

58.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.35 €1.16

37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.68 €2.30

2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.94 €1.67

4.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.89 €42.09

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 $3.99

$5.46 €4.70

-26.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.91 €0.79

40.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.1 $61.1

$33.74 €29.05

80.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.82 €1.57

-57.14%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$39.0K €33.6K

-7.19%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$32.4K €27.9K

-24.03%

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

$139 $139

$155 €134

-10.51%

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

$44.38 $44.38

$21.95 €18.89

102.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.72 $46.72

$34.79 €29.95

34.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.31 $27.31

$56.3 €48.47

-51.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 €8.77

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 $11.94

$10.19 €8.77

17.17%

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

$1,289 $1,289

$542 €466

137.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$9,116 €7,848

10.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.29 $36.29

$85.5 €73.6

-57.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.16 $43.16

$34.97 €30.10

23.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 $70.8

$82.7 €71.2

-14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 $78.9

$112 €96.8

-29.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 $1,039

$1,107 €953

-6.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$944 €813

45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 $2,583

$1,795 €1,545

43.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 $2,235

$1,353 €1,165

65.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,472 $1,472

$5,928 €5,104

-75.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 $1,441

$3,727 €3,209

-61.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,827 $3,827

$2,453 €2,112

56.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

3.38

95.56%

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

Last update for Houma, LA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bilbao: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,039 in Houma, LA and $1,107 in Bilbao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houma, LA pays 56% 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: $51.0 in Houma, LA vs $71.0 in Bilbao. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $285, 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

Houma, LA vs Bilbao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Houma, LA and Bilbao differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,323 vs $2,008 including rent). Bilbao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Houma, LA pays 56% 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: $1,039 in Houma, LA versus $1,107 in Bilbao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Houma, LA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,323 per month in Houma, LA versus $2,008 in Bilbao – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,008 in Bilbao versus $2,323 in Houma, LA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bilbao but tight or insufficient in Houma, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Bilbao 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, Houma, LA and Bilbao 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 Bilbao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Houma, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.