Cost of Living Comparison Between Macon, GA and Bilbao Cost of Living Comparison Between Macon, GA and Bilbao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,959 in Macon, GA versus $2,010 in Bilbao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,989 in Macon, GA versus $2,865 in Bilbao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,019 in Macon, GA versus $3,720 in Bilbao.

Living in Macon, GA costs roughly 3% less than in Bilbao, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Macon, GA 47% above, Bilbao 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 $13.63

$17.56 €15.36

-22.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$69.1 €60.4

-12.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 $8.86

$11.58 €10.13

-23.49%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.27 €1.99

141.41%

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

$2.09 $2.09

$2.91 €2.54

-28.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.06 €1.80

-3.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.81 €3.34

32.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.73 €3.27

61.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.23 €1.08

-32.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.48 €1.30

97.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.69 €1.48

39.05%

Eggs

$2.76 $2.76

$2.88 €2.52

-4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$15.26 €13.35

-59.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$9.01 €7.88

-4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 $15.55

$13.62 €11.91

14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.77 €2.42

58.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.34 €2.04

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.46 €2.15

42.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.38 €2.08

71.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.72 €1.51

43.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.25 €1.97

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.47 €1.29

10.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.11 €0.97

-22.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.14 $8.14

$6.78 €5.93

20.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 $12.20

$8.07 €7.06

51.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.34 €1.17

28.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.60 €2.28

3.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.92 €1.68

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.79 €43.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$5.57 €4.87

-35.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.97 €0.85

54.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.09 $29.09

$32.92 €28.80

-11.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.76 €1.54

-55.11%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$38.0K €33.2K

-27.93%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$32.2K €28.2K

-22.49%

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

$108 $108

$156 €136

-30.55%

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

$44.44 $44.44

$22.02 €19.26

101.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 $64.7

$34.35 €30.06

88.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.11 $43.11

$57.7 €50.5

-25.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.20 €8.92

Cinema Ticket

$15.73 $15.73

$10.06 €8.80

56.36%

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

$957 $957

$549 €480

74.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$9,097 €7,959

163.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$82.2 €72.0

-31.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 $35.62

$34.78 €30.43

2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 $50.8

$82.5 €72.2

-38.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 $95.9

$113 €98.8

-15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 $916

$1,087 €951

-15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$958 €838

6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 $1,465

$1,808 €1,582

-18.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 $1,819

$1,358 €1,188

33.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 $1,315

$5,777 €5,054

-77.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 $1,328

$3,699 €3,236

-64.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,311 $3,311

$2,391 €2,092

38.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

3.38

94.38%

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

Last update for Macon, GA: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bilbao: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $916 in Macon, GA and $1,087 in Bilbao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macon, GA pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Macon, GA vs $69.0 in Bilbao. Groceries flip the comparison at $301 vs $284, 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

Macon, GA vs Bilbao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macon, GA and Bilbao differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,959 vs $2,010 including rent). Macon, GA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Macon, GA, 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: $916 in Macon, GA versus $1,087 in Bilbao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,959 per month in Macon, GA versus $2,010 in Bilbao – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,959 in Macon, GA versus $2,010 in Bilbao, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Macon, GA but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Macon, GA 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, Macon, GA 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 Macon, GA 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.