Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Bilbao Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Bilbao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Mahe versus $2,008 in Bilbao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,453 in Mahe versus $2,876 in Bilbao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,128 in Mahe versus $3,743 in Bilbao.

Living in Mahe costs roughly 11% less than in Bilbao, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahe 33% above, Bilbao 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.43 SCR 223

$17.06 €14.68

-9.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 SCR 1,011

$70.6 €60.8

-1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SCR 119

$11.36 €9.77

-27.64%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SCR 63.5

$2.30 €1.98

90.43%

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

$2.37 SCR 34.27

$3.01 €2.59

-21.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SCR 26.22

$1.98 €1.70

-8.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 SCR 119

$3.67 €3.16

124.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 SCR 75.0

$3.75 €3.23

38.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 SCR 23.06

$1.29 €1.11

23.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 SCR 15.80

$1.49 €1.28

-26.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 SCR 25.01

$1.71 €1.47

1.17%

Eggs

$4.16 SCR 60.3

$2.92 €2.51

42.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 SCR 226

$15.66 €13.47

-0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 SCR 114

$8.66 €7.45

-9.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 SCR 181

$13.63 €11.72

-8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 29.79

$2.69 €2.32

-23.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SCR 32.31

$2.43 €2.09

-8.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 SCR 74.6

$2.45 €2.11

110.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.84

$1.69 €1.45

-43.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.85

$2.24 €1.92

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SCR 15.35

$1.45 €1.25

-26.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 SCR 176

$6.99 €6.02

73.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.17

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SCR 30.58

$1.35 €1.16

56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SCR 29.83

$2.68 €2.30

-23.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 SCR 12.25

$1.94 €1.67

-56.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 SCR 346

$48.89 €42.06

-51.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 SCR 148

$5.46 €4.70

87.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 SCR 46.43

$0.91 €0.79

252.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 SCR 148

$33.74 €29.03

-69.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 SCR 22.60

$1.82 €1.56

-14.29%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.4K €27.9K

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

$84.0 SCR 1,217

$155 €133

-45.84%

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

$21.09 SCR 306

$21.95 €18.88

-3.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$161 SCR 2,326

$34.79 €29.93

361.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 SCR 761

$56.3 €48.43

-6.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 €8.76

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 SCR 91.0

$10.19 €8.76

-38.37%

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

$542 €466

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,116 €7,842

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.27 SCR 395

$85.5 €73.5

-68.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.82 SCR 157

$34.97 €30.08

-69.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.47 SCR 630

$82.7 €71.2

-47.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 SCR 800

$112 €96.7

-50.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 SCR 11.8K

$1,107 €952

-26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SCR 12.3K

$944 €812

-9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 SCR 25.2K

$1,795 €1,544

-3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SCR 14.9K

$1,353 €1,164

-23.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,928 €5,100

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,727 €3,206

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 SCR 13.0K

$2,453 €2,110

-63.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

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

Last update for Mahe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bilbao: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $815 in Mahe and $1,107 in Bilbao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 174% 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: $70.0 in Mahe vs $71.0 in Bilbao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $285 per month, with Mahe cheaper across the board.

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

Mahe vs Bilbao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahe and Bilbao differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,779 vs $2,008 including rent). Mahe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bilbao earns 174% less. 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: $815 in Mahe versus $1,107 in Bilbao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Bilbao. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,779 per month in Mahe versus $2,008 in Bilbao – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,779 in Mahe versus $2,008 in Bilbao, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mahe but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Mahe 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, Mahe 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 Mahe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.