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: $1,831 in Mahe versus $2,010 in Bilbao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,484 in Mahe versus $2,865 in Bilbao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,138 in Mahe versus $3,720 in Bilbao.

Living in Mahe costs roughly 9% less than in Bilbao, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahe 37% above, Bilbao 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.62 SCR 224

$17.56 €15.38

-11.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 SCR 1,004

$69.1 €60.5

1.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 SCR 112

$11.58 €10.14

-32.47%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SCR 62.3

$2.27 €1.99

91.19%

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

$2.29 SCR 32.85

$2.91 €2.55

-21.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SCR 25.10

$2.06 €1.80

-15.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 SCR 121

$3.81 €3.34

121.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 SCR 75.3

$3.73 €3.27

41.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SCR 21.95

$1.23 €1.08

24.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 SCR 14.87

$1.48 €1.30

-29.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 SCR 25.31

$1.69 €1.48

4.73%

Eggs

$4.09 SCR 58.6

$2.88 €2.52

42.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 SCR 224

$15.26 €13.37

2.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 SCR 112

$9.01 €7.89

-13.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.50 SCR 179

$13.62 €11.93

-8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 SCR 28.94

$2.77 €2.43

-27.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.05

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 SCR 32.15

$2.46 €2.15

-8.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SCR 72.8

$2.38 €2.08

113.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 SCR 14.24

$1.72 €1.51

-42.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 SCR 13.44

$2.25 €1.97

-58.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SCR 14.71

$1.47 €1.29

-29.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.97 SCR 172

$6.78 €5.94

76.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 €7.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SCR 29.01

$1.34 €1.17

50.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SCR 29.36

$2.60 €2.28

-21.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 SCR 12.18

$1.92 €1.68

-55.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.36 SCR 349

$49.79 €43.61

-51.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 SCR 151

$5.57 €4.87

88.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 SCR 45.40

$0.97 €0.85

226.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.43 SCR 149

$32.92 €28.83

-68.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 SCR 22.42

$1.76 €1.54

-10.80%

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

$38.0K €33.2K

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

$32.2K €28.2K

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

$83.0 SCR 1,189

$156 €136

-46.68%

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

$20.78 SCR 298

$22.02 €19.28

-5.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$159 SCR 2,276

$34.35 €30.09

362.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 SCR 744

$57.7 €50.5

-10.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.20 €8.93

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 SCR 90.0

$10.06 €8.81

-37.57%

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

$549 €481

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,097 €7,967

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.08 SCR 388

$82.2 €72.0

-67.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.80 SCR 155

$34.78 €30.46

-68.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.76 SCR 627

$82.5 €72.2

-46.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 SCR 794

$113 €98.9

-50.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SCR 12.1K

$1,087 €952

-22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 SCR 12.3K

$958 €839

-10.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 SCR 24.6K

$1,808 €1,583

-5.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 SCR 14.9K

$1,358 €1,189

-23.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,777 €5,059

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,699 €3,239

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 SCR 12.7K

$2,391 €2,094

-62.97%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bilbao: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Mahe and $1,087 in Bilbao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 170% 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 $69.0 in Bilbao. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $284, with Mahe 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

Mahe vs Bilbao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahe and Bilbao differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,831 vs $2,010 including rent). Mahe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 170% lower in Bilbao. 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: $844 in Mahe versus $1,087 in Bilbao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Bilbao. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,831 per month in Mahe versus $2,010 in Bilbao – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,831 in Mahe versus $2,010 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 10% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.