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: $1,792 in Mahe versus $2,181 in Bilbao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,638 in Mahe versus $3,178 in Bilbao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,484 in Mahe versus $4,175 in Bilbao.

Living in Mahe costs roughly 18% less than in Bilbao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahe 30% above, Bilbao 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.05 SCR 259

$20.67 €17.78

-12.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 SCR 1,567

$71.5 €61.5

53.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 SCR 83.9

$12.89 €11.09

-54.54%

Cappuccino

$6.64 SCR 95.1

$2.66 €2.29

149.62%

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

$1.63 SCR 23.38

$3.15 €2.71

-48.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.60

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.03 SCR 187

$3.58 €3.08

263.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.26 SCR 133

$3.46 €2.98

167.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SCR 23.66

$1.40 €1.20

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 SCR 15.72

$1.66 €1.43

-33.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 SCR 26.07

$1.55 €1.34

17.42%

Eggs

$4.20 SCR 60.2

$3.37 €2.90

24.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.27 SCR 233

$15.10 €12.99

7.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SCR 118

$8.09 €6.97

2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.94 SCR 185

$13.61 €11.71

-4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SCR 30.94

$2.77 €2.39

-22.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 SCR 33.69

$2.68 €2.30

-12.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 SCR 91.2

$2.43 €2.09

162.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SCR 15.84

$1.51 €1.30

-26.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 SCR 15.41

$2.56 €2.20

-57.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 SCR 16.05

$1.27 €1.10

-11.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.51 SCR 208

$6.83 €5.88

112.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 €7.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SCR 31.47

$2.63 €2.26

-16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SCR 11.66

$1.89 €1.63

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.92 SCR 529

$53.0 €45.56

-30.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €5.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.57 SCR 209

$34.10 €29.34

-57.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 SCR 22.18

$1.71 €1.47

-9.36%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

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

$31.6K €27.2K

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

$50.3 SCR 720

$149 €128

-66.30%

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

$21.91 SCR 314

$20.81 €17.90

5.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$108 SCR 1,541

$31.51 €27.11

241.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 SCR 790

$57.6 €49.54

-4.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 €13.94

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 SCR 94.8

$10.57 €9.10

-37.37%

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

$555 €477

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.48 SCR 451

$93.5 €80.5

-66.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.53 SCR 180

$35.95 €30.93

-65.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.6 SCR 724

$71.6 €61.6

-29.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 SCR 898

$135 €116

-53.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SCR 12.4K

$1,302 €1,121

-33.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 SCR 12.6K

$1,099 €946

-19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 SCR 25.7K

$2,563 €2,205

-30.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 SCR 15.4K

$1,807 €1,555

-40.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,083 €5,234

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,833 €3,298

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 SCR 12.7K

$2,439 €2,099

-63.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.98

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

Last update for Mahe: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bilbao: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $864 in Mahe and $1,302 in Bilbao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 176% 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: $109 in Mahe vs $71.0 in Bilbao. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $281, 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,792 vs $2,181 including rent). Mahe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 176% 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: $864 in Mahe versus $1,302 in Bilbao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Bilbao. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,792 per month in Mahe versus $2,181 in Bilbao – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,792 in Mahe versus $2,181 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 22% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.