Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldonado and Bilbao Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldonado and Bilbao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,299 in Maldonado versus $2,010 in Bilbao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,116 in Maldonado versus $2,865 in Bilbao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,933 in Maldonado versus $3,720 in Bilbao.

Living in Maldonado costs roughly 35% less than in Bilbao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maldonado is 3% below, Bilbao is 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.01 UYU 643

$17.56 €15.38

-8.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 UYU 2,190

$69.1 €60.5

-21.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 UYU 444

$11.58 €10.14

-4.66%

Cappuccino

$4.19 UYU 168

$2.27 €1.99

84.58%

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

$2.16 UYU 86.7

$2.91 €2.55

-25.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.8

$2.06 €1.80

-16.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 UYU 97.8

$3.81 €3.34

-36.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$3.73 €3.27

-2.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 UYU 45.31

$1.23 €1.08

-8.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 UYU 112

$1.48 €1.30

88.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$1.69 €1.48

-5.33%

Eggs

$4.75 UYU 191

$2.88 €2.52

64.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 UYU 550

$15.26 €13.37

-10.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 UYU 430

$9.01 €7.89

18.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 UYU 437

$13.62 €11.93

-20.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 UYU 88.5

$2.77 €2.43

-20.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 UYU 96.6

$2.34 €2.05

2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 UYU 62.1

$2.46 €2.15

-37.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 UYU 140

$2.38 €2.08

46.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 UYU 71.8

$1.72 €1.51

4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 UYU 78.8

$2.25 €1.97

-12.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 UYU 49.67

$1.47 €1.29

-15.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 UYU 64.0

$1.11 €0.97

43.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 213

$6.78 €5.94

-21.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 UYU 323

$8.07 €7.07

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$1.34 €1.17

46.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 UYU 107

$2.60 €2.28

2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 UYU 55.3

$1.92 €1.68

-28.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 UYU 1,776

$49.79 €43.61

-11.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 57.8

$5.57 €4.87

-74.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 UYU 84.1

$0.97 €0.85

115.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.21 UYU 450

$32.92 €28.83

-65.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.4

$1.76 €1.54

3.98%

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

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

$38.0K €33.2K

-8.81%

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

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

$32.2K €28.2K

13.53%

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

$155 UYU 6,218

$156 €136

-0.55%

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

$16.47 UYU 662

$22.02 €19.28

-25.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 UYU 1,705

$34.35 €30.09

23.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.40 UYU 1,865

$57.7 €50.5

-19.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 UYU 1,189

$10.20 €8.93

190.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 UYU 318

$10.06 €8.81

-21.37%

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

$492 UYU 19.8K

$549 €481

-10.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,401 UYU 297.4K

$9,097 €7,967

-18.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 UYU 3,479

$82.2 €72.0

5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 UYU 1,915

$34.78 €30.46

37.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 UYU 3,557

$82.5 €72.2

7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 UYU 3,743

$113 €98.9

-17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 UYU 14.9K

$1,087 €952

-65.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 UYU 11.3K

$958 €839

-70.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 UYU 35.6K

$1,808 €1,583

-50.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 UYU 24.9K

$1,358 €1,189

-54.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 UYU 60.7K

$5,777 €5,059

-73.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,306 UYU 52.5K

$3,699 €3,239

-64.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$861 UYU 34.6K

$2,391 €2,094

-63.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

3.38

68.05%

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

Last update for Maldonado: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bilbao: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Maldonado and $1,087 in Bilbao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 178% 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: $54.0 in Maldonado vs $69.0 in Bilbao. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 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

Maldonado vs Bilbao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maldonado and Bilbao differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,299 vs $2,010 including rent). Maldonado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 178% 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: $370 in Maldonado versus $1,087 in Bilbao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $492 in Maldonado versus $549 in Bilbao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,299 in Maldonado versus $2,010 in Bilbao, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maldonado but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Maldonado 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, Maldonado 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 Maldonado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.