Should you visit Bilbao or Barcelona?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Bilbao and Barcelona. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Bilbao
The industrial city of Bilbao is located on a port of the Nervión River in northern Spain, an important location of Basque country. While the downtown is filled with skyscrapers and innovative architecture, it sits between a river and mountains of natural allure. A city of hard-workers to the core, Bilbao displays remnants of its industrial past, though in more recent years it has transformed into a center for art. It is now a popular location for visitors looking to experience art galleries and museums.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with a population of over 1.5 million people. It's also the capital of Catalonia and is located on the northeastern part of the Mediterranean coast. Barcelona is one of the country's most popular travel destinations because of its rich history, interesting architecture, and vibrant culture. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic games and that had a strong influence over tourism in the area. Many different neighborhoods were renovated and rebuilt. Modern design became the norm in many parts of the city, although there is still an old city feel and many efforts at preservation.
Which city is cheaper, Barcelona or Bilbao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bilbao is €110, while the average daily cost in Barcelona is €123. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Bilbao and Barcelona in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €114 for a double occupancy room in Bilbao.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Barcelona is €150. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Bilbao cost around €37 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €15.
The price of a meal in Barcelona can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €27 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €11 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Bilbao €37
Barcelona €27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bilbao
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bilbao.
-
The authentic Bilbao food tour:
$96
Typical Food prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
-
Hot Cocoa & Churro
€4.15
-
Sandwich
€1.70
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Baguette & Horchata
€3.80
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Tapas on the beach
€8.28
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Gelatto
€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Barcelona
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Barcelona.
-
Live from Barcelona to China: Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
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Live from Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
-
Barcelona organic dinner in a beautiful rooftop garden:
$35
-
Paella Cooking Experience + Boqueria Market Tour:
$48
-
Interactive Spanish Cooking Experience in Barcelona:
$49
-
Hands-on Brunch Cooking Class with Bottomless Mimosas!:
$50
-
Born district food tour and tasting in Barcelona:
$51
-
Barcelona Street Food Tour: Local Market & Gothic Quarter with Expert Guide:
$52
-
Street Food Tour & Gothic Quater Sightseeing with Local Expert:
$52
-
Bus and Walking Tour with Dinner:
$58
-
Tasty Barcelona Street Food Tour With Local Market Visit:
$59
-
Skip the Line: Flamenco Show and Dinner Ticket:
$62
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Bilbao is €21 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The cost of a taxi ride in Barcelona is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €15 per person, per day, on local transportation in Barcelona.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bilbao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bilbao:
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Bilbao Airport (BIO) to Bilbao:
$25
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Bilbao to Bilbao Airport (BIO):
$25
-
Arrival Private Transfer Business Car Bilbao airport BIO to Bilbao City:
$47
-
Departure Private Transfer Business Car Bilbao City to Bilbao airport BIO:
$47
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Bilbao Airport Private Arrival Transfer:
$48
-
Bilbao Airport Private Departure Transfer:
$48
-
Bilbao Airport Transfers : Bilbao City to Bilbao Airport BIO in Business Car:
$54
-
Departure Private Transfers: Bilbao City to Bilbao Airport BIO in Business Car:
$57
-
Bilbao Private Transfer from Bilbao city centre to Bilbao Airport:
$67
-
Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Van Bilbao airport BIO to Bilbao City:
$67
-
Departure Private Transfer Luxury Van Bilbao City to Bilbao airport BIO:
$67
-
Private Transfer from Bilbao city to Bilbao Cruise Port:
$68
Typical Local Transportation prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:
-
10 Trip Metro Ticket
€7.80
-
Airport Bus
€5.00
-
Metro
€2.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:
-
Airport Transfer:
$127
-
Airport Transfers:
$20
-
Airport, Port cruise & Hotel Transfers:
$81
-
Ancient winery of vermouth, Tarragona & Reus: private Round-Trip Transfer:
$311
-
Arrival Private Transfer Barcelona City or Airport to Andorra by Business Car:
$445
-
Arrival Private Transfer Barcelona Port to Barcelona City by Business Car:
$57
-
Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Van Barcelona Port to Barcelona City:
$70
-
Arrival Private Transfers from Barcelona Cruise Port to Bacelona City:
$88
-
Barcelona - Salou private transfer:
$198
-
Barcelona 1-Way Private Luxury Airport or Port Transfer:
$48
-
Barcelona Airport (BCN) to Cruise Port - Arrival Private Car Transfer:
$46
-
Barcelona Airport (BCN) to Cruise Port - Arrival Private Van Transfer:
$32
Is it cheaper to fly into Bilbao or Barcelona?
Prices for flights to both Barcelona and Bilbao change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Bilbao's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €23 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Entertainment and activities in Barcelona typically cost an average of €27 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Bilbao
Here are a few actual costs in Bilbao for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Portugalete, Getxo, & Santurtzi Panoramic Boat Tour:
$7.10
-
personalized guided tour with a local:
$50
-
Basque Coast Tour: Vizcaya Bridge, Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika:
$75
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Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika Guided Tour with Hotel Pickup:
$81
-
Santoña and Santander Guided Tour with Hotel Pick up from Bilbao:
$83
-
Biarritz, Saint Jean de Luz, Hondarribia and San Sebastian Full Day Tour:
$87
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Full-day San Sebastian tour from Bilbao:
$89
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Guided Pintxos Tour:
$108
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Basque Country Full Day Tour from Bilbao:
$112
-
Getxo and Bizkaia bridge small group tour:
$124
-
Tour Bilbao in a Vintage VW "Beetle":
$185
-
Guggenheim Museum Personalized & Private Tour with Official Guide:
$198
Typical Entertainment prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Barcelona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Barcelona are as follows:
-
A Culinary Audio Tour of El Born by VoiceMap:
$5.50
-
Self-Guided Tour with Over 100 Sights:
$5.68
-
KBr Mapfre Foundation Entry Ticket:
$5.68
-
Museu de la Xocolata Tickets:
$7.16
-
Private Barcelona Ghost Tour: Gothic Quarter Exploration Game:
$7.45
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Museu de la Xocolata Admission Ticket:
$7.46
-
Self-Guided City Audio Tour on Your Phone:
$8.16
-
Gaudi House Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket:
$8.95
-
Barcelona Port Traditional Boat Tour:
$9.16
-
Guided Tour of Requesens Palace:
$9.54
-
Guided Tour of Barcelona's Royal Academy of Sciences & Arts:
$9.54
-
Skip the Line: Erotic Museum of Barcelona Admission Ticket with free souvenir:
$9.95
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Bilbao may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €17 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about €14 on alcoholic beverages in Barcelona per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Bilbao
Also in Bilbao, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
La Rioja and Vitoria Wine Tour with Winery Visit:
$87
-
Cantabric Sea Experience: Food & Wine Tasting:
$199
-
La Rioja Wine Tour with Two Winery Visits with Wine Tasting from Bilbao:
$243
-
Architectural Rioja Wine Tour from Bilbao:
$287
-
San Sebastian & The Basque Wine Region with Lunch and Wine Tasting (From Bilbao):
$305
-
Essential Rioja Private Wine Tour from Bilbao:
$311
-
La Rioja Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch from Bilbao:
$383
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
-
Columbus Monument with Optional Wine Tasting:
$7.16
-
Estrella Damm Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting:
$9.08
-
Backpacker Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Barcelona Halloween Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Generation Pub Crawl in Barcelona:
$19
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Barcelona Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Wine Tasting Experience in Barcelona:
$22
-
Opera Samfaina: Food and Wine Tasting Interactive Experience in Barcelona:
$26
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Wine tasting & tapas:
$39
-
Barcelona Guided Local Wine Tasting Tour:
$44
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Wine Tasting near Sagrada Familia:
$47
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Fun Wine Tasting in Barcelona with a Sommelier!:
$53
When comparing the travel costs between Bilbao and Barcelona, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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