Which place is cheaper, Puerto del Carmen or Bilbao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bilbao or Puerto del Carmen?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Bilbao and Puerto del Carmen. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Bilbao or Puerto del Carmen?
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.
Puerto del Carmen
Located on the south-eastern coast of the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Puerto del Carmen is a popular resort area best known for its high concentration of bars, pubs, restaurants, and clubs. By day, visitors frequent the beaches for swimming, sunbathing, windsurfing, and other watersports - and by night, they flock to enjoy the live music and drinks of the area's thriving nightlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBilbao €137Puerto del Carmen €173
The average daily cost (per person) in Bilbao is €137, while the average daily cost in Puerto del Carmen is €173. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Bilbao and Puerto del Carmen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBilbao €72Puerto del Carmen €98
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBilbao €144Puerto del Carmen €196
Compare Hotels in Bilbao and Puerto del Carmen
Looking for a hotel in Bilbao or Puerto del Carmen? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Bilbao Hotel Prices and Puerto del Carmen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bilbao €26Puerto del Carmen €39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bilbao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bilbao:
- Private transfer from Bilbao City Center to Bilbao Airport (BIO): $33
- Private transfer from Bilbao Airport (BIO) to Bilbao City Center: $33
- Private one way arrival OR departure transfer in Bilbao from/to airport: $67
- Private Transfer on arrival and departure in Bilbao: $72
- Private Transfer from the Airport to Vitoria city: $84
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to San Sebastian: $291
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Pamplona: $229
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Logroño: $245
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Laguardia town: $199
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Elciego town: $199
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Bilbao: $153
- Private Transfer from Vitoria city to San Sebastian Airport: $291
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto del Carmen
Also for Puerto del Carmen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lanzarote : Parasailing activity with hotel transfer: $102
Is it cheaper to fly into Bilbao or Puerto del Carmen?
Prices for flights to both Puerto del Carmen 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBilbao €45Puerto del Carmen €51
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bilbao
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bilbao.
- Basque Food Tour with Guide: $86
- The Original Bilbao Food Tour with Wine Pairings: $102
- Pintxos and Tapas Cooking Class in Bilbao : $109
- Basque Pintxos and Tapas Cooking Class with Open Bar: $112
- The Original Bilbao Food Tour with Wine Pairing: $115
- Basque Flavours: High End Food Tour of Bilbao with a Local: $120
- Paella Cooking Class with Sangria in Bilbao: $134
- Private Food Tour, Food Lovers with Tastings: $134
- Paella Cooking Class (with Basque Sangria) in Bilbao: $142
- Traditional Basque Cooking Class with Wine Tasting: $155
- Guggenheim Museum Visit & Private Walking Food Tour: $197
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bilbao €29Puerto del Carmen €17
Tours and Activities in Bilbao
Here are a few actual costs in Bilbao for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- PRIVATE San Sebastian and Basque Coast Tour from Bilbao: $290
- Pintxos Tasting in Bilbao Small Group or Private Walking Tour: $81
- 2 Hours Private Family Guided Walking Tour in Bilbao: $197
- 3-day Bilbao Bike Tour and Guggenheim Museum Ticket: $257
- Awesome Bilbao – Private Family Walking Tour: $384
- BILBAO-City Highlights Bike Tour: $36
- Basque Country 7-Day Guided Tour from Bilbao: $1,144
- Bike tour with Pintxos & Drinks in Getxo (Scenic Bilbao Seaside): $60
- Bilbao & Guggenheim Museum Private Walking Tour with guide: $286
- Bilbao & Guggenheim Private Walking Tour from Hotel/Center: $279
- Bilbao - Private Historic walking tour: $374
- Bilbao 3-Day Package: Guggenheim, Hotel Stay and Bike Tour: $251
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBilbao €21Puerto del Carmen €60
Sample the Local Flavors in Bilbao
Also in Bilbao, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Bilbao: $25
- Immersive Evening Spanish Wine Tasting w/ Sommelier: $53
- Spanish Wine Tasting with Sommelier (close to Guggenheim museum): $54
- Pintxos and Wine Tasting Tour with Local Guide: $79
- Txakoli, Gaztelugatxe, & Urdaibai with wine tasting: $80
- Guided tour of Txakoli wine tasting and tasting of wine and typical products: $148
- Bilbao Txakoli Wine Tour: $176
- Guided Txacoli Wine Tasting: $187
- Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Vitoria: $240
- From Rioja Architecture and Wine Tour: $241
- Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Bilbao: $246
- Architectural Rioja Small Group Wine Tour with Lunch from Bilbao : $246
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bilbao and Puerto del Carmen, we can see that Puerto del Carmen is more expensive. And not only is Bilbao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bilbao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bilbao and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Puerto del Carmen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto del Carmen than you might in Bilbao.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bilbao Expensive? and Is Puerto del Carmen Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bilbao or Puerto del Carmen?
Bilbao has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of Bilbao and Puerto del Carmen, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.