Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Bilbao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro?
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 Rio de Janeiro. 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 Rio de Janeiro?
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.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBilbao €137Rio de Janeiro €98
The average daily cost (per person) in Bilbao is €137, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is €98. 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 Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBilbao €72Rio de Janeiro €62
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBilbao €144Rio de Janeiro €124
Compare Hotels in Bilbao and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro? 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 Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bilbao €26Rio de Janeiro €7.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bilbao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bilbao:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Bilbao airport BIO to Bilbao City by Business Car: $60
- Arrival Private Transfer from Bilbao airport BIO to Bilbao City by Luxury Van: $80
- Bilbao Airport Private Arrival Transfer to Various Cities : $45
- Bilbao Airport Transfers : Bilbao City to Bilbao Airport BIO in Business Car: $50
- Bilbao Airport Transfers : Bilbao City to Bilbao Airport BIO in Luxury Van: $66
- Bilbao Airport Transfers to Pamplona: $420
- Bilbao Airport Transfers to San Sebastian: $318
- Bilbao Airport Transfers to Santander: $318
- Bilbao Airport Transfers to Vitoria-Gasteiz: $210
- Bilbao Airport to the Basque Country: Private Transfers: $91
- Bilbao city to Bilbao Airport (BIO) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Departure Private Transfer from Bilbao City to Bilbao airport BIO by Luxury Van: $80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
-
Taxi Ride€2.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- 2025 Sambadrome Carnival Parade: Transfer Included Sector 5: $471
- 2025: Rio Carnival Parade at Sapucaí with Transfer Sector 7: $471
- A transfer with safety and comfort in Rio: $45
- Airport Private Transfer - Premium Service: $65
- Airport Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Airport GIG by Luxury Van: $125
- All Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande: $275
- All-You-Can-Eat Brazilian Churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $80
- Angra dos Reis Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $53
- AquaRio Small Group Guided Tour with entrance and transfer: $60
- Arraial do Cabo Private Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $123
- Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $54
- Arrival Private Transfer GIG or SDU Airport to Rio City by Minivan: $91
Is it cheaper to fly into Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro 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
-
Food Meals for one dayBilbao €45Rio de Janeiro €19
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: $113
- Basque Pintxos and Tapas Cooking Class in Bilbao: $115
- The Original Bilbao Food Tour with Wine Pairing: $115
- The High End Food Tour of Bilbao with a Local: $120
- Paella Cooking Class with Sangria in Bilbao: $135
- Private Food Tour, Food Lovers with Tastings: $135
- Paella Cooking Class (with Basque Sangria) in Bilbao: $142
- Traditional Basque Cooking Class with Wine Tasting: $156
- Guggenheim Museum Visit & Private Walking Food Tour: $198
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
-
Popcorn€0.55
-
Corn on the Cob€0.73
-
Hamburger€0.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $46
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $73
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $80
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Brazilian Meats and Snacks + South American Wines Guided Dinner: $89
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $106
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $113
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bilbao €29Rio de Janeiro €20
Tours and Activities in Bilbao
Here are a few actual costs in Bilbao for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bilbao´s Old Town Responsible Free Walking Tour: $1.94
- Bilbao Cathedral and San Anton Church Entry Ticket: $4.31
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Panoramic boat tour through the bay of Abra: $6.46
- Bilbao Self-Guided Historical Walking Tour: $7.52
- VITORIA DE LEGEND night tour: $11
- Bilbao Confidential Tour: Crime and Punishment: $13
- 1- or 2-Hour Sightseeing Boat Tour: $15
- Tour of the Great Villas in Getxo and Hanging Bridge: $16
- Bilbao tour: $18
- San Mamés Museum and Stadium Tour: $18
- Bilbao Estuary and Abra Bay Boat Tour: $20
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
- Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema & Copacabana) Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $7.78
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.89
- Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $9.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour-Story of Bossanova: Rhythm and soul of Rio: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
- Hiking Experience to Pedra do Telégrafo: $10
- Favela tour in copacabana with local guide!: $10
- Ticket to the match at maracanã of Flamengo: $10
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayBilbao €21Rio de Janeiro €11
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: $80
- Txakoli, Gaztelugatxe, & Urdaibai with wine tasting: $81
- Guided tour of Txakoli wine tasting and tasting of wine and typical products: $148
- Bilbao Txakoli Wine Tour: $178
- Guided Txacoli Wine Tasting: $188
- Rioja Wine Tour: Winery & Traditional Lunch From Bilbao: $201
- Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Bilbao: $217
- Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Vitoria: $241
- From Rioja Architecture and Wine Tour: $242
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $33
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $34
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
- Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery: $60
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $65
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $132
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bilbao and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Bilbao is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bilbao is in Europe and Rio de Janeiro is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Rio de Janeiro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rio de Janeiro 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 Bilbao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bilbao than you might in Rio de Janeiro.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bilbao Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Bilbao. When comparing the sizes of Bilbao and Rio de Janeiro, 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.
When is the best time to visit Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Rio de Janeiro is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Bilbao has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Bilbao are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Bilbao for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Bilbao is cooler than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the summer temperatures in Bilbao in July average around 20°C (68°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Rio de Janeiro. In July, Bilbao usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin January. Bilbao gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryBilbao 20°C (68°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Bilbao during the autumn are popular places to visit. The autumn months attract visitors to Bilbao because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.
In October, Bilbao is generally much colder than Rio de Janeiroin April. Daily temperatures in Bilbao average around 16°C (62°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
Rio de Janeiro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Bilbao. Bilbao usually gets less rain in October than Rio de Janeiroin April. Bilbao gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilBilbao 16°C (62°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Bilbao and Rio de Janeiro. The museums and the shopping scene are the main draw to Bilbao this time of year.
Bilbao is much colder than Rio de Janeiro in the winter. The daily temperature in Bilbao averages around 9°C (48°F) in January, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in July.
Bilbao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Bilbao usually receives more rain than Rio de Janeiroin July. Bilbao gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyBilbao 9°C (48°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Bilbao as well as Rio de Janeiro. Many travelers come to Bilbao for the activities around the city.
In the spring, Bilbao is much colder than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the spring temperatures in Bilbao in April average around 12°C (54°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.
Bilbao receives a lot of rain in the spring. Bilbao usually gets more rain in April than Rio de Janeiroin October. Bilbao gets 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberBilbao 12°C (54°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Bilbao
| Bilbao | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 9°C (48°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 10°C (50°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 11°C (51°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (54°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 20°C (68°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (68°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 19°C (66°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (62°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (50°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
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.