Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Bilbao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bilbao or San Jose?
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 San Jose. 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 San Jose?
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.
San Jose
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is likely to be your first and last stop in a visit to the country. The city is situated in the Central Valley and is surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, making for a beautiful flight in. The city has an elevation of 1200 meters and sits on a plateau with a beautiful backdrop of lush green forest. Half of the people in Costa Rica reside in the country's capital city. You are likely to stay only a day or two, but there are a handful of things to do and see including museums and markets. You will also find many embassies, as well as the University of Costa Rica in San Jose.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBilbao €137San Jose €85
The average daily cost (per person) in Bilbao is €137, while the average daily cost in San Jose is €85. 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 San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBilbao €72San Jose €46
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBilbao €144San Jose €92
Compare Hotels in Bilbao and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Bilbao or San Jose? 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 San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bilbao €26San Jose €18
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 Vitoria to Logroño: $245
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Bilbao Cruise Port: $208
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Bilbao: $153
- Private Transfer from Vitoria city to San Sebastian Airport: $291
- Private Transfer from Vitoria city to Logroño Airport : $245
- Private Transfer from Vitoria city to Bilbao Airport: $153
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Pamplona city: $230
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Logroño city: $245
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO€24
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Local Bus€2.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer San José Airport - La Fortuna: $180
- Airport transfer from SJO Airport to Los Sueños Marriott: $170
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport SJO to Arenal by Minivan: $177
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport to Manuel Antonio by Minivan: $158
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Monteverde, English Speaking Driver: $181
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Arrival Private Transfer: $68
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $136
- Juan Santamaria Intl Airport(SJO) to Puntarenas city-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $167
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to Puntarenas city- Arrival Private Transfer: $83
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Round-Trip Private Transfer: $64
- One way Transfer from SJO airport or San José to Playa Dominical max 5 passenger: $240
Is it cheaper to fly into Bilbao or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose 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 €45San Jose €17
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Jose
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bites and Sights: Walking Food Tour in San Jose, Costa Rica: $34
- San Jose By Night Tour: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $57
- San Jose Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and visit Gold Museum : $60
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $76
- Explore San Jose By Night: Food and Culture Tour with Local Dinner: $80
- Dinner + Typical Show in the best viewpoint of the City: $99
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bilbao €29San Jose €20
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
- Awesome Bilbao – Private Family Walking Tour: $386
- BILBAO-City Highlights Bike Tour: $36
- Basque Coast Tour: Vizcaya Bridge, Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika: $66
- Basque Country 7-Day Guided Tour from Bilbao: $1,152
- 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: $281
- Bilbao - Private Historic walking tour: $377
- Bilbao 3-Day Package: Guggenheim, Hotel Stay and Bike Tour: $253
- Bilbao : Private Custom Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $48
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Entrance Ticket to the Farm of Hacienda Orosi: $11
- Entrance ticket to the Hacienda Orosi: $21
- Hiking Experience in El Quetzal Private Reserve: $26
- Private Roasting and Cupping Coffee Experience: $30
- Sarapiqui Frog Tour: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- Poas Volcano National Park - Admission Ticket: $32
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $33
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- San Jose Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
- San Jose ART Walking Tour - small groups, creative experience: $35
- Corso Lecheria Tour: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBilbao €21San Jose €16
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 San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $38
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bilbao and San Jose, we can see that Bilbao is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bilbao is in Europe and San Jose is in Central 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 San Jose.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bilbao Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bilbao or San Jose?
Bilbao has a larger population, and is about 5% larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of Bilbao and San Jose, 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 San Jose?
Bilbao has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Jose experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Bilbao or San Jose in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Bilbao as well as San Jose. Many visitors come to Bilbao in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Jose throughout the year.
In July, Bilbao is generally cooler than San Jose. Daily temperatures in Bilbao average around 20°C (68°F), and San Jose fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
In the summer, Bilbao often gets more sunshine than San Jose. Bilbao gets 188 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Jose receives 164 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in San Jose. Bilbao usually gets less rain in July than San Jose. Bilbao gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBilbao 20°C (68°F)San Jose 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or San Jose in the Autumn?
Both San Jose and Bilbao are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Bilbao for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene during these months. Plenty of visitors come to San Jose because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Bilbao is much colder than San Jose in the autumn. The daily temperature in Bilbao averages around 16°C (62°F) in October, and San Jose fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
Bilbao usually receives less sunshine than San Jose during autumn. Bilbao gets 125 hours of sunny skies, while San Jose receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Jose. It's quite rainy in Bilbao. In October, Bilbao usually receives less rain than San Jose. Bilbao gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBilbao 16°C (62°F)San Jose 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or San Jose in the Winter?
Both San Jose and Bilbao during the winter are popular places to visit. The winter months attract visitors to Bilbao because of the museums and the shopping scene. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Jose year-round.
In the winter, Bilbao is much colder than San Jose. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bilbao in January average around 9°C (48°F), and San Jose averages at about 27°C (81°F).
In San Jose, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Bilbao often gets less sunshine than San Jose. Bilbao gets 77 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Jose receives 264 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Bilbao. Bilbao usually gets more rain in January than San Jose. Bilbao gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBilbao 9°C (48°F)San Jose 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or San Jose in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Bilbao and San Jose. The activities around the city are the main draw to Bilbao this time of year. San Jose attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Bilbao is generally much colder than San Jose. Daily temperatures in Bilbao average around 12°C (54°F), and San Jose fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Jose this time of the year. Bilbao usually receives less sunshine than San Jose during spring. Bilbao gets 117 hours of sunny skies, while San Jose receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
Bilbao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Bilbao usually receives more rain than San Jose. Bilbao gets 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBilbao 12°C (54°F)San Jose 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for San Jose and Bilbao
| Bilbao | San Jose | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 9°C (48°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 10°C (50°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 11°C (51°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (54°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 20°C (68°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (68°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 19°C (66°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (62°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (50°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.