Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Bilbao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bilbao or Vancouver?
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 Vancouver. 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 Vancouver?
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.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Western Canada. It is also the largest city in British Columbia, and is dramatically positioned between the coast and mountains. It's a very international city, with a high level of energy and countless activites that you can enjoy while you're in town. In addition to offering all of the activities and entertainment of a modern city, it is also in jumping off distance to any number of outdoor activities.
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 from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBilbao €137Vancouver €132
The average daily cost (per person) in Bilbao is €137, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is €132. 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 Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBilbao €72Vancouver €81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBilbao €144Vancouver €162
Compare Hotels in Bilbao and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Bilbao or Vancouver? 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 Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bilbao €26Vancouver €11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bilbao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bilbao:
- Bilbao Airport Transfers to Pamplona: $420
- Bilbao Airport Transfers to Santander: $318
- Bilbao Airport Transfers to San Sebastian: $318
- Private Transfer from Vitoria city to San Sebastian Airport: $291
- Private Transfer from Bilbao to San Sebastian: $268
- Private Transfer from Bilbao city to San Sebastian Airport: $268
- Private Transfer from Bilbao Airport to Santander Port: $253
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Logroño city: $245
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Logroño: $245
- Private Transfer from Vitoria city to Logroño Airport : $245
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Pamplona city: $230
- Bilbao Airport Transfers to Vitoria-Gasteiz: $210
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport€5.94
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown€20
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15 min Taxi Ride€8.15
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SkyTrain DayPass€6.11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port to Vancouver by SUV: $120
- Arrival Private Transfer: Vancouver Airport YVR to Vancouver in Luxury Car: $163
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $93
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $93
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $186
- Canada Place Cruise Port: Transfer to Vancouver hotels: $428
- Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury Car: $163
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury SUV: $133
- Maximize Your Cruise Adventure: Vancouver Tour & Transfer: $292
- Mount Washington to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Transfer: $93
- Private Departure Transfer to Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Bilbao or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver 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 €45Vancouver €29
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 Vancouver
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:
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All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch€8.23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
- The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $94
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
- Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
- North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $108
- Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $134
- VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $138
- Authentic Asian Eats Walking Food Tour: $142
- 3-Hour Bowen Island Boat Cruise with Dinner: $153
- Evening Cruise with Dinner Buffet: $153
- Vancouver Evening Dinner Cruise: $157
- Granville Island Uncorked Walking Food Tour: $161
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bilbao €29Vancouver €34
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 Vancouver
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.
- Vancouver self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.31
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.75
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.82
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.19
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.19
- Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
- Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.68
- Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.68
- Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.99
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.31
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tours of Stanley Park: $7.42
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBilbao €21Vancouver €15
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 Vancouver
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl ROUTE B: $18
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $22
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl: $26
- 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $88
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
- Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $134
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $138
- From Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Local Tastings: $139
- Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
- Stawamus Chief Hike and Local Brewery Tasting: $165
- Fraser Valley & White Rock Premium Public Wine Tour: $166
- Stawamus Chief Hike & Local Brewery Tasting : $167
When comparing the travel costs between Bilbao and Vancouver, we can see that Bilbao 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. Even though Bilbao is in Europe and Vancouver is in North America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bilbao Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bilbao or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Bilbao. When comparing the sizes of Bilbao and Vancouver, 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 Vancouver?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Bilbao or Vancouver in the Summer?
Both Vancouver and Bilbao during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Bilbao because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Bilbao is generally a little warmer than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Bilbao average around 20°C (68°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
In Vancouver, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Bilbao often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Bilbao gets 188 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.
Bilbao usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Vancouver. Bilbao gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBilbao 20°C (68°F)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or Vancouver in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Bilbao and Vancouver. The city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Bilbao this time of year.
Bilbao is much warmer than Vancouver in the autumn. The daily temperature in Bilbao averages around 16°C (62°F) in October, and Vancouver fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Bilbao usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Vancouver during autumn. Bilbao gets 125 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 124 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Vancouver receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Bilbao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Bilbao usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Bilbao gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBilbao 16°C (62°F)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or Vancouver in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Bilbao as well as Vancouver. Many travelers come to Bilbao for the museums and the shopping scene.
Vancouver can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Bilbao is much warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bilbao in January average around 9°C (48°F), and Vancouver averages at about 4°C (40°F).
In the winter, Bilbao often gets more sunshine than Vancouver. Bilbao gets 77 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Bilbao receives a lot of rain in the winter. Bilbao usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Bilbao gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBilbao 9°C (48°F)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Bilbao or Vancouver in the Spring?
Both Vancouver and Bilbao are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Bilbao in the spring for the activities around the city.
In April, Bilbao is generally a little warmer than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Bilbao average around 12°C (54°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
Bilbao usually receives less sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Bilbao gets 117 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. It's quite rainy in Bilbao. In April, Bilbao usually receives more rain than Vancouver. Bilbao gets 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBilbao 12°C (54°F)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Bilbao
| Bilbao | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 9°C (48°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 10°C (50°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 11°C (51°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (54°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 20°C (68°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (68°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 19°C (66°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (62°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (50°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 198 mm (7.8 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.