A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Dahab vs. Bilbao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Dahab or Bilbao?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Dahab and Bilbao can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Dahab or Bilbao?

Dahab

Dahab is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is located about 85 kilometers north of Sharm el-Sheikh and sits on the Gulf of Aqaba. It's a popular destination with divers and backpackers alike, and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving that you'll find in the Red Sea. It's a great alternative to the resort driven Sharm el-Sheikh, and is popular with independent travelers who are looking for affordable accommodation. There are some upmarket options however, predominantly in the Laguna area, but budget facilities are not hard to find.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid.


Which place is cheaper, Bilbao or Dahab?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Dahab is $13, while the average daily cost in Bilbao is $147. 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 Dahab and Bilbao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dahab $6.09
    Bilbao $78
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dahab $12
    Bilbao $156
Compare Hotels in Dahab and Bilbao

Looking for a hotel in Dahab or Bilbao? 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.

Hotels in Dahab


Hotels in Bilbao


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: Dahab Hotel Prices and Bilbao Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dahab $1.92
    Bilbao $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab

Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Dahab Private Transfer To/From Sharm el sheikh ( One Way Transfer ): $30
  • Private Sharm El Sheikh Airport (SSH) Transfer: $71
  • Private Pickup Transfers From Dahab To Cairo: $260
  • Private Pickup Transfers from Dahab to Taba: $120
  • Private Transfer From Dahab To Taba border group from 1 to 12: $220
  • Private Transfer from Dahab to Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) Airport: $109
  • Private Transfer from Hotel in Dahab To Sharm el Sheikh Airport: $55
  • Sharm el-Sheikh: 1-Way or Round-Trip Transfer to Dahab: $38

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Dahab or Bilbao?

Prices for flights to both Bilbao and Dahab 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 day
    Dahab $4.82
    Bilbao $48
Typical Food Prices in Dahab

For Dahab, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Seafood Dinner (for 2)
    $2.00
  • Juice
    $0.11
  • Breakfast for Two
    $0.63

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dahab

For Dahab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $30
  • Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $36
  • Dahab Desert Safari and Bedouin Dinner: $40
  • Stargazer + Camel riding + Bedouin dinner from Dahab : $90

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dahab $4.60
    Bilbao $31

Tours and Activities in Dahab

For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Saint Catherine's Monastery Half Day Tour From Dahab: $24
  • From Three Pools Guided Snorkeling Tour with Lunch: $28
  • Blue Hole Snorkeling Tour with lunch from Dahab: $28
  • Dahab Windsurfing Adventure in Red Sea Waves: $30
  • Royal seascope Semi-Submarine Cruise: $33
  • Royal Seascope Submarine Guided Boat Tour : $38
  • 4x4 Jeep Adventure from Dahab: $39
  • Three Pools snorkeling and Quad Bike full-day tour in Dahab: $40
  • Full Day Climbing and Hiking Tour in Canyon with Pickup: $40
  • luxury Snorkeling cruise with buffet lunch: $41
  • Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkeling + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab: $45
  • Seascope Submarine Tour from Dahab: $45

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dahab $2.63
    Bilbao $23

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 Dahab and Bilbao, we can see that Bilbao is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dahab is in Africa and Bilbao is in Europe, 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 Dahab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dahab 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 Dahab.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dahab Expensive? and Is Bilbao Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Dahab or Bilbao?

Bilbao has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Dahab and Bilbao, 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.