A Travel Price Comparison for Spain San Sebastian vs. Bilbao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit San Sebastian or Bilbao?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Sebastian or Bilbao, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

San Sebastian

San Sebastián is a city in northern Spain very well known for its summertime fun in the sun. While the streets are cool and happening at night, they take on a different charm by day. Beautiful beaches line the city's edge, right next to elegant historic architecture and churches, topping charts as some of the best city beaches in Europe. The food, too, is said to be some of the best with traditional Basque cuisine as well as the popular pintxo (tapas) bites. San Sebastián is a place of lively culture, teeming with beauty, flavors, and colors.

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.

Which city is cheaper, Bilbao or San Sebastian?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in San Sebastian is €72, while the average daily cost in Bilbao is €110. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for San Sebastian and Bilbao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    San Sebastian €32
    Bilbao €57
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    San Sebastian €64
    Bilbao €114

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    San Sebastian €11
    Bilbao €21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bilbao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bilbao:

  • Private Airport Transfer: from Bilbao Airport (BIO) to Bilbao: $25
  • Private Airport Transfer: from Bilbao to Bilbao Airport (BIO): $25
  • Arrival Private Transfer Business Car Bilbao airport BIO to Bilbao City: $47
  • Departure Private Transfer Business Car Bilbao City to Bilbao airport BIO: $47
  • Bilbao Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $48
  • Bilbao Airport Private Departure Transfer: $48
  • Private Transfer to/from Bilbao Airport (BIO): $51
  • Bilbao Airport Transfers : Bilbao City to Bilbao Airport BIO in Business Car: $54
  • Departure Private Transfers: Bilbao City to Bilbao Airport BIO in Business Car: $57
  • Bilbao Private Transfer from Bilbao city centre to Bilbao Airport: $67
  • Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Van Bilbao airport BIO to Bilbao City: $67
  • Departure Private Transfer Luxury Van Bilbao City to Bilbao airport BIO: $67

Is it cheaper to fly into San Sebastian or Bilbao?

Prices for flights to both Bilbao and San Sebastian 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
    San Sebastian €25
    Bilbao €37
Typical Food prices in San Sebastian

Some typical examples of dining costs in San Sebastian are as follows:


  • Dinner for 2
    €55
  • Lunch for 2
    €10
  • Lunch for 2
    €31

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Sebastian

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Sebastian.

  • Accessible Cooking Class: $308

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bilbao

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bilbao.

  • The authentic Bilbao food tour: $96

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    San Sebastian €27
    Bilbao €23
Typical Entertainment prices in San Sebastian

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in San Sebastian are as follows:


  • Valle de los Caídos Monument
    €6.00

Tours and Activities in San Sebastian

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Sebastian are as follows:

  • San Sebastian Walking Tour with Pintxo and a Drink: $44
  • Mysterious Urgull Hill: San Sebastian Walking and History Tour: $45
  • Private San Sebastian City Walking Tour: $62
  • San Sebastian Vegetarian Pintxos Tasting Tour: $81
  • Pintxos Tasting Paired with Spanish Wines Experience: $81
  • Daily Pintxos Tour for Gourmets: $118
  • Game of Thrones Dragonstone Experience: $448
  • Game of Thrones Dragonstone Experience - PREMIUM: $746

Tours and Activities in Bilbao

Here are a few actual costs in Bilbao for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Guided Tour of the Arriaga Theater: $5.66
  • Old Town Walking Tour and Cable Car Ride: $19
  • 3-Hour Guided Bike Tour: $36
  • Bilbao Historical Area: Small-Group Walking Tour: $36
  • Alternative Bike Tour: $40
  • Guided Tour of Guggenheim in Spanish with Ticket: $44
  • personalized guided tour with a local: $50
  • Old Quarter Walking Guided Tour: $51
  • Off-the-Beaten-Path Seaside Cycling Tour: $62
  • Basque Coast Tour: Vizcaya Bridge, Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika: $75
  • Getxo and Bizcaya Bridge (UNESCO Site) Bike Tour from Bilbao: $77
  • Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika Guided Tour with Hotel Pickup: $81

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    San Sebastian €16
    Bilbao €17

Sample the Local Flavors in San Sebastian

Also in San Sebastian, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Ultimate San Sebastian Pintxos & Wine Tour (Evening): $136

Sample the Local Flavors in Bilbao

Also in Bilbao, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • La Rioja and Vitoria Wine Tour with Winery Visit: $87
  • Cantabric Sea Experience: Food & Wine Tasting: $199
  • La Rioja Wine Tour with Two Winery Visits with Wine Tasting from Bilbao: $243
  • Architectural Rioja Wine Tour from Bilbao: $287
  • San Sebastian & The Basque Wine Region with Lunch and Wine Tasting (From Bilbao): $305
  • Essential Rioja Private Wine Tour from Bilbao: $311
  • La Rioja Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch from Bilbao: $383

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Sebastian and Bilbao, we can see that Bilbao is more expensive. And not only is San Sebastian much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Sebastian would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Sebastian 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 Sebastian.

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San Sebastian vs. Bilbao Travel Comparison

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