How much do you need to earn to live in Bilbao? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for Spain's tax system.
You need at least €1,641/month gross to live in Bilbao on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €2,183/month gross (€1,726 net after ~21% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | €700 Cheapest neighborhood (Santutxu) | €1,000 Median neighborhood | €1,150 Premium neighborhood (Indautxu) |
| Groceries | €280 | €336 | €420 |
| Transport | €45 | €45 | €45 |
| Utilities | €129 | €129 | €129 |
| Dining & Entertainment | €180 | €216 | €270 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | €1,334 | €1,726 | €2,014 |
€1,641/month gross
€2,183/month gross
€2,604/month gross
1-bedroom second-hand rents across 5 neighborhoods in Bilbao
Santutxu
18 min by bus
€700 - €850
Deusto
15 min by metro
€800 - €1,000
Casco Viejo
5 min by walk
€900 - €1,100
Indautxu
8 min by metro
€1,050 - €1,250
Abando / Ensanche
5 min by walk
€1,000 - €1,200
Casco Viejo
5 min by walk
€900 - €1,100
See all 5 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore BilbaoEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after Spain's income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least €1,641/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Bilbao. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €2,183/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for Spain.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 5 neighborhoods in Bilbao is approximately €985/month. Rents range from €700 in Santutxu to €1,250 in Indautxu.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Bilbao cost approximately €280. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in Spain are progressive. At the budget salary level of €1,641/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 19%. At the comfortable level of €2,183/month, it rises to approximately 21%. This includes income tax and social contributions.