Spain
Bilbao makes sense if
- You want the easier housing and budget equation in this comparison.
- You value stronger public spaces and everyday city life.
Bilbao vs Madrid
Bilbao offers a more contained northern-city routine, with a walkable center and a strong food identity. Madrid opens a much larger capital-scale professional and cultural network, at the cost of a busier, more expensive daily life.
The grey shape is all 283 cities; each row says whether lower or higher is better. Ratings out of 10 are our reviewed estimates; the rest is published data. How we measure
The choice in one minute
Madrid makes sense if
- Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
- You want the broader career options in this comparison.
- You want the deeper culture and food scene.
What matters to you
Set how much each area counts. The ranking updates as you go. Climate and values are left out because there is no better or worse there, only your taste.
Money
Nature & outdoors
City life
Safety & health
Work & family
Moving & settling in
- 1Madrid71
Leads on work & family and moving & settling in; stands out for train connections and bright days.
- 2Bilbao69
Leads on nature & outdoors; stands out for beach & sea and easier house-hunting.
Scores out of 100, averaged from the areas you weighted. For a ranking built around your own situation, take the quiz.
Side by side
Money
Rent on a new lease, everyday prices and tax.
Section score out of 100
Bilbao72Madrid70
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
€118/mo€2,140/mo
- €723/mo, leads
- €939/mo
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
- ~29%, leads
- ~36%
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
- 75
- 75
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
- 24–49%
- 24–49%
Climate
The year month by month. Whether it suits you is yours to judge.
Solid line: average daytime high. Dashed: night-time low. Point at the chart for any month; point at a city name to shade its range.
Bright days
Under 80% cloud and under 1 mm rain
30 days347 days
- 154 days
- 259 days, leads
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
- 54 days
- 2 days, leads
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
- 9.1 µg/m³
- 9.9 µg/m³
Nature & outdoors
How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.
Section score out of 100
Bilbao68Madrid59
Beach & sea
110
- 7/10, leads
- 2/10
Mountains
110
- 7/10, leads
- 6/10
City parks
110
- 7/10
- 8/10, leads
Weekend escapes
110
- 9/10, leads
- 8/10
City life
Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.
Section score out of 100
Madrid82Bilbao80
Walkability
110
- 8/10
- 9/10, leads
Public transport
110
- 7/10
- 9/10, leads
Restaurants
110
- 9/10
- 9/10
Public spaces
110
- 9/10
- 9/10
Safety & health
Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.
Section score out of 100
Madrid76Bilbao73
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
- 0.7
- 0.5
Feels safe day to day
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Healthcare quality
110
- 8/10
- 9/10, leads
English-speaking care
110
- 7/10
- 8/10, leads
Work & family
Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.
Section score out of 100
Madrid70Bilbao65
Job market
110
- 6/10
- 7/10, leads
Jobs in English
110
- 6/10
- 7/10, leads
Work–life balance
110
- 8/10, leads
- 7/10
Schools
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
Moving & settling in
Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.
Section score out of 100
Madrid68Bilbao57
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
- 4/10
- 4/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
- 5/10
- 5/10
Openness to newcomers
110
- 6/10
- 7/10, leads
Flight connections
110
- 7/10
- 9/10, leads
Society & values
Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.
Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
- 9/10
- 9/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
- 9/10
- 9/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
- 5/10
- 8/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
- 8/10
- 8/10
Life in each city
Daily life
Bilbao
Compact, dense, and easy to cross on foot, Bilbao rewards living without a car. Neighbourhoods feel coherent and well kept, the riverfront regeneration gave the centre a confident shape, and daily errands stay close to home.
Madrid
Madrid is a dense, walkable city where most daily errands happen on foot and a car is rarely necessary. Neighbourhoods mix homes, shops, and bars at street level, and the pace is fast, on a par with Berlin and a world away from sleepier Lisbon.
Safety
Bilbao
Violent crime is rare, streets feel calm after dark and road safety is solid. Theft is more common than the city's quiet reputation suggests, higher per resident than in Madrid, so ordinary care with bags and bikes is worth keeping.
Madrid
The main nuisance is pickpocketing in tourist-heavy spots and on the metro, roughly in line with other large Spanish and European cities. Traffic is well managed and serious incidents are rare.
Work and healthcare
Bilbao
Bilbao has credible local work options, but the market is not frictionless. Healthcare is reliable and well regarded, with good hospital access and dependable emergency care backed by Spain's public system.
Madrid
Madrid has a deep local job market, broad industry coverage, a strong professional network, and a credible technology base. Spain's public health system is strong and Madrid sits near the top of it, with good hospitals and dependable emergency care.
Culture and public life
Bilbao
Food is the headline. The Guggenheim's riverbank, the revived plazas and the walkable core make fine shared space.
Madrid
The dining scene is deep, the cafe culture is everywhere, and the nightlife runs later and harder than almost anywhere in Europe. Madrid keeps its central districts reasonably well, carrying the usual big-city wear.
Summary
Madrid is the practical choice when career reach and healthcare access are central. Bilbao suits someone who prefers a smaller urban scale and can work with a narrower local market. Decide whether capital breadth or a more manageable routine matters more.
Read on
Which of these fits you?
These numbers treat everyone the same. The quiz weighs them by your budget, climate taste, family and work, and ranks all 283 cities for you.