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Side by side

Bilbao or Elche?

Each place uses its own local data. National rules (economy, geopolitical stability, governance, tax & finance) are the same for both, so they cannot separate them. Neither wins everywhere; the tradeoffs below are what matter.

All about BilbaoAll about ElcheChange a place

Data as of

City · País Vasco

Bilbao

A food city that reinvented itself around the Guggenheim, with green hills, cool summers and serious pintxos.

Quality of life66above average
Momentum68above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Regional capitalFormer industrial portGreen and rainyFood cityCo-official BasqueFast internetPricey rentLive without a car

5th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

City · Comunitat Valenciana

Elche

A palm-grove city of shoemakers and sunshine, beside Alicante's airport and a short drive from the beaches.

Quality of life51average
Momentum56average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Inland cityPalm groveMild wintersHot summersCar-dependentPleasant weatherAffordable rent

105th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Bilbao

  • Stronger on prosperity (93 vs 11)
  • Stronger on transport (76 vs 47)
  • Stronger on healthcare (74 vs 48)
  • Stronger on jobs (70 vs 33)
  • Stronger on digital (58 vs 20)
  • Commute by public transport: 37% of commuters vs 10% of commuters
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 1 a year
  • Nights above 20 °C: 23 a year vs 112 a year

Watch out: Rain on many days of the year; Hills that shape where and how the city can grow.

Why Elche

  • Stronger on safety (52 vs 27)
  • Robberies with violence: 65 per 100k people vs 217 per 100k people
  • Thefts without violence: 1,046 per 100k people vs 2,993 per 100k people
  • Rainy days (≥1 mm): 59 a year vs 153 a year
  • Buying price per m²: €1,635 vs €3,529
  • Low rents and house prices near a major airport
  • Sunny and dry winters with the airport a short drive away

Watch out: Hot and sticky summer nights; A weak job market with high unemployment and low local incomes.

Of 38 figures both publish in the same unit, Bilbao is better on 16 and Elche on 12; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

93 · strongProsperity11 · weak
76 · strongTransport47 · average
74 · above averageHealthcare48 · average
70 · above averageJobs33 · below average
67 · above averageClimate63 · above average
58 · averageDigital20 · weak
56 · averageConnectivity57 · average
27 · below averageSafety52 · average
–Housing48 · average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureBilbaoElcheDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€11.5 a month2024€5.4 a month2024Bilbao 2.1×
Rent for a 70 m² flat€806 a month2024€381 a month2024Bilbao 2.1×
Typical rent, existing lease€800 a month2024€482 a month2024Bilbao 66% higher
Buying price per m²€3,529Q2 2026€1,635Q2 2026Bilbao 2.2×
Price of an 80 m² flat€282,344Q2 2026€130,808Q2 2026Bilbao 2.2×
House prices, change in a year8.0%Q2 202613.9%Q2 2026Bilbao 5.9 pts lower
Money & work
Household income per person€20,598 a year2024€12,552 a year2024Bilbao 64% higher
Net income per household€47,550 a year2024€33,516 a year2024Bilbao 42% higher
Unemployment9.0%202514.8%2025Bilbao 5.8 pts lower
Safety
Recorded crime68.1 per 1,000 people202440.2 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 69% higher
Sexual offences0.57 per 1,000 people20240.54 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 6% higher
Homicides0.85 per 100k people20251.22 per 100k people2025Bilbao 30% lower
Robberies with violence217 per 100k people202565 per 100k people2025Bilbao 3.3×
Home burglaries122 per 100k people2025140 per 100k people2025Bilbao 13% lower
Thefts without violence2,993 per 100k people20251,046 per 100k people2025Bilbao 2.9×
Vehicle thefts24 per 100k people2025107 per 100k people2025Elche 4.5×
Health
Life expectancy83.9 years202383.4 years2023about the same
Hospital beds4.0 per 1,000 people20252.9 per 1,000 people2025Bilbao 35% higher
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–20241 a year2015–2024Elche 6.0×
Days above 30 °C4 a year2015–202436 a year2015–2024Elche 10.1×
Nights above 20 °C23 a year2015–2024112 a year2015–2024Elche 4.8×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)107 a year2015–2024161 a year2015–2024Bilbao 33% lower
Rainfall1,146 mm a year2015–2024385 mm a year2015–2024Bilbao 3.0×
Rainy days (≥1 mm)153 a year2015–202459 a year2015–2024Bilbao 2.6×
Frost days0 a year2015–20240 a year2015–2024about the same
Getting around
Average commute (one way)40 min202136 min2021Bilbao 11% higher
Commute by public transport37% of commuters202110% of commuters2021Bilbao 27.3 pts higher
Commute by car30% of commuters202167% of commuters2021Bilbao 37.7 pts lower
Distance to the main airport5 km202610 km2026Elche 2.1×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet99%202596%2025Bilbao 3.3 pts higher
Homes with fibre to the door99%202598%2025Bilbao 1.5 pts higher
Education
Adults with a university degree58%202432%2024Bilbao 25.5 pts higher
People
Population351,1242025245,5572025Bilbao 43% higher
Median age50.5 years202545.5 years2025Bilbao 11% higher
Residents aged 65+25.3%202518.9%2025Bilbao 6.4 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad17.6%202518.6%2025Bilbao 1.0 pts lower
Residents with a foreign nationality11.7%202414.2%2024Bilbao 2.5 pts lower
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.0 points20243.0 points2024Bilbao 1.0 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

69Beach, mountains and the outdoors66
66Retirees58
63Founders and self-employed46
63High earners and investors53
60Remote workers54
56Young professionals43
54Culture, food and nightlife52
51Students52
48Families with children51
33Budget-conscious movers54

Weather through the year

5°20°35°JFMAMJJASOND
Solid: average daily high · dashed: average nightly low, °C.

Our read of each

Bilbao

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Basque is co-official here
  • You can live without a car
  • Keep an eye on your phone
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work
  • An older, quieter population

Elche

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Valencian is co-official here
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • You will probably want a car
  • Line up work before you come

Data through Dec 2025 (Bilbao) and Jun 2026 (Elche). Figures are compared only when both places publish them in the same unit; a dot marks the better value where better is clear.

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