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Side by side

Bilbao or Granada?

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 GranadaChange 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 · Andalucía

Granada

A student city under the Sierra Nevada, with the Alhambra above, free tapas below and cold winter nights.

Quality of life54average
Momentum82strong
Outlook–Spain-wide only
University townHistoric cityMountain backdropFree tapasTourist-heavy centreFast internet

91st of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Bilbao

  • Stronger on prosperity (93 vs 74)
  • Stronger on transport (76 vs 64)
  • Stronger on healthcare (74 vs 39)
  • Stronger on jobs (70 vs 42)
  • Stronger on climate (67 vs 55)
  • Stronger on connectivity (56 vs 0)
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 2 a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 14 a year

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

Why Granada

  • Stronger on safety (44 vs 27)
  • Hospital beds: 9.6 per 1,000 people vs 4.0 per 1,000 people
  • Rainy days (≥1 mm): 55 a year vs 153 a year
  • Thefts without violence: 1,515 per 100k people vs 2,993 per 100k people
  • Rent per m²: €6.8 a month vs €11.5 a month
  • A student city with a world-famous monument and mountains in view
  • Free tapas and short distances in a centre made for walking

Watch out: A weak local job market and low wages; Hot and dry summers and cold winter nights in old flats.

Of 38 figures both publish in the same unit, Bilbao is better on 12 and Granada on 14; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

93 · strongProsperity74 · above average
76 · strongTransport64 · above average
74 · above averageHealthcare39 · below average
70 · above averageJobs42 · average
67 · above averageClimate55 · average
58 · averageDigital65 · above average
56 · averageConnectivity0 · weak
27 · below averageSafety44 · average
–Housing44 · average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureBilbaoGranadaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€11.5 a month2024€6.8 a month2024Bilbao 68% higher
Rent for a 70 m² flat€806 a month2024€479 a month2024Bilbao 68% higher
Typical rent, existing lease€800 a month2024€584 a month2024Bilbao 37% higher
Buying price per m²€3,529Q2 2026€2,446Q2 2026Bilbao 44% higher
Price of an 80 m² flat€282,344Q2 2026€195,720Q2 2026Bilbao 44% higher
House prices, change in a year8.0%Q2 202611.9%Q2 2026Bilbao 3.9 pts lower
Money & work
Household income per person€20,598 a year2024€16,893 a year2024Bilbao 22% higher
Net income per household€47,550 a year2024€38,644 a year2024Bilbao 23% higher
Unemployment9.0%202521.1%2025Bilbao 12.0 pts lower
Safety
Recorded crime68.1 per 1,000 people202456.5 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 20% higher
Sexual offences0.57 per 1,000 people20240.41 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 39% higher
Homicides0.85 per 100k people20250.00 per 100k people2025about the same
Robberies with violence217 per 100k people2025141 per 100k people2025Bilbao 54% higher
Home burglaries122 per 100k people2025124 per 100k people2025about the same
Thefts without violence2,993 per 100k people20251,515 per 100k people2025Bilbao 2.0×
Vehicle thefts24 per 100k people202558 per 100k people2025Granada 2.4×
Health
Life expectancy83.9 years202383.1 years2023about the same
Hospital beds4.0 per 1,000 people20259.6 per 1,000 people2025Granada 2.4×
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–202414 a year2015–2024Granada 139.0×
Days above 30 °C4 a year2015–202475 a year2015–2024Granada 21.3×
Nights above 20 °C23 a year2015–202452 a year2015–2024Granada 2.2×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)107 a year2015–2024124 a year2015–2024Bilbao 14% lower
Rainfall1,146 mm a year2015–2024335 mm a year2015–2024Bilbao 3.4×
Rainy days (≥1 mm)153 a year2015–202455 a year2015–2024Bilbao 2.8×
Frost days0 a year2015–20242 a year2015–2024Granada Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)40 min202143 min2021Bilbao 9% lower
Commute by public transport37% of commuters202121% of commuters2021Bilbao 16.2 pts higher
Commute by car30% of commuters202143% of commuters2021Bilbao 13.4 pts lower
Distance to the main airport5 km202698 km2026Granada 21.0×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet99%202599%2025about the same
Homes with fibre to the door99%2025100%2025Bilbao 0.5 pts lower
Education
Adults with a university degree58%202460%2024Bilbao 1.9 pts lower
People
Population351,1242025233,9752025Bilbao 50% higher
Median age50.5 years202547.8 years2025Bilbao 6% higher
Residents aged 65+25.3%202523.9%2025Bilbao 1.4 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad17.6%202514.8%2025Bilbao 2.8 pts higher
Residents with a foreign nationality11.7%202410.2%2024Bilbao 1.5 pts higher
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.0 points20242.6 points2024Bilbao 0.6 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

69Beach, mountains and the outdoors54
66Retirees48
63Founders and self-employed53
63High earners and investors50
60Remote workers51
56Young professionals53
54Culture, food and nightlife69
51Students64
48Families with children44
33Budget-conscious movers42

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

Granada

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Ready for remote work
  • Public waiting lists are long

Data through Dec 2025 (Bilbao) and Jun 2026 (Granada). 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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