Informed Move
Menu
Updated Contains AI-generated informationMore information

Side by side

Bilbao or Madrid?

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 MadridChange 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 · Comunidad de Madrid

Madrid

Spain's biggest job market, world-class museums and a street life that runs late into the night.

Quality of life64above average
Momentum58average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Capital cityInland plateau cityLate-night cityHead-office cityHot summersFast internetScorching summersPricey rentGlobal airport

17th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Bilbao

  • Stronger on transport (76 vs 63)
  • Stronger on climate (67 vs 43)
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 46 a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 33 a year
  • Vehicle thefts: 24 per 100k people vs 110 per 100k people
  • Distance to the main airport: 5 km vs 14 km
  • A mid-sized city with a metro and tram and a strong Basque identity
  • A serious food culture and a bar life built around the pintxo

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

Why Madrid

  • Stronger on healthcare (94 vs 74)
  • Stronger on digital (70 vs 58)
  • Airport passengers: 68.0 million a year vs 7.1 million a year
  • Nights above 20 °C: 11 a year vs 23 a year
  • Rainy days (≥1 mm): 79 a year vs 153 a year
  • Homicides: 0.48 per 100k people vs 0.85 per 100k people
  • Museums and big parks and a historic centre that can be crossed on foot
  • A dense metro and commuter rail network

Watch out: A competitive housing market that pushes many people to the suburbs; A city that sprawls into separate suburbs.

Of 39 figures both publish in the same unit, Bilbao is better on 15 and Madrid on 9; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

93 · strongProsperity94 · strong
76 · strongTransport63 · above average
74 · above averageHealthcare94 · strong
70 · above averageJobs72 · above average
67 · above averageClimate43 · average
58 · averageDigital70 · above average
56 · averageConnectivity62 · above average
27 · below averageSafety28 · below average
–Housing34 · below average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureBilbaoMadridDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€11.5 a month2024€14.0 a month2024Bilbao 18% lower
Rent for a 70 m² flat€806 a month2024€978 a month2024Bilbao 18% lower
Typical rent, existing lease€800 a month2024€869 a month2024Bilbao 8% lower
Buying price per m²€3,529Q2 2026€5,418Q2 2026Bilbao 35% lower
Price of an 80 m² flat€282,344Q2 2026€433,472Q2 2026Bilbao 35% lower
House prices, change in a year8.0%Q2 20269.4%Q2 2026Bilbao 1.4 pts lower
Money & work
Household income per person€20,598 a year2024€20,861 a year2024about the same
Net income per household€47,550 a year2024€53,213 a year2024Bilbao 11% lower
Unemployment9.0%20257.8%2025Bilbao 1.2 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime68.1 per 1,000 people202468.9 per 1,000 people2024about the same
Sexual offences0.57 per 1,000 people20240.51 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 12% higher
Homicides0.85 per 100k people20250.48 per 100k people2025Bilbao 76% higher
Robberies with violence217 per 100k people2025210 per 100k people2025about the same
Home burglaries122 per 100k people2025123 per 100k people2025about the same
Thefts without violence2,993 per 100k people20252,069 per 100k people2025Bilbao 45% higher
Vehicle thefts24 per 100k people2025110 per 100k people2025Madrid 4.6×
Health
Life expectancy83.9 years202384.9 years2023about the same
Hospital beds4.0 per 1,000 people20253.6 per 1,000 people2025Bilbao 11% higher
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–202433 a year2015–2024Madrid 326.0×
Days above 30 °C4 a year2015–202478 a year2015–2024Madrid 22.3×
Nights above 20 °C23 a year2015–202411 a year2015–2024Bilbao 2.1×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)107 a year2015–202484 a year2015–2024Bilbao 28% higher
Rainfall1,146 mm a year2015–2024480 mm a year2015–2024Bilbao 2.4×
Rainy days (≥1 mm)153 a year2015–202479 a year2015–2024Bilbao 1.9×
Frost days0 a year2015–202446 a year2015–2024Madrid Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)40 min202154 min2021Bilbao 27% lower
Commute by public transport37% of commuters202144% of commuters2021Bilbao 7.0 pts lower
Commute by car30% of commuters202140% of commuters2021Bilbao 10.6 pts lower
Distance to the main airport5 km202614 km2026Madrid 3.0×
Airport passengers7.1 million a year202568.0 million a year2025Madrid 9.6×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet99%202599%2025about the same
Homes with fibre to the door99%202599%2025about the same
Education
Adults with a university degree58%202457%2024Bilbao 0.8 pts higher
People
Population351,12420253,506,7302025Madrid 10.0×
Median age50.5 years202543.9 years2025Bilbao 15% higher
Residents aged 65+25.3%202520.2%2025Bilbao 5.1 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad17.6%202529.3%2025Bilbao 11.7 pts lower
Residents with a foreign nationality11.7%202418.2%2024Bilbao 6.5 pts lower
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.0 points20242.9 points2024Bilbao 0.9 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

69Beach, mountains and the outdoors44
66Retirees51
63Founders and self-employed68
63High earners and investors59
60Remote workers53
56Young professionals65
54Culture, food and nightlife85
51Students57
48Families with children46
33Budget-conscious movers29

Weather through the year

-5°15°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

Madrid

  • English gets you by day to day
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Winters need real heating
  • You can live without a car
  • Keep an eye on your phone
  • Easy to fly home
  • Ready for remote work
  • A younger crowd

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

Need certainty before you act?

For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.

Consult with a human specialist

For decisions that depend on your own circumstances, a qualified human professional should look at your case. Tell us what you need help with and we will reply by email.

Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.

What matters to me

Tell us who you are and what you care about. Fit scores and rankings across the site follow your answers.