Informed Move
Menu
Updated Contains AI-generated informationMore information

Side by side

Bilbao or San Sebastián?

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 San SebastiánChange 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 · País Vasco

San Sebastián

A shell-shaped bay, the best bars in Spain and the highest housing costs in the north.

Quality of life62above average
Momentum42average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Beach citySurf cityFood capitalBilingual: Basque & SpanishGreen and rainyFast internetPricey rent

23rd of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Bilbao

  • Stronger on connectivity (56 vs 0)
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 0 a year
  • Distance to the main airport: 5 km vs 75 km
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 0 a year
  • Commute by public transport: 37% of commuters vs 25% of commuters
  • 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 San Sebastián

  • Hospital beds: 7.5 per 1,000 people vs 4.0 per 1,000 people
  • Robberies with violence: 126 per 100k people vs 217 per 100k people
  • Thefts without violence: 1,772 per 100k people vs 2,993 per 100k people
  • Unemployment: 5.6% vs 9.0%
  • A beach city with a walkable centre and some of the best food in Europe
  • A safe and clean city with a strong public sector

Watch out: Housing among the most expensive in northern Spain; Crowded old town and beaches in summer with pickpocketing.

Of 38 figures both publish in the same unit, Bilbao is better on 16 and San Sebastián on 11; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

93 · strongProsperity95 · strong
76 · strongTransport82 · strong
74 · above averageHealthcare73 · above average
70 · above averageJobs66 · above average
67 · above averageClimate63 · above average
58 · averageDigital61 · above average
56 · averageConnectivity0 · weak
27 · below averageSafety29 · below average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureBilbaoSan SebastiánDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€11.5 a month2024€14.0 a month2024Bilbao 18% lower
Rent for a 70 m² flat€806 a month2024€979 a month2024Bilbao 18% lower
Typical rent, existing lease€800 a month2024€967 a month2024Bilbao 17% lower
Buying price per m²€3,529Q2 2026€5,208Q2 2026Bilbao 32% lower
Price of an 80 m² flat€282,344Q2 2026€416,664Q2 2026Bilbao 32% lower
House prices, change in a year8.0%Q2 20268.8%Q2 2026Bilbao 0.8 pts lower
Money & work
Household income per person€20,598 a year2024€23,700 a year2024Bilbao 13% lower
Net income per household€47,550 a year2024€54,959 a year2024Bilbao 13% lower
Unemployment9.0%20255.6%2025Bilbao 3.5 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime68.1 per 1,000 people202458.5 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 16% higher
Sexual offences0.57 per 1,000 people20240.64 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 11% lower
Homicides0.85 per 100k people20250.53 per 100k people2025Bilbao 62% higher
Robberies with violence217 per 100k people2025126 per 100k people2025Bilbao 72% higher
Home burglaries122 per 100k people2025175 per 100k people2025Bilbao 30% lower
Thefts without violence2,993 per 100k people20251,772 per 100k people2025Bilbao 69% higher
Vehicle thefts24 per 100k people202541 per 100k people2025Bilbao 41% lower
Health
Life expectancy83.9 years202383.9 years2023about the same
Hospital beds4.0 per 1,000 people20257.5 per 1,000 people2025San Sebastián 1.9×
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–20240 a year2015–2024San Sebastián 2.0×
Days above 30 °C4 a year2015–20244 a year2015–2024Bilbao 17% lower
Nights above 20 °C23 a year2015–202415 a year2015–2024Bilbao 56% higher
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)107 a year2015–202498 a year2015–2024Bilbao 10% higher
Rainfall1,146 mm a year2015–20241,241 mm a year2015–2024Bilbao 8% lower
Rainy days (≥1 mm)153 a year2015–2024162 a year2015–2024Bilbao 6% lower
Frost days0 a year2015–20240 a year2015–2024Bilbao 100% lower
Getting around
Average commute (one way)40 min202137 min2021Bilbao 7% higher
Commute by public transport37% of commuters202125% of commuters2021Bilbao 11.7 pts higher
Commute by car30% of commuters202144% of commuters2021Bilbao 13.9 pts lower
Distance to the main airport5 km202675 km2026San Sebastián 15.9×
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%202466%2024Bilbao 8.5 pts lower
People
Population351,1242025189,8662025Bilbao 85% higher
Median age50.5 years202551.2 years2025about the same
Residents aged 65+25.3%202526.2%2025Bilbao 0.9 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad17.6%202515.5%2025Bilbao 2.1 pts higher
Residents with a foreign nationality11.7%20249.6%2024Bilbao 2.1 pts higher
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.0 points20241.3 points2024Bilbao 0.7 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

69Beach, mountains and the outdoors46
66Retirees55
63Founders and self-employed57
63High earners and investors57
60Remote workers42
56Young professionals70
54Culture, food and nightlife73
51Students57
48Families with children49
33Budget-conscious movers41

Weather through the year

5°15°25°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

San Sebastián

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Basque is co-official here
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work
  • An older, quieter population

Data through Dec 2025 (Bilbao) and Dec 2025 (San Sebastián). 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.