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Side by side

Bilbao or Zaragoza?

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 ZaragozaChange 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 · Aragón

Zaragoza

Big-city services at mid-size prices, halfway between Madrid and Barcelona on the fast train.

Quality of life61above average
Momentum36below average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Regional capitalLogistics cityUniversity townRiver cityHot summersScorching summers

37th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Bilbao

  • Stronger on prosperity (93 vs 78)
  • Stronger on transport (76 vs 62)
  • Stronger on jobs (70 vs 52)
  • Stronger on climate (67 vs 49)
  • Stronger on connectivity (56 vs 25)
  • Airport passengers: 7.1 million a year vs 0.7 million a year
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 15 a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 35 a year

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

Why Zaragoza

  • Stronger on safety (64 vs 27)
  • Homicides: 0.29 per 100k people vs 0.85 per 100k people
  • Thefts without violence: 1,203 per 100k people vs 2,993 per 100k people
  • Rainy days (≥1 mm): 73 a year vs 153 a year
  • Recorded crime: 41.0 per 1,000 people vs 68.1 per 1,000 people
  • A big city with a manageable pace and a strong local identity
  • A tapas and festival culture that is lively and unpretentious

Watch out: The cierzo wind and the extremes of heat and cold; Quiet August weeks when many bars and shops close.

Of 39 figures both publish in the same unit, Bilbao is better on 14 and Zaragoza on 15; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

93 · strongProsperity78 · strong
76 · strongTransport62 · above average
74 · above averageHealthcare68 · above average
70 · above averageJobs52 · average
67 · above averageClimate49 · average
58 · averageDigital50 · average
56 · averageConnectivity25 · below average
27 · below averageSafety64 · above average
–Housing56 · average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureBilbaoZaragozaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€11.5 a month2024€7.7 a month2024Bilbao 49% higher
Rent for a 70 m² flat€806 a month2024€541 a month2024Bilbao 49% higher
Typical rent, existing lease€800 a month2024€550 a month2024Bilbao 45% higher
Buying price per m²€3,529Q2 2026€2,240Q2 2026Bilbao 58% higher
Price of an 80 m² flat€282,344Q2 2026€179,224Q2 2026Bilbao 58% higher
House prices, change in a year8.0%Q2 202612.6%Q2 2026Bilbao 4.6 pts lower
Money & work
Household income per person€20,598 a year2024€17,199 a year2024Bilbao 20% higher
Net income per household€47,550 a year2024€41,707 a year2024Bilbao 14% higher
Unemployment9.0%20258.1%2025Bilbao 1.0 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime68.1 per 1,000 people202441.0 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 66% higher
Sexual offences0.57 per 1,000 people20240.35 per 1,000 people2024Bilbao 63% higher
Homicides0.85 per 100k people20250.29 per 100k people2025Bilbao 3.0×
Robberies with violence217 per 100k people2025160 per 100k people2025Bilbao 35% higher
Home burglaries122 per 100k people202585 per 100k people2025Bilbao 44% higher
Thefts without violence2,993 per 100k people20251,203 per 100k people2025Bilbao 2.5×
Vehicle thefts24 per 100k people202523 per 100k people2025about the same
Health
Life expectancy83.9 years202383.8 years2023about the same
Hospital beds4.0 per 1,000 people20255.4 per 1,000 people2025Bilbao 27% lower
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–202435 a year2015–2024Zaragoza 353.0×
Days above 30 °C4 a year2015–202486 a year2015–2024Zaragoza 24.5×
Nights above 20 °C23 a year2015–202421 a year2015–2024Bilbao 9% higher
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)107 a year2015–2024102 a year2015–2024Bilbao 6% higher
Rainfall1,146 mm a year2015–2024381 mm a year2015–2024Bilbao 3.0×
Rainy days (≥1 mm)153 a year2015–202473 a year2015–2024Bilbao 2.1×
Frost days0 a year2015–202415 a year2015–2024Zaragoza Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)40 min202145 min2021Bilbao 11% lower
Commute by public transport37% of commuters202124% of commuters2021Bilbao 13.4 pts higher
Commute by car30% of commuters202147% of commuters2021Bilbao 17.5 pts lower
Distance to the main airport5 km202613 km2026Zaragoza 2.7×
Airport passengers7.1 million a year20250.7 million a year2025Bilbao 10.0×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet99%202599%2025Bilbao 0.6 pts higher
Homes with fibre to the door99%202599%2025Bilbao 0.6 pts higher
Education
Adults with a university degree58%202450%2024Bilbao 8.2 pts higher
People
Population351,1242025693,0912025Zaragoza 2.0×
Median age50.5 years202548.0 years2025Bilbao 5% higher
Residents aged 65+25.3%202522.6%2025Bilbao 2.7 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad17.6%202519.4%2025Bilbao 1.8 pts lower
Residents with a foreign nationality11.7%202413.8%2024Bilbao 2.1 pts lower
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.0 points20242.0 points2024about the same

Who each suits, 0–100

69Beach, mountains and the outdoors60
66Retirees60
63Founders and self-employed51
63High earners and investors62
60Remote workers54
56Young professionals55
54Culture, food and nightlife53
51Students53
48Families with children59
33Budget-conscious movers51

Weather through the year

0°18°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

Zaragoza

  • English gets you by day to day
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work
  • Public waiting lists are long

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