Bilbao
Spain · Europe · 345K people
Post-industrial Basque city reinvented around design and modern architecture.
Ranked #23 of 303 overall · 43.26, -2.94
Overview
Bilbao, Spain, is home to about 345,000 residents and has built a reputation that goes beyond its size. Its reputation is built on history, architecture and a dense cultural calendar. It has a reputation as a solid, practical choice for raising a family. People who choose to settle in Bilbao tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a strong sense of safety, and a climate most people find easy to live with as the deciding factors. Against its 103 tracked peers in Europe, Bilbao's 7.4/10 overall score sits 0.5 points above the regional average of 6.9. On CityMatch, Bilbao scores 7.4/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #23 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is safety at 8/10, while cost of living is its softest spot at 7/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Comfortable on a moderate budget.
Consistently rated among the safer picks.
No major pollution concerns on average.
Workable without being exceptional.
Reasonably comfortable year-round.
A strong pick if healthcare matters most to you.
Fast, reliable connectivity.
Is Bilbao right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
A 8/10 safety score puts Bilbao among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Healthcare scores 8/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Internet and connectivity score 8/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Cost of living is Bilbao's comparatively softest spot at 7/10 — still a workable budget, just not its standout strength.
Environment and air quality sits at 7/10, comparatively the softest of Bilbao's scores though still a reasonable baseline.
Is Bilbao safe?
Bilbao scores 8/10 on safety — one of the more reassuring cities in our database. Most residents and visitors report feeling comfortable with ordinary city awareness rather than specific precautions.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Combined with a healthcare score of 8/10 and environment score of 7/10, Bilbao looks like a genuinely solid pick for raising a family.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (8/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Public transport feels safe here too — safety (8/10) and transport quality (7/10) are both strong, a combination that generally makes getting around without a car low-stress.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Bilbao?
Climate here (7/10) is comfortably in the "fine, not exceptional" range — a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Seasonal character
Expect a normal four-season rhythm (or a wet/dry split closer to the equator), without extremes dominating the calendar.
Comfort level
Comfort is generally good, with the odd day or short stretch that calls for planning ahead rather than year-round ease.
Best time to live here
Shoulder-season months (spring and autumn, broadly) tend to be the safest bet if you can choose when to visit or move.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Bilbao
Put together, quality of life in Bilbao is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: bilbao tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
Bilbao tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (7/10) and climate (7/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (7/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Bilbao is specifically known for its cultural and historical scene — museums, architecture and a dense calendar of things to do are part of its identity, not an afterthought.
Based on its actual score profile, Bilbao tends to suit people who prioritize safety and healthcare over cost of living — see "Who Bilbao suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Bilbao?
Environment scores 7/10 here, solidly average: no particular pollution concern, but not a headline strength either.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Bilbao suits
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 7.6/10 here).
Safety-first mover
Safety-first movers — people relocating somewhere unfamiliar who weigh personal safety above all (fit score 7.6/10 here).
Young family
Young familys — households with kids prioritizing safety, healthcare and clean air (fit score 7.5/10 here).
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 7.5/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
At 7/10 for cost of living, Bilbao lands in a middle ground where costs are manageable without being a bargain.
Safety
At 8/10 on our safety score, Bilbao ranks among the more secure cities we track, which tends to matter most for families and first-time movers.
Climate
Weather here (7/10) is reasonably pleasant most of the year, with a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Quality of life
What stands out about Bilbao is how even its scorecard is — no criterion drags the average down much, giving a global score of 7.4/10 built on safety as the high point and cost of living as the lowest. The average across all seven criteria is 7.4/10.
Transport
At 7/10 for transport, Bilbao covers the basics reasonably well without being a transit showcase.
Internet & remote work
At 8/10 for internet, Bilbao is squarely in "video-call without worrying about it" territory.
Why choose Bilbao?
Bilbao is a strong, well-rounded pick at 7.4/10 overall — safety stands out most, and even its comparatively softest criterion (cost of living) is still a solid, workable score rather than a real downside.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Bilbao safe?
Yes — Bilbao scores 8/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Bilbao?
Bilbao scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Bilbao good for families?
Bilbao works well for families: safety (8/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (7/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Bilbao a good city for students?
Bilbao isn't specifically known as a student hub, but its affordability (7/10) and transport (7/10) scores make it a workable option.
Is Bilbao suitable for digital nomads?
Bilbao isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 8/10 and cost of living 7/10.
What's the climate like in Bilbao?
Bilbao scores 7/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Bilbao pleasant to live in year-round?
Largely yes — with a climate score of 7/10 and an environment (air quality) score of 7/10, Bilbao holds up well across seasons.
Is Bilbao a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 7.5/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Bilbao?
Yes — Bilbao scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Bilbao a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 7.7/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Bilbao?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Bordeaux and Strasbourg are the closest matches to Bilbao in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Bilbao worth living in?
Reasonably — Bilbao scores 7.4/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Bilbao?
Based on its score profile, Bilbao suits people who value safety and healthcare more than the average mover — see the "Who Bilbao suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Bilbao walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Bilbao scores 7/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Bilbao?
Safety is Bilbao's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Bilbao?
Cost of living is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 7/10 — the lowest of Bilbao's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.