Cost of Living: Bilbao vs Nice (2026)
Spain vs France — relocation comparison
TL;DRBilbao is safer — homicide rate 0.7 vs 1.6 per 100k. Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.
Bilbao and Nice are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin.
💰
Cost of Living
Nice
$84/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Bilbao
0.7 homicides per 100k
Bilbao
Metric
Nice
$1259/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$1176/mo✓
$578/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$363/mo✓
—
🧳
Cost to land
$4,491
✓0.7 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
1.6 / 100k
25°C
☀️
Summer high
26°C
6°C
❄️
Winter low
6°C
10.1 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
7.4 μg/m³✓
8.1 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
8.0 / 10
✓37/100
🗣️
Street English
35/100
$58k
💼
GDP per capita
$63k✓
2.8%
📈
Inflation
2.0%✓
69 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
69 / 100
Settler Essentials
—
Democracy trend
stable →
Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals
The Short Version
- •Rent is 7% cheaper in Nice ($1176/mo vs $1259/mo for a 1BR city centre).
- •Summers are slightly warmer in Nice (26°C vs 25°C).
- •Bilbao is safer by homicide rate (0.7 vs 1.6 per 100k).
Bilbao vs Nice — Common Questions
Is Bilbao cheaper than Nice?▾
Nice is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1176/month in Nice vs $1259/month in the other city (Numbeo data).
Which is safer, Bilbao or Nice?▾
Bilbao is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Bilbao has a rate of 0.69 per 100,000 and Nice has 1.56 per 100,000.
Should I move to Bilbao or Nice?▾
Bilbao and Nice are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.
Don't agree? Take the quiz and see what fits you.
Factor in your salary, family size, weather preferences, and deal-breakers.
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