Go with a plan.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Bilbao at 51/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Spain's national picture overall (67/100 vs 70/100).
City page · part of Spain
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Bilbao report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside Spain's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
48.8
Safety Index
51.2
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Spain's national page, with crime swapped for Bilbao's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Bilbao, specifically
- • With a rate of only 33.4 crimes per 1000 inhabitants, the Basque Country has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe.
- • Crime rates can, however, vary significantly between rural and urban areas, though urban areas are still not particularly dangerous.
- • While some may advise you not to wear any Spanish symbols, the reality is that the vast majority of Bilbainos will not even notice, much as it is true that a small minority might be upset about them.
- • Inhabitants of the Basque Country are divided between those who support independence or autonomy from Spain and consider themselves primarily or entirely Basque and others who consider themselves primarily or entirely Spanish.
- • These political issues have dominated life in the Basque Country for generations and you will still find coverage of them in news media across the Basque Country every day.
Legal status (national law)
Legal since 1979 + UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / F · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 112
Tipping
Tipping, or "propina" in Spanish is not mandatory nor considered customary in Spain. As a result, you may find that waiters are not as attentive or courteous as you may be used to since they don't work for tips.
Cash vs. Card
€500 banknotes are not accepted in many stores—always have alternative banknotes.
How this compares to Spain
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Bilbao at 51/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Spain's national picture overall (67/100 vs 70/100).
See the full Spain page and all receipts →