Side by side
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 Alcalá de HenaresAll about Comunidad de MadridChange a place
Data as of
City · Comunidad de Madrid
A university and Cervantes town east of Madrid, with a World Heritage centre and a commuter's daily rhythm.
57th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000
Region
Spain's capital region: the country's biggest job market, with the mountains an hour from the centre.
11th of 34 European metro regions
Alcalá de Henares is a city and Comunidad de Madrid a region. Each figure is that place’s own; scores compare each with its own peers (regions with regions, cities with cities), so read them side by side rather than as a contest.
Watch out: Long commutes to Madrid on trains that can be crowded or late; Frosty winters and hot summers on the open Henares plain.
Watch out: The highest rents and house prices in Spain and rising faster than pay; Street robbery and pickpocketing in the busiest parts of the capital and on the metro.
Of 13 figures both publish in the same unit, Alcalá de Henares is better on 6 and Comunidad de Madrid on 3; the rest are close or have no better direction.
| Figure | Alcalá de Henares | Comunidad de Madrid | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| Rent per m² | €9.4 a month2024 | €12.1 a month2024 | Alcalá de Henares 22% lower |
| Rent for a 70 m² flat | €659 a month2024 | €848 a month2024 | Alcalá de Henares 22% lower |
| Typical rent, existing lease | €698 a month2024 | €800 a month2024 | Alcalá de Henares 13% lower |
| Rents, change in a year | 3.3%2024 | 3.4%2024 | about the same |
| Buying price per m² | €2,942Q2 2026 | €4,090Q2 2026 | Alcalá de Henares 28% lower |
| Price of an 80 m² flat | €235,376Q2 2026 | €327,168Q2 2026 | Alcalá de Henares 28% lower |
| House prices, change in a year | 20.3%Q2 2026 | 12.9%Q2 2026 | Alcalá de Henares 7.4 pts higher |
| Money & work | |||
| Unemployment | 9.6%2025 | 8.0%2025 | Alcalá de Henares 1.6 pts higher |
| Safety | |||
| Recorded crime | 48.5 per 1,000 people2024 | 55.1 per 1,000 people2025 | Alcalá de Henares 12% lower |
| Health | |||
| Life expectancy | 84.6 years2023 | 85.7 years2024 | about the same |
| Education | |||
| Adults with a university degree | 46%2024 | 50%2025 | Alcalá de Henares 4.5 pts lower |
| People | |||
| Population | 203,2082025 | 7,113,8862025 | Comunidad de Madrid 35.0× |
| Who lives here | |||
| Residents born abroad | 22.8%2025 | 24.9%2025 | Alcalá de Henares 2.1 pts lower |
Data through Jun 2026 (Alcalá de Henares) and Jun 2026 (Comunidad de Madrid). 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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