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Side by side

Alicante or Granada?

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 AlicanteAll about GranadaChange a place

Data as of

City · Comunitat Valenciana

Alicante

A sunny port city with a long town beach, mild winters and a big, settled international community.

Quality of life49average
Momentum60above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Beach cityPort cityMild wintersInternational communityUniversity townWatch your pocketsInternational crowd

121st of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

City · Andalucía

Granada

A student city under the Sierra Nevada, with the Alhambra above, free tapas below and cold winter nights.

Quality of life54average
Momentum82strong
Outlook–Spain-wide only
University townHistoric cityMountain backdropFree tapasTourist-heavy centreFast internet

91st of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Alicante

  • Stronger on connectivity (55 vs 0)
  • Distance to the main airport: 10 km vs 98 km
  • Frost days: 1 a year vs 2 a year
  • Unemployment: 14.8% vs 21.1%
  • Mild bright winters and an airport close to the city
  • A walkable centre with a beach a few minutes away

Watch out: A seasonal population that swells in summer and at the Hogueras; Crowded beach and nightlife areas in summer.

Why Granada

  • Stronger on prosperity (74 vs 30)
  • Stronger on digital (65 vs 37)
  • Stronger on safety (44 vs 16)
  • Hospital beds: 9.6 per 1,000 people vs 4.1 per 1,000 people
  • Vehicle thefts: 58 per 100k people vs 111 per 100k people
  • Robberies with violence: 141 per 100k people vs 244 per 100k people
  • Sexual offences: 0.41 per 1,000 people vs 0.68 per 1,000 people
  • A student city with a world-famous monument and mountains in view

Watch out: A weak local job market and low wages; Hot and dry summers and cold winter nights in old flats.

Of 39 figures both publish in the same unit, Alicante is better on 5 and Granada on 18; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

55 · averageConnectivity0 · weak
53 · averageClimate55 · average
53 · averageTransport64 · above average
48 · averageHealthcare39 · below average
37 · below averageDigital65 · above average
37 · below averageHousing44 · average
36 · below averageJobs42 · average
30 · below averageProsperity74 · above average
16 · weakSafety44 · average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureAlicanteGranadaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€7.1 a month2024€6.8 a month2024about the same
Rent for a 70 m² flat€497 a month2024€479 a month2024about the same
Typical rent, existing lease€608 a month2024€584 a month2024about the same
Rents, change in a year5.1%20244.1%2024Alicante 1.0 pts higher
Buying price per m²€2,279Q2 2026€2,446Q2 2026Alicante 7% lower
Price of an 80 m² flat€182,336Q2 2026€195,720Q2 2026Alicante 7% lower
House prices, change in a year12.6%Q2 202611.9%Q2 2026Alicante 0.7 pts higher
Money & work
Household income per person€14,361 a year2024€16,893 a year2024Alicante 15% lower
Net income per household€36,891 a year2024€38,644 a year2024Alicante 5% lower
Unemployment14.8%202521.1%2025Alicante 6.2 pts lower
Safety
Recorded crime67.9 per 1,000 people202456.5 per 1,000 people2024Alicante 20% higher
Sexual offences0.68 per 1,000 people20240.41 per 1,000 people2024Alicante 66% higher
Homicides1.37 per 100k people20250.00 per 100k people2025about the same
Robberies with violence244 per 100k people2025141 per 100k people2025Alicante 73% higher
Home burglaries185 per 100k people2025124 per 100k people2025Alicante 49% higher
Thefts without violence2,206 per 100k people20251,515 per 100k people2025Alicante 46% higher
Vehicle thefts111 per 100k people202558 per 100k people2025Alicante 1.9×
Health
Life expectancy83.4 years202383.1 years2023about the same
Hospital beds4.1 per 1,000 people20259.6 per 1,000 people2025Granada 2.3×
Climate
Days above 35 °C14 a year2015–202414 a year2015–2024about the same
Days above 30 °C75 a year2015–202475 a year2015–2024about the same
Nights above 20 °C60 a year2015–202452 a year2015–2024Alicante 16% higher
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)127 a year2015–2024124 a year2015–2024about the same
Rainfall399 mm a year2015–2024335 mm a year2015–2024Alicante 19% higher
Rainy days (≥1 mm)63 a year2015–202455 a year2015–2024Alicante 15% higher
Frost days1 a year2015–20242 a year2015–2024Granada 3.0×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)42 min202143 min2021about the same
Commute by public transport18% of commuters202121% of commuters2021Alicante 2.5 pts lower
Commute by car57% of commuters202143% of commuters2021Alicante 14.2 pts higher
Distance to the main airport10 km202698 km2026Granada 10.2×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet98%202599%2025Alicante 1.3 pts lower
Homes with fibre to the door98%2025100%2025Alicante 1.6 pts lower
Education
Adults with a university degree44%202460%2024Alicante 15.7 pts lower
People
Population366,2212025233,9752025Alicante 57% higher
Median age45.8 years202547.8 years2025Alicante 4% lower
Residents aged 65+19.9%202523.9%2025Alicante 4.0 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad28.9%202514.8%2025Alicante 14.1 pts higher
Residents with a foreign nationality20.7%202410.2%2024Alicante 10.5 pts higher
Foreign residents, change in 5 years6.0 points20242.6 points2024Alicante 3.4 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

70Culture, food and nightlife69
56Students64
54Founders and self-employed53
52Remote workers51
51Beach, mountains and the outdoors54
48High earners and investors50
47Young professionals53
44Retirees48
38Budget-conscious movers42
34Families with children44

Weather through the year

5°20°35°JFMAMJJASOND
Solid: average daily high · dashed: average nightly low, °C.

Our read of each

Alicante

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early
  • Valencian is co-official here
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Keep an eye on your phone
  • Easy to fly home
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work

Granada

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Ready for remote work
  • Public waiting lists are long

Data through Jun 2026 (Alicante) and Jun 2026 (Granada). 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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