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 BadalonaAll about CataluñaChange a place
Data as of
City · Cataluña
A dense working-class seaside city on Barcelona's doorstep, with a Roman past, a basketball club and a street-crime problem.
86th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000
Region
Barcelona, the Costa Brava and the Pyrenees in one region, with its own language, food and festivals.
21st of 34 European metro regions
Badalona is a city and Cataluña 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: Street robbery and petty theft that are high even by the standards of big Spanish cities; Rents and prices that follow Barcelona upwards while local incomes stay low.
Watch out: Housing that is dear and tight around Barcelona and the best-known coast; Petty theft in Barcelona and the resort towns and some of the highest regional taxes.
Of 9 figures both publish in the same unit, Badalona is better on 0 and Cataluña on 2; the rest are close or have no better direction.
| Figure | Badalona | Cataluña | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| Rent per m² | €10.2 a month2024 | €9.8 a month2024 | about the same |
| Rent for a 70 m² flat | €712 a month2024 | €689 a month2024 | about the same |
| Typical rent, existing lease | €728 a month2024 | €700 a month2024 | about the same |
| Typical rent, new lease | €978 a monthQ1 2026 | €861 a monthQ1 2026 | Badalona 14% higher |
| Rents, change in a year | 2.8%2024 | 3.1%2024 | about the same |
| Buying price per m² | €2,824Q2 2026 | €2,753Q2 2026 | about the same |
| Price of an 80 m² flat | €225,936Q2 2026 | €220,232Q2 2026 | about the same |
| House prices, change in a year | 12.7%Q2 2026 | 10.1%Q2 2026 | Badalona 2.6 pts higher |
| People | |||
| Population | 231,5422025 | 8,124,1262025 | Cataluña 35.1× |
Data through Jun 2026 (Badalona) and Jun 2026 (Cataluña). 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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