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Side by side

Cantabria or Spain?

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 CantabriaAll about SpainChange a place

Data as of

Region

Cantabria

A small green region of beaches, mountains and a graceful seaside capital, with the cool summers of the north.

Quality of life55average
Momentum68above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Atlantic coastGreen and rainyCool summersSeaside capitalSmall region

19th of 35 European metro regions

Country

Spain

Sun, food and a life lived outdoors, from big-city careers to quiet coastal towns.

Quality of life56average
Momentum52average
Outlook25weak
Mediterranean countryPublic healthcare systemRegional languagesLate meals and street lifeTourism economy

16th of 30 EU + EFTA countries

Cantabria is a region and Spain a country. Each figure is that place’s own; scores compare each with its own peers (Spain with EU countries, regions with regions, cities with cities), so read them side by side rather than as a contest.

Why Cantabria

  • Robberies: 41 per 100k people vs 130 per 100k people
  • Thefts: 196 per 100k people vs 451 per 100k people
  • Burglaries: 187 per 100k people vs 293 per 100k people
  • Homicides: 0.51 per 100k people vs 0.72 per 100k people
  • Sea and beach and green valley and mountain within an hour
  • Low unemployment for the north and a safe compact capital

Watch out: Rain and grey skies for much of the year with damp houses inland; A small job market with most good work in Santander.

Why Spain

  • Household income per person: 27,885 PPS a year vs 20,300 PPS a year
  • A mild climate along the coast and islands and long days outdoors
  • Regional variety in food and landscape and language

Watch out: Job openings and pay that differ widely by region and sector; Procedures that vary by region and often run only in Spanish.

Of 34 figures both publish in the same unit, Cantabria is better on 12 and Spain on 5; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

59 · averageHousing49 · average
59 · averageSafety46 · average
58 · averageWellbeing25 · weak
44 · averageHealthcare59 · average
34 · below averageJobs42 · average
13 · weakProsperity43 · average
–Geopolitical Stability100 · strong
–Demographics87 · strong
–Tax & Finance76 · strong
–Education62 · above average
–Economy59 · average
–Cost of Living56 · average
–Environment50 · average
–Governance32 · below average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureCantabriaSpainDifference
Housing
House prices, change in a year13.5%Q2 202612.1%Q2 2026Cantabria 1.4 pts higher
Households spending >40% of income on housing6.7%20257.2%2025Cantabria 0.5 pts lower
Cost of living
Household spending€35,243 a year2025€35,101 a year2025about the same
Inflation5.4%Sep 20265.0%Sep 2026about the same
Money & work
Household income per person20,300 PPS a year202327,885 PPS a year2025Cantabria 27% lower
Net income per person (survey)€15,964 a year2025€15,620 a year2025about the same
Average gross salary€27,097 a year2024€29,540 a year2024Cantabria 8% lower
Median gross salary€23,247 a year2024€24,497 a year2024Cantabria 5% lower
Unemployment7.3%202510.0%Aug 2026Cantabria 2.7 pts lower
Youth unemployment (15–24)19.8%202524.9%2025Cantabria 5.1 pts lower
Employment rate (20–64)73.7%202573.0%Q2 2026Cantabria 0.7 pts higher
Safety
Homicides0.51 per 100k people20240.72 per 100k people2024Cantabria 29% lower
Robberies41 per 100k people2024130 per 100k people2024Spain 3.1×
Burglaries187 per 100k people2024293 per 100k people2024Cantabria 36% lower
Thefts196 per 100k people2024451 per 100k people2024Spain 2.3×
Road deaths3.2 per 100k people20243.7 per 100k people2024Cantabria 14% lower
Health
Life expectancy84.0 years202484.0 years2024about the same
Doctors490 per 100k people2024464 per 100k people2024Cantabria 6% higher
Education
Adults with a university degree48%202552%2025Cantabria 4.7 pts lower
People
Population593,623202549,128,2972025Spain 82.8×
Residents who speak English24.6% of residents202124.6% of residents2021about the same
Residents who speak English well13.8% of residents202114.7% of residents2021Cantabria 0.9 pts lower
At risk of poverty13.9%202519.5%2025Cantabria 5.6 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad12.6%202519.3%2025Cantabria 6.6 pts lower
Born in another EU country1.9% of residents20253.3% of residents2025Cantabria 1.4 pts lower
Born elsewhere in Europe1.4% of residents20251.7% of residents2025about the same
Born in Latin America7.4% of residents20259.4% of residents2025Cantabria 1.9 pts lower
Born in Africa1.0% of residents20253.4% of residents2025Cantabria 2.4 pts lower
Born in Asia0.5% of residents20251.3% of residents2025Cantabria 0.8 pts lower
Born in North America or Oceania0.5% of residents20250.4% of residents2025about the same
Born abroad, change in 5 years3.3 points20254.4 points2025Cantabria 1.1 pts lower
Employment rate, born abroad70.9%202569.6%2025Cantabria 1.3 pts higher
Employment rate, born in Spain74.3%202573.3%2025Cantabria 1.0 pts higher
Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain-3.4 points2025-3.7 points2025about the same

Who each suits, 0–100

56High earners and investors57
55Retirees53
55Budget-conscious movers43
54Students55
48Families with children53
48Founders and self-employed54
46Young professionals39
37Culture, food and nightlife–
–Remote workers57
–Beach, mountains and the outdoors46

Our read of each

Cantabria

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early
  • Public waiting lists are long

Spain

    Data through Jun 2026 (Cantabria) and Sep 2026 (Spain). 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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