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Side by side

Castilla y León 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 Castilla y LeónAll about SpainChange a place

Data as of

Region

Castilla y León

Spain's biggest region: walled cities, roasted lamb, wide skies and a countryside that is emptying out.

Quality of life53average
Momentum71above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Inland plateauHistoric citiesUniversity townsEmptied countrysideCold wintersAffordable rent

21st 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

Castilla y León 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 Castilla y León

  • Robberies: 32 per 100k people vs 130 per 100k people
  • Thefts: 157 per 100k people vs 451 per 100k people
  • Burglaries: 130 per 100k people vs 293 per 100k people
  • Homicides: 0.50 per 100k people vs 0.72 per 100k people
  • Some of the lowest housing costs in Western Europe among real and walkable cities
  • Historic cities with universities & good food & little crime

Watch out: Long cold winters and heating bills in old stone houses; A thin job market and many villages with no shop or doctor or bus.

Why Spain

  • Road deaths: 3.7 per 100k people vs 6.8 per 100k people
  • Household income per person: 27,885 PPS a year vs 20,500 PPS a year
  • Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain: -3.7 points vs -5.0 points
  • Adults with a university degree: 52% vs 42%
  • 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, Castilla y León is better on 7 and Spain on 9; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

64 · above averageHousing49 · average
59 · averageSafety46 · average
54 · averageHealthcare59 · average
24 · weakJobs42 · average
24 · weakWellbeing25 · weak
15 · 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

FigureCastilla y LeónSpainDifference
Housing
House prices, change in a year14.8%Q2 202612.1%Q2 2026Castilla y León 2.7 pts higher
Households spending >40% of income on housing7.6%20257.2%2025about the same
Cost of living
Household spending€31,633 a year2025€35,101 a year2025Castilla y León 10% lower
Inflation5.4%Sep 20265.0%Sep 2026about the same
Money & work
Household income per person20,500 PPS a year202327,885 PPS a year2025Castilla y León 26% lower
Net income per person (survey)€15,598 a year2025€15,620 a year2025about the same
Average gross salary€26,177 a year2024€29,540 a year2024Castilla y León 11% lower
Median gross salary€22,567 a year2024€24,497 a year2024Castilla y León 8% lower
Unemployment8.6%202510.0%Aug 2026Castilla y León 1.4 pts lower
Youth unemployment (15–24)24.7%202524.9%2025about the same
Employment rate (20–64)74.3%202573.0%Q2 2026Castilla y León 1.3 pts higher
Safety
Homicides0.50 per 100k people20240.72 per 100k people2024Castilla y León 31% lower
Robberies32 per 100k people2024130 per 100k people2024Spain 4.1×
Burglaries130 per 100k people2024293 per 100k people2024Spain 2.3×
Thefts157 per 100k people2024451 per 100k people2024Spain 2.9×
Road deaths6.8 per 100k people20243.7 per 100k people2024Castilla y León 84% higher
Health
Life expectancy84.8 years202484.0 years2024about the same
Doctors443 per 100k people2024464 per 100k people2024Castilla y León 5% lower
Education
Adults with a university degree42%202552%2025Castilla y León 10.4 pts lower
People
Population2,401,221202549,128,2972025Spain 20.5×
Residents who speak English20.0% of residents202124.6% of residents2021Castilla y León 4.6 pts lower
Residents who speak English well10.2% of residents202114.7% of residents2021Castilla y León 4.5 pts lower
At risk of poverty19.8%202519.5%2025about the same
Who lives here
Residents born abroad11.8%202519.3%2025Castilla y León 7.5 pts lower
Born in another EU country2.6% of residents20253.3% of residents2025Castilla y León 0.6 pts lower
Born elsewhere in Europe0.5% of residents20251.7% of residents2025Castilla y León 1.1 pts lower
Born in Latin America6.1% of residents20259.4% of residents2025Castilla y León 3.2 pts lower
Born in Africa1.9% of residents20253.4% of residents2025Castilla y León 1.5 pts lower
Born in Asia0.4% of residents20251.3% of residents2025Castilla y León 0.8 pts lower
Born in North America or Oceania0.2% of residents20250.4% of residents2025about the same
Born abroad, change in 5 years3.5 points20254.4 points2025Castilla y León 0.9 pts lower
Employment rate, born abroad70.1%202569.6%2025Castilla y León 0.5 pts higher
Employment rate, born in Spain75.1%202573.3%2025Castilla y León 1.8 pts higher
Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain-5.0 points2025-3.7 points2025Castilla y León 1.3 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

60Students55
59High earners and investors57
56Budget-conscious movers43
55Retirees53
53Families with children53
48Founders and self-employed54
47Culture, food and nightlife–
42Young professionals39
–Remote workers57
–Beach, mountains and the outdoors46

Our read of each

Castilla y León

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Line up work before you come

Spain

    Data through Jun 2026 (Castilla y León) 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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