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Side by side

Ceuta 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 CeutaAll about SpainChange a place

Data as of

Region

Ceuta

A small Spanish port on the African shore of the Strait of Gibraltar, with a garrison, a border and two communities sharing one city.

Quality of life47average
Momentum48average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Autonomous cityAfrican coastPort cityBorder cityMilitary garrisonSafety first

29th 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

Ceuta 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 Ceuta

  • Homicides: 0.00 per 100k people vs 0.72 per 100k people
  • Burglaries: 25 per 100k people vs 293 per 100k people
  • Road deaths: 1.2 per 100k people vs 3.7 per 100k people
  • Inflation: 3.1% vs 5.0%
  • A safe compact city by the sea with mild winters and the Strait on the doorstep
  • Lots of doctors for a small place and a tax regime that rewards local residents

Watch out: Almost no private-sector job market with very high unemployment; Dependence on the ferry and the border for supplies and work and visits.

Why Spain

  • Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain: -3.7 points vs -17.1 points
  • Residents who speak English: 24.6% of residents vs 14.6% of residents
  • Unemployment: 10.0% vs 24.3%
  • Employment rate, born abroad: 69.6% vs 44.0%
  • 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 32 figures both publish in the same unit, Ceuta is better on 6 and Spain on 12; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

76 · strongSafety46 · average
52 · averageHousing49 · average
48 · averageHealthcare59 · average
7 · weakProsperity43 · average
3 · weakWellbeing25 · weak
2 · weakJobs42 · 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

FigureCeutaSpainDifference
Housing
House prices, change in a year15.2%Q2 202612.1%Q2 2026Ceuta 3.1 pts higher
Households spending >40% of income on housing7.3%20257.2%2025about the same
Cost of living
Household spending€33,979 a year2025€35,101 a year2025about the same
Inflation3.1%Sep 20265.0%Sep 2026Ceuta 1.9 pts lower
Money & work
Household income per person17,800 PPS a year202327,885 PPS a year2025Ceuta 36% lower
Net income per person (survey)€13,770 a year2025€15,620 a year2025Ceuta 12% lower
Unemployment24.3%202510.0%Aug 2026Ceuta 14.3 pts higher
Youth unemployment (15–24)57.5%202524.9%2025Ceuta 32.6 pts higher
Employment rate (20–64)58.3%202573.0%Q2 2026Ceuta 14.7 pts lower
Safety
Homicides0.00 per 100k people20240.72 per 100k people2024Ceuta 100% lower
Robberies168 per 100k people2024130 per 100k people2024Ceuta 30% higher
Burglaries25 per 100k people2024293 per 100k people2024Spain 11.6×
Thefts291 per 100k people2024451 per 100k people2024Ceuta 35% lower
Road deaths1.2 per 100k people20243.7 per 100k people2024Spain 3.1×
Health
Life expectancy81.9 years202484.0 years2024about the same
Doctors639 per 100k people2024464 per 100k people2024Ceuta 38% higher
Education
Adults with a university degree34%202552%2025Ceuta 19.0 pts lower
People
Population83,567202549,128,2972025Spain 587.9×
Residents who speak English14.6% of residents202124.6% of residents2021Ceuta 10.0 pts lower
Residents who speak English well8.3% of residents202114.7% of residents2021Ceuta 6.4 pts lower
At risk of poverty37.0%202519.5%2025Ceuta 17.5 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad13.6%202519.3%2025Ceuta 5.7 pts lower
Born in another EU country0.6% of residents20253.3% of residents2025Ceuta 2.7 pts lower
Born elsewhere in Europe0.1% of residents20251.7% of residents2025Ceuta 1.5 pts lower
Born in Latin America0.7% of residents20259.4% of residents2025Ceuta 8.7 pts lower
Born in Africa11.8% of residents20253.4% of residents2025Ceuta 8.5 pts higher
Born in Asia0.3% of residents20251.3% of residents2025Ceuta 1.0 pts lower
Born in North America or Oceania0.1% of residents20250.4% of residents2025about the same
Born abroad, change in 5 years0.9 points20254.4 points2025Ceuta 3.5 pts lower
Employment rate, born abroad44.0%202569.6%2025Ceuta 25.6 pts lower
Employment rate, born in Spain61.1%202573.3%2025Ceuta 12.2 pts lower
Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain-17.1 points2025-3.7 points2025Ceuta 13.4 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

64Retirees53
59High earners and investors57
46Families with children53
34Students55
31Founders and self-employed54
30Budget-conscious movers43
24Culture, food and nightlife–
13Young professionals39
–Remote workers57
–Beach, mountains and the outdoors46

Our read of each

Ceuta

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

Spain

    Data through Jun 2026 (Ceuta) 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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