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Side by side

Comunidad de Madrid or Fuenlabrada?

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 Comunidad de MadridAll about FuenlabradaChange a place

Data as of

Region

Comunidad de Madrid

Spain's capital region: the country's biggest job market, with the mountains an hour from the centre.

Quality of life62above average
Momentum74above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Capital regionBusiness and tech hubCommuter beltInland and dryExpensive housingPricey rent

11th of 34 European metro regions

City · Comunidad de Madrid

Fuenlabrada

A big, orderly dormitory city south of Madrid with some of the lowest recorded crime in Spain and a very long commute.

Quality of life61above average
Momentum65above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Commuter beltDormitory cityLow recorded crimeMadrid by trainUniversity campusSafety firstFast internetScorching summers

36th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Comunidad de Madrid is a region and Fuenlabrada a city. 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.

Why Comunidad de Madrid

  • Adults with a university degree: 50% vs 30%
  • House prices, change in a year: 12.9% vs 16.4%
  • Unemployment: 8.0% vs 9.8%
  • The deepest job market in Spain in Spanish and international business
  • The longest life expectancy and some of the best-staffed hospitals in the country

Watch out: The highest rents and house prices in Spain and rising faster than pay; Street robbery and pickpocketing in the busiest parts of the capital and on the metro.

Why Fuenlabrada

  • Recorded crime: 31.3 per 1,000 people vs 55.1 per 1,000 people
  • Buying price per m²: €2,922 vs €4,090
  • Price of an 80 m² flat: €233,760 vs €327,168
  • Rent for a 70 m² flat: €633 a month vs €848 a month
  • Safe and orderly streets with one of the lowest crime rates in Spain
  • A strong public hospital and long life expectancy

Watch out: A very long commute to central Madrid; A modest local job market with incomes below the Madrid average.

Of 13 figures both publish in the same unit, Comunidad de Madrid is better on 3 and Fuenlabrada on 6; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

78 · strongHealthcare87 · strong
64 · above averageJobs61 · above average
60 · averageSafety83 · strong
55 · averageProsperity29 · below average
43 · averageWellbeing–
36 · below averageHousing50 · average
–Digital86 · strong
–Transport51 · average
–Climate43 · average
–Connectivity3 · weak

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureComunidad de MadridFuenlabradaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€12.1 a month2024€9.0 a month2024Comunidad de Madrid 34% higher
Rent for a 70 m² flat€848 a month2024€633 a month2024Comunidad de Madrid 34% higher
Typical rent, existing lease€800 a month2024€683 a month2024Comunidad de Madrid 17% higher
Rents, change in a year3.4%20243.0%2024about the same
Buying price per m²€4,090Q2 2026€2,922Q2 2026Comunidad de Madrid 40% higher
Price of an 80 m² flat€327,168Q2 2026€233,760Q2 2026Comunidad de Madrid 40% higher
House prices, change in a year12.9%Q2 202616.4%Q2 2026Comunidad de Madrid 3.5 pts lower
Money & work
Unemployment8.0%20259.8%2025Comunidad de Madrid 1.8 pts lower
Safety
Recorded crime55.1 per 1,000 people202531.3 per 1,000 people2024Comunidad de Madrid 76% higher
Health
Life expectancy85.7 years202484.5 years2023about the same
Education
Adults with a university degree50%202530%2024Comunidad de Madrid 20.4 pts higher
People
Population7,113,8862025190,0762025Comunidad de Madrid 37.4×
Who lives here
Residents born abroad24.9%202516.4%2025Comunidad de Madrid 8.5 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

72Culture, food and nightlife55
64Founders and self-employed48
63High earners and investors65
60Retirees56
55Young professionals54
49Families with children62
43Students50
32Budget-conscious movers51
–Remote workers50
–Beach, mountains and the outdoors31

Our read of each

Comunidad de Madrid

  • English gets you by day to day

Fuenlabrada

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Winters need real heating
  • You can live without a car
  • Ready for remote work

Data through Jun 2026 (Comunidad de Madrid) and Jun 2026 (Fuenlabrada). 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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