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Side by side

Comunidad de Madrid 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 Comunidad de MadridAll about SpainChange 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

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

Comunidad de Madrid 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 Comunidad de Madrid

  • Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain: -1.1 points vs -3.7 points
  • Homicides: 0.30 per 100k people vs 0.72 per 100k people
  • Burglaries: 126 per 100k people vs 293 per 100k people
  • Road deaths: 1.8 per 100k people vs 3.7 per 100k people
  • 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 Spain

  • Households spending >40% of income on housing: 7.2% vs 9.9%
  • Robberies: 130 per 100k people vs 158 per 100k people
  • 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, Comunidad de Madrid is better on 15 and Spain on 5; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

78 · strongHealthcare59 · average
64 · above averageJobs42 · average
60 · averageSafety46 · average
55 · averageProsperity43 · average
43 · averageWellbeing25 · weak
36 · below averageHousing49 · 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

FigureComunidad de MadridSpainDifference
Housing
House prices, change in a year12.9%Q2 202612.1%Q2 2026Comunidad de Madrid 0.8 pts higher
Households spending >40% of income on housing9.9%20257.2%2025Comunidad de Madrid 2.7 pts higher
Cost of living
Household spending€41,964 a year2025€35,101 a year2025Comunidad de Madrid 20% higher
Inflation5.3%Sep 20265.0%Sep 2026about the same
Money & work
Household income per person25,100 PPS a year202327,885 PPS a year2025Comunidad de Madrid 10% lower
Net income per person (survey)€18,169 a year2025€15,620 a year2025Comunidad de Madrid 16% higher
Average gross salary€34,410 a year2024€29,540 a year2024Comunidad de Madrid 16% higher
Median gross salary€28,038 a year2024€24,497 a year2024Comunidad de Madrid 14% higher
Unemployment8.0%202510.0%Aug 2026Comunidad de Madrid 2.0 pts lower
Youth unemployment (15–24)19.3%202524.9%2025Comunidad de Madrid 5.6 pts lower
Employment rate (20–64)77.9%202573.0%Q2 2026Comunidad de Madrid 4.9 pts higher
Safety
Homicides0.30 per 100k people20240.72 per 100k people2024Spain 2.4×
Robberies158 per 100k people2024130 per 100k people2024Comunidad de Madrid 22% higher
Burglaries126 per 100k people2024293 per 100k people2024Spain 2.3×
Thefts422 per 100k people2024451 per 100k people2024Comunidad de Madrid 6% lower
Road deaths1.8 per 100k people20243.7 per 100k people2024Spain 2.1×
Health
Life expectancy85.7 years202484.0 years2024about the same
Doctors618 per 100k people2024464 per 100k people2024Comunidad de Madrid 33% higher
Education
Adults with a university degree50%202552%2025Comunidad de Madrid 2.5 pts lower
People
Population7,113,886202549,128,2972025Spain 6.9×
Residents who speak English35.6% of residents202124.6% of residents2021Comunidad de Madrid 11.0 pts higher
Residents who speak English well22.7% of residents202114.7% of residents2021Comunidad de Madrid 8.0 pts higher
At risk of poverty12.7%202519.5%2025Comunidad de Madrid 6.8 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad24.9%202519.3%2025Comunidad de Madrid 5.6 pts higher
Born in another EU country3.3% of residents20253.3% of residents2025about the same
Born elsewhere in Europe1.0% of residents20251.7% of residents2025Comunidad de Madrid 0.6 pts lower
Born in Latin America15.9% of residents20259.4% of residents2025Comunidad de Madrid 6.5 pts higher
Born in Africa2.1% of residents20253.4% of residents2025Comunidad de Madrid 1.2 pts lower
Born in Asia1.8% of residents20251.3% of residents2025Comunidad de Madrid 0.5 pts higher
Born in North America or Oceania0.7% of residents20250.4% of residents2025about the same
Born abroad, change in 5 years5.2 points20254.4 points2025Comunidad de Madrid 0.7 pts higher
Employment rate, born abroad77.1%202569.6%2025Comunidad de Madrid 7.5 pts higher
Employment rate, born in Spain78.2%202573.3%2025Comunidad de Madrid 4.9 pts higher
Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain-1.1 points2025-3.7 points2025Comunidad de Madrid 2.6 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

72Culture, food and nightlife–
64Founders and self-employed54
63High earners and investors57
60Retirees53
55Young professionals39
49Families with children53
43Students55
32Budget-conscious movers43
–Remote workers57
–Beach, mountains and the outdoors46

Our read of each

Comunidad de Madrid

  • English gets you by day to day

Spain

    Data through Jun 2026 (Comunidad de Madrid) 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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