Informed Move
Menu
Updated Contains AI-generated informationMore information

Side by side

Elche or Madrid?

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 ElcheAll about MadridChange a place

Data as of

City · Comunitat Valenciana

Elche

A palm-grove city of shoemakers and sunshine, beside Alicante's airport and a short drive from the beaches.

Quality of life51average
Momentum56average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Inland cityPalm groveMild wintersHot summersCar-dependentPleasant weatherAffordable rent

105th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

City · Comunidad de Madrid

Madrid

Spain's biggest job market, world-class museums and a street life that runs late into the night.

Quality of life64above average
Momentum58average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Capital cityInland plateau cityLate-night cityHead-office cityHot summersFast internetScorching summersPricey rentGlobal airport

17th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Elche

  • Stronger on climate (63 vs 43)
  • Stronger on safety (52 vs 28)
  • Stronger on housing (48 vs 34)
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 46 a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 1 a year vs 33 a year
  • Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 161 a year vs 84 a year
  • Buying price per m²: €1,635 vs €5,418
  • Low rents and house prices near a major airport

Watch out: Hot and sticky summer nights; A weak job market with high unemployment and low local incomes.

Why Madrid

  • Stronger on healthcare (94 vs 48)
  • Stronger on prosperity (94 vs 11)
  • Stronger on jobs (72 vs 33)
  • Stronger on digital (70 vs 20)
  • Stronger on transport (63 vs 47)
  • Commute by public transport: 44% of commuters vs 10% of commuters
  • Nights above 20 °C: 11 a year vs 112 a year
  • Adults with a university degree: 57% vs 32%

Watch out: A competitive housing market that pushes many people to the suburbs; A city that sprawls into separate suburbs.

Of 39 figures both publish in the same unit, Elche is better on 14 and Madrid on 15; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

63 · above averageClimate43 · average
57 · averageConnectivity62 · above average
52 · averageSafety28 · below average
48 · averageHealthcare94 · strong
48 · averageHousing34 · below average
47 · averageTransport63 · above average
33 · below averageJobs72 · above average
20 · weakDigital70 · above average
11 · weakProsperity94 · strong

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureElcheMadridDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€5.4 a month2024€14.0 a month2024Madrid 2.6×
Rent for a 70 m² flat€381 a month2024€978 a month2024Madrid 2.6×
Typical rent, existing lease€482 a month2024€869 a month2024Elche 44% lower
Rents, change in a year5.0%20243.6%2024Elche 1.4 pts higher
Buying price per m²€1,635Q2 2026€5,418Q2 2026Madrid 3.3×
Price of an 80 m² flat€130,808Q2 2026€433,472Q2 2026Madrid 3.3×
House prices, change in a year13.9%Q2 20269.4%Q2 2026Elche 4.5 pts higher
Money & work
Household income per person€12,552 a year2024€20,861 a year2024Elche 40% lower
Net income per household€33,516 a year2024€53,213 a year2024Elche 37% lower
Unemployment14.8%20257.8%2025Elche 7.0 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime40.2 per 1,000 people202468.9 per 1,000 people2024Elche 42% lower
Sexual offences0.54 per 1,000 people20240.51 per 1,000 people2024Elche 6% higher
Homicides1.22 per 100k people20250.48 per 100k people2025Elche 2.5×
Robberies with violence65 per 100k people2025210 per 100k people2025Madrid 3.2×
Home burglaries140 per 100k people2025123 per 100k people2025Elche 13% higher
Thefts without violence1,046 per 100k people20252,069 per 100k people2025Madrid 2.0×
Vehicle thefts107 per 100k people2025110 per 100k people2025about the same
Health
Life expectancy83.4 years202384.9 years2023about the same
Hospital beds2.9 per 1,000 people20253.6 per 1,000 people2025Elche 18% lower
Climate
Days above 35 °C1 a year2015–202433 a year2015–2024Madrid 54.3×
Days above 30 °C36 a year2015–202478 a year2015–2024Madrid 2.2×
Nights above 20 °C112 a year2015–202411 a year2015–2024Elche 9.9×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)161 a year2015–202484 a year2015–2024Elche 1.9×
Rainfall385 mm a year2015–2024480 mm a year2015–2024Elche 20% lower
Rainy days (≥1 mm)59 a year2015–202479 a year2015–2024Elche 25% lower
Frost days0 a year2015–202446 a year2015–2024Madrid Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)36 min202154 min2021Elche 34% lower
Commute by public transport10% of commuters202144% of commuters2021Elche 34.3 pts lower
Commute by car67% of commuters202140% of commuters2021Elche 27.1 pts higher
Distance to the main airport10 km202614 km2026Elche 28% lower
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet96%202599%2025Elche 3.4 pts lower
Homes with fibre to the door98%202599%2025Elche 1.7 pts lower
Education
Adults with a university degree32%202457%2024Elche 24.7 pts lower
People
Population245,55720253,506,7302025Madrid 14.3×
Median age45.5 years202543.9 years2025about the same
Residents aged 65+18.9%202520.2%2025Elche 1.3 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad18.6%202529.3%2025Elche 10.7 pts lower
Residents with a foreign nationality14.2%202418.2%2024Elche 4.0 pts lower
Foreign residents, change in 5 years3.0 points20242.9 points2024about the same

Who each suits, 0–100

66Beach, mountains and the outdoors44
58Retirees51
54Remote workers53
54Budget-conscious movers29
53High earners and investors59
52Students57
52Culture, food and nightlife85
51Families with children46
46Founders and self-employed68
43Young professionals65

Weather through the year

-5°15°35°JFMAMJJASOND
Solid: average daily high · dashed: average nightly low, °C.

Our read of each

Elche

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Valencian is co-official here
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • You will probably want a car
  • Line up work before you come

Madrid

  • English gets you by day to day
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Winters need real heating
  • You can live without a car
  • Keep an eye on your phone
  • Easy to fly home
  • Ready for remote work
  • A younger crowd

Data through Jun 2026 (Elche) and Jun 2026 (Madrid). Figures are compared only when both places publish them in the same unit; a dot marks the better value where better is clear.

Need certainty before you act?

For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.

Consult with a human specialist

For decisions that depend on your own circumstances, a qualified human professional should look at your case. Tell us what you need help with and we will reply by email.

Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.

What matters to me

Tell us who you are and what you care about. Fit scores and rankings across the site follow your answers.