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Side by side

Galicia 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 GaliciaAll about SpainChange a place

Data as of

Region

Galicia

A green, wet corner of Spain where the Atlantic sets the pace, the seafood is superb and the villages are emptying.

Quality of life57average
Momentum71above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Atlantic coastGreen and rainyBilingual: Galician & SpanishSeafood countryCamino de SantiagoAffordable rent

17th 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

Galicia 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 Galicia

  • Robberies: 37 per 100k people vs 130 per 100k people
  • Burglaries: 95 per 100k people vs 293 per 100k people
  • Thefts: 169 per 100k people vs 451 per 100k people
  • Households spending >40% of income on housing: 4.7% vs 7.2%
  • Very low rents and house prices for a region with real cities and good food
  • Safe towns & a slow pace & long life expectancy

Watch out: Grey damp winters in stone houses that are often cold and badly heated; A small job market with modest pay and young people still leaving.

Why Spain

  • Residents who speak English: 24.6% of residents vs 17.1% of residents
  • Household income per person: 27,885 PPS a year vs 19,800 PPS a year
  • Road deaths: 3.7 per 100k people vs 4.8 per 100k people
  • Adults with a university degree: 52% vs 43%
  • 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, Galicia is better on 7 and Spain on 11; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

80 · strongHousing49 · average
65 · above averageSafety46 · average
60 · above averageHealthcare59 · average
32 · below averageWellbeing25 · weak
26 · below averageJobs42 · average
13 · 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

FigureGaliciaSpainDifference
Housing
House prices, change in a year12.9%Q2 202612.1%Q2 2026Galicia 0.8 pts higher
Households spending >40% of income on housing4.7%20257.2%2025Galicia 2.5 pts lower
Cost of living
Household spending€33,111 a year2025€35,101 a year2025Galicia 6% lower
Inflation5.5%Sep 20265.0%Sep 2026Galicia 0.5 pts higher
Money & work
Household income per person19,800 PPS a year202327,885 PPS a year2025Galicia 29% lower
Net income per person (survey)€15,467 a year2025€15,620 a year2025about the same
Average gross salary€26,547 a year2024€29,540 a year2024Galicia 10% lower
Median gross salary€22,603 a year2024€24,497 a year2024Galicia 8% lower
Unemployment8.4%202510.0%Aug 2026Galicia 1.6 pts lower
Youth unemployment (15–24)24.7%202524.9%2025about the same
Employment rate (20–64)72.5%202573.0%Q2 2026Galicia 0.5 pts lower
Safety
Homicides0.67 per 100k people20240.72 per 100k people2024Galicia 7% lower
Robberies37 per 100k people2024130 per 100k people2024Spain 3.5×
Burglaries95 per 100k people2024293 per 100k people2024Spain 3.1×
Thefts169 per 100k people2024451 per 100k people2024Spain 2.7×
Road deaths4.8 per 100k people20243.7 per 100k people2024Galicia 30% higher
Health
Life expectancy84.2 years202484.0 years2024about the same
Doctors389 per 100k people2024464 per 100k people2024Galicia 16% lower
Education
Adults with a university degree43%202552%2025Galicia 9.1 pts lower
People
Population2,714,741202549,128,2972025Spain 18.1×
Residents who speak English17.1% of residents202124.6% of residents2021Galicia 7.5 pts lower
Residents who speak English well8.9% of residents202114.7% of residents2021Galicia 5.8 pts lower
At risk of poverty16.0%202519.5%2025Galicia 3.5 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad12.2%202519.3%2025Galicia 7.0 pts lower
Born in another EU country1.9% of residents20253.3% of residents2025Galicia 1.3 pts lower
Born elsewhere in Europe1.0% of residents20251.7% of residents2025Galicia 0.6 pts lower
Born in Latin America7.6% of residents20259.4% of residents2025Galicia 1.8 pts lower
Born in Africa1.0% of residents20253.4% of residents2025Galicia 2.4 pts lower
Born in Asia0.3% of residents20251.3% of residents2025Galicia 0.9 pts lower
Born in North America or Oceania0.4% of residents20250.4% of residents2025about the same
Born abroad, change in 5 years3.3 points20254.4 points2025Galicia 1.1 pts lower
Employment rate, born abroad69.1%202569.6%2025Galicia 0.5 pts lower
Employment rate, born in Spain73.1%202573.3%2025about the same
Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain-4.0 points2025-3.7 points2025about the same

Who each suits, 0–100

70Budget-conscious movers43
67Students55
62High earners and investors57
61Families with children53
58Retirees53
51Founders and self-employed54
51Culture, food and nightlife–
48Young professionals39
–Remote workers57
–Beach, mountains and the outdoors46

Our read of each

Galicia

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Galician is co-official here

Spain

    Data through Jun 2026 (Galicia) 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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