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Side by side

Gijón 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 GijónAll about MadridChange a place

Data as of

City · Principado de Asturias

Gijón

Asturias's biggest city: a surf-and-cider seaside town with a steel past, low crime and a lot of rain.

Quality of life60above average
Momentum67above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Beach cityPort cityGreen and rainyCool summersCider culture

39th 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 Gijón

  • Stronger on climate (80 vs 43)
  • Stronger on safety (74 vs 28)
  • Stronger on housing (70 vs 34)
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 46 a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 33 a year
  • Nights above 20 °C: 2 a year vs 11 a year
  • Vehicle thefts: 21 per 100k people vs 110 per 100k people
  • A city beach and a surf scene with green hills behind

Watch out: Grey and wet weather for much of the year; A small job market with modest pay and young people leaving.

Why Madrid

  • Stronger on healthcare (94 vs 29)
  • Stronger on prosperity (94 vs 76)
  • Stronger on digital (70 vs 47)
  • Stronger on connectivity (62 vs 3)
  • Airport passengers: 68.0 million a year vs 2.0 million a year
  • Commute by public transport: 44% of commuters vs 18% of commuters
  • Distance to the main airport: 14 km vs 30 km
  • Rainy days (≥1 mm): 79 a year vs 153 a year

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

Of 40 figures both publish in the same unit, Gijón is better on 18 and Madrid on 12; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

80 · strongClimate43 · average
76 · strongProsperity94 · strong
74 · above averageSafety28 · below average
70 · above averageHousing34 · below average
66 · above averageJobs72 · above average
55 · averageTransport63 · above average
47 · averageDigital70 · above average
29 · below averageHealthcare94 · strong
3 · weakConnectivity62 · above average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureGijónMadridDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€7.2 a month2024€14.0 a month2024Madrid 1.9×
Rent for a 70 m² flat€505 a month2024€978 a month2024Madrid 1.9×
Typical rent, existing lease€509 a month2024€869 a month2024Gijón 41% lower
Rents, change in a year2.6%20243.6%2024Gijón 1.0 pts lower
Buying price per m²€2,343Q2 2026€5,418Q2 2026Madrid 2.3×
Price of an 80 m² flat€187,464Q2 2026€433,472Q2 2026Madrid 2.3×
House prices, change in a year12.5%Q2 20269.4%Q2 2026Gijón 3.1 pts higher
Money & work
Household income per person€17,103 a year2024€20,861 a year2024Gijón 18% lower
Net income per household€37,943 a year2024€53,213 a year2024Gijón 29% lower
Unemployment9.4%20257.8%2025Gijón 1.6 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime36.5 per 1,000 people202468.9 per 1,000 people2024Gijón 47% lower
Sexual offences0.31 per 1,000 people20240.51 per 1,000 people2024Gijón 39% lower
Homicides0.37 per 100k people20250.48 per 100k people2025Gijón 24% lower
Robberies with violence69 per 100k people2025210 per 100k people2025Madrid 3.1×
Home burglaries89 per 100k people2025123 per 100k people2025Gijón 28% lower
Thefts without violence1,117 per 100k people20252,069 per 100k people2025Gijón 46% lower
Vehicle thefts21 per 100k people2025110 per 100k people2025Madrid 5.1×
Health
Life expectancy82.7 years202384.9 years2023about the same
Hospital beds3.7 per 1,000 people20253.6 per 1,000 people2025about the same
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–202433 a year2015–2024Madrid 81.5×
Days above 30 °C6 a year2015–202478 a year2015–2024Madrid 13.0×
Nights above 20 °C2 a year2015–202411 a year2015–2024Madrid 6.3×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)116 a year2015–202484 a year2015–2024Gijón 37% higher
Rainfall1,054 mm a year2015–2024480 mm a year2015–2024Gijón 2.2×
Rainy days (≥1 mm)153 a year2015–202479 a year2015–2024Gijón 1.9×
Frost days0 a year2015–202446 a year2015–2024Madrid Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)41 min202154 min2021Gijón 25% lower
Commute by public transport18% of commuters202144% of commuters2021Gijón 26.2 pts lower
Commute by car57% of commuters202140% of commuters2021Gijón 16.8 pts higher
Distance to the main airport30 km202614 km2026Gijón 2.2×
Airport passengers2.0 million a year202568.0 million a year2025Madrid 33.3×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet98%202599%2025Gijón 0.8 pts lower
Homes with fibre to the door98%202599%2025Gijón 1.0 pts lower
Education
Adults with a university degree50%202457%2024Gijón 6.9 pts lower
People
Population269,89420253,506,7302025Madrid 13.0×
Median age52.9 years202543.9 years2025Gijón 20% higher
Residents aged 65+28.3%202520.2%2025Gijón 8.1 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad13.5%202529.3%2025Gijón 15.8 pts lower
Residents with a foreign nationality7.5%202418.2%2024Gijón 10.7 pts lower
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.2 points20242.9 points2024Gijón 0.7 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

65Budget-conscious movers29
63Young professionals65
62Families with children46
61Retirees51
61Students57
61Culture, food and nightlife85
59High earners and investors59
59Beach, mountains and the outdoors44
54Founders and self-employed68
52Remote workers53

Weather through the year

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

Our read of each

Gijón

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early
  • Ready for remote work
  • An older, quieter population

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 (Gijón) 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.

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