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Side by side

Gijón or Zaragoza?

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 ZaragozaChange 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 · Aragón

Zaragoza

Big-city services at mid-size prices, halfway between Madrid and Barcelona on the fast train.

Quality of life61above average
Momentum36below average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Regional capitalLogistics cityUniversity townRiver cityHot summersScorching summers

37th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Gijón

  • Stronger on climate (80 vs 49)
  • Stronger on housing (70 vs 56)
  • Stronger on jobs (66 vs 52)
  • Airport passengers: 2.0 million a year vs 0.7 million a year
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 15 a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 35 a year
  • Nights above 20 °C: 2 a year vs 21 a year
  • 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 Zaragoza

  • Stronger on healthcare (68 vs 29)
  • Stronger on connectivity (25 vs 3)
  • Distance to the main airport: 13 km vs 30 km
  • Rainy days (≥1 mm): 73 a year vs 153 a year
  • Hospital beds: 5.4 per 1,000 people vs 3.7 per 1,000 people
  • Commute by public transport: 24% of commuters vs 18% of commuters
  • A big city with a manageable pace and a strong local identity
  • A tapas and festival culture that is lively and unpretentious

Watch out: The cierzo wind and the extremes of heat and cold; Quiet August weeks when many bars and shops close.

Of 40 figures both publish in the same unit, Gijón is better on 16 and Zaragoza on 11; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

80 · strongClimate49 · average
76 · strongProsperity78 · strong
74 · above averageSafety64 · above average
70 · above averageHousing56 · average
66 · above averageJobs52 · average
55 · averageTransport62 · above average
47 · averageDigital50 · average
29 · below averageHealthcare68 · above average
3 · weakConnectivity25 · below average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureGijónZaragozaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€7.2 a month2024€7.7 a month2024Gijón 7% lower
Rent for a 70 m² flat€505 a month2024€541 a month2024Gijón 7% lower
Typical rent, existing lease€509 a month2024€550 a month2024Gijón 7% lower
Rents, change in a year2.6%20243.2%2024Gijón 0.6 pts lower
Buying price per m²€2,343Q2 2026€2,240Q2 2026Gijón 5% higher
Price of an 80 m² flat€187,464Q2 2026€179,224Q2 2026Gijón 5% higher
House prices, change in a year12.5%Q2 202612.6%Q2 2026about the same
Money & work
Household income per person€17,103 a year2024€17,199 a year2024about the same
Net income per household€37,943 a year2024€41,707 a year2024Gijón 9% lower
Unemployment9.4%20258.1%2025Gijón 1.3 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime36.5 per 1,000 people202441.0 per 1,000 people2024Gijón 11% lower
Sexual offences0.31 per 1,000 people20240.35 per 1,000 people2024Gijón 11% lower
Homicides0.37 per 100k people20250.29 per 100k people2025Gijón 28% higher
Robberies with violence69 per 100k people2025160 per 100k people2025Zaragoza 2.3×
Home burglaries89 per 100k people202585 per 100k people2025Gijón 4% higher
Thefts without violence1,117 per 100k people20251,203 per 100k people2025Gijón 7% lower
Vehicle thefts21 per 100k people202523 per 100k people2025Gijón 7% lower
Health
Life expectancy82.7 years202383.8 years2023about the same
Hospital beds3.7 per 1,000 people20255.4 per 1,000 people2025Gijón 32% lower
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–202435 a year2015–2024Zaragoza 88.2×
Days above 30 °C6 a year2015–202486 a year2015–2024Zaragoza 14.3×
Nights above 20 °C2 a year2015–202421 a year2015–2024Zaragoza 11.8×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)116 a year2015–2024102 a year2015–2024Gijón 14% higher
Rainfall1,054 mm a year2015–2024381 mm a year2015–2024Gijón 2.8×
Rainy days (≥1 mm)153 a year2015–202473 a year2015–2024Gijón 2.1×
Frost days0 a year2015–202415 a year2015–2024Zaragoza Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)41 min202145 min2021Gijón 9% lower
Commute by public transport18% of commuters202124% of commuters2021Gijón 5.8 pts lower
Commute by car57% of commuters202147% of commuters2021Gijón 9.9 pts higher
Distance to the main airport30 km202613 km2026Gijón 2.4×
Airport passengers2.0 million a year20250.7 million a year2025Gijón 2.9×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet98%202599%2025about the same
Homes with fibre to the door98%202599%2025about the same
Education
Adults with a university degree50%202450%2024Gijón 0.5 pts higher
People
Population269,8942025693,0912025Zaragoza 2.6×
Median age52.9 years202548.0 years2025Gijón 10% higher
Residents aged 65+28.3%202522.6%2025Gijón 5.7 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad13.5%202519.4%2025Gijón 5.9 pts lower
Residents with a foreign nationality7.5%202413.8%2024Gijón 6.3 pts lower
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.2 points20242.0 points2024about the same

Who each suits, 0–100

65Budget-conscious movers51
63Young professionals55
62Families with children59
61Retirees60
61Students53
61Culture, food and nightlife53
59High earners and investors62
59Beach, mountains and the outdoors60
54Founders and self-employed51
52Remote workers54

Weather through the year

0°18°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

Zaragoza

  • English gets you by day to day
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work
  • Public waiting lists are long

Data through Jun 2026 (Gijón) and Jun 2026 (Zaragoza). 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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