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Side by side

La Rioja 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 La RiojaAll about SpainChange a place

Data as of

Region

La Rioja

Spain's smallest mainland region, built around wine, with quiet towns and long lunches.

Quality of life56average
Momentum72above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Wine regionSmall regionSmall-town livingCamino de SantiagoContinental climateAffordable rent

19th 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

La Rioja 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 La Rioja

  • Robberies: 38 per 100k people vs 130 per 100k people
  • Thefts: 253 per 100k people vs 451 per 100k people
  • Burglaries: 181 per 100k people vs 293 per 100k people
  • Unemployment: 8.1% vs 10.0%
  • Low rents and house prices in a region with an easy civilised pace
  • Wine & food & a bar culture built for daily life

Watch out: A small job market with very few high-tech employers; Very few doctors per head and limited specialist services.

Why Spain

  • Homicides: 0.72 per 100k people vs 1.85 per 100k people
  • Household income per person: 27,885 PPS a year vs 21,000 PPS a year
  • Doctors: 464 per 100k people vs 359 per 100k people
  • Adults with a university degree: 52% vs 41%
  • 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, La Rioja is better on 7 and Spain on 10; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

68 · above averageHousing49 · average
52 · averageHealthcare59 · average
51 · averageSafety46 · average
43 · averageWellbeing25 · weak
37 · below averageJobs42 · average
16 · 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

FigureLa RiojaSpainDifference
Housing
House prices, change in a year14.4%Q2 202612.1%Q2 2026La Rioja 2.3 pts higher
Households spending >40% of income on housing6.8%20257.2%2025about the same
Cost of living
Household spending€33,950 a year2025€35,101 a year2025about the same
Inflation4.6%Sep 20265.0%Sep 2026about the same
Money & work
Household income per person21,000 PPS a year202327,885 PPS a year2025La Rioja 25% lower
Net income per person (survey)€15,654 a year2025€15,620 a year2025about the same
Average gross salary€27,855 a year2024€29,540 a year2024La Rioja 6% lower
Median gross salary€24,501 a year2024€24,497 a year2024about the same
Unemployment8.1%202510.0%Aug 2026La Rioja 1.9 pts lower
Youth unemployment (15–24)25.5%202524.9%2025La Rioja 0.6 pts higher
Employment rate (20–64)77.1%202573.0%Q2 2026La Rioja 4.1 pts higher
Safety
Homicides1.85 per 100k people20240.72 per 100k people2024La Rioja 2.6×
Robberies38 per 100k people2024130 per 100k people2024Spain 3.4×
Burglaries181 per 100k people2024293 per 100k people2024La Rioja 38% lower
Thefts253 per 100k people2024451 per 100k people2024La Rioja 44% lower
Road deaths4.3 per 100k people20243.7 per 100k people2024La Rioja 16% higher
Health
Life expectancy83.9 years202484.0 years2024about the same
Doctors359 per 100k people2024464 per 100k people2024La Rioja 23% lower
Education
Adults with a university degree41%202552%2025La Rioja 11.1 pts lower
People
Population326,803202549,128,2972025Spain 150.3×
Residents who speak English22.6% of residents202124.6% of residents2021La Rioja 2.0 pts lower
Residents who speak English well12.4% of residents202114.7% of residents2021La Rioja 2.3 pts lower
At risk of poverty18.4%202519.5%2025La Rioja 1.1 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad18.8%202519.3%2025about the same
Born in another EU country3.9% of residents20253.3% of residents2025La Rioja 0.7 pts higher
Born elsewhere in Europe1.1% of residents20251.7% of residents2025La Rioja 0.6 pts lower
Born in Latin America8.1% of residents20259.4% of residents2025La Rioja 1.2 pts lower
Born in Africa4.2% of residents20253.4% of residents2025La Rioja 0.9 pts higher
Born in Asia1.2% of residents20251.3% of residents2025about the same
Born in North America or Oceania0.2% of residents20250.4% of residents2025about the same
Born abroad, change in 5 years3.8 points20254.4 points2025La Rioja 0.6 pts lower
Employment rate, born abroad73.6%202569.6%2025La Rioja 4.0 pts higher
Employment rate, born in Spain78.3%202573.3%2025La Rioja 5.0 pts higher
Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain-4.7 points2025-3.7 points2025La Rioja 1.0 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

62Budget-conscious movers43
58High earners and investors57
55Students55
54Families with children53
53Retirees53
44Young professionals39
42Founders and self-employed54
39Culture, food and nightlife–
–Remote workers57
–Beach, mountains and the outdoors46

Our read of each

La Rioja

  • Some English, but learn Spanish early

Spain

    Data through Jun 2026 (La Rioja) 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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