Informed Move
Menu
Updated Contains AI-generated informationMore information

Side by side

Madrid or Valencia?

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 MadridAll about ValenciaChange a place

Data as of

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

City · Comunitat Valenciana

Valencia

Sea, sun and a city you can cross by bike, with a river-bed park, a city beach and the home of paella.

Quality of life54average
Momentum44average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Beach cityRegional capitalUniversity townBike-friendlyPort cityWatch your pocketsFast internetInternational crowd

88th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Madrid

  • Stronger on healthcare (94 vs 46)
  • Stronger on prosperity (94 vs 75)
  • Stronger on jobs (72 vs 37)
  • Stronger on connectivity (62 vs 46)
  • Stronger on housing (34 vs 20)
  • Airport passengers: 68.0 million a year vs 11.8 million a year
  • Commute by public transport: 44% of commuters vs 22% of commuters
  • Nights above 20 °C: 11 a year vs 53 a year

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

Why Valencia

  • Stronger on digital (88 vs 70)
  • Frost days: 4 a year vs 46 a year
  • Price of an 80 m² flat: €237,824 vs €433,472
  • Buying price per m²: €2,973 vs €5,418
  • Rent per m²: €8.2 a month vs €14.0 a month
  • A flat and bikeable city with a beach and an airport
  • Warm winters and a long spring that suit working outdoors

Watch out: Competition for flats in Ruzafa and El Carmen; Crowds around the centre and the beach in summer.

Of 40 figures both publish in the same unit, Madrid is better on 16 and Valencia on 14; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

94 · strongHealthcare46 · average
94 · strongProsperity75 · above average
72 · above averageJobs37 · below average
70 · above averageDigital88 · strong
63 · above averageTransport64 · above average
62 · above averageConnectivity46 · average
43 · averageClimate51 · average
34 · below averageHousing20 · weak
28 · below averageSafety20 · weak

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureMadridValenciaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€14.0 a month2024€8.2 a month2024Madrid 71% higher
Rent for a 70 m² flat€978 a month2024€573 a month2024Madrid 71% higher
Typical rent, existing lease€869 a month2024€681 a month2024Madrid 28% higher
Rents, change in a year3.6%20245.9%2024Madrid 2.3 pts lower
Buying price per m²€5,418Q2 2026€2,973Q2 2026Madrid 82% higher
Price of an 80 m² flat€433,472Q2 2026€237,824Q2 2026Madrid 82% higher
House prices, change in a year9.4%Q2 202617.0%Q2 2026Madrid 7.6 pts lower
Money & work
Household income per person€20,861 a year2024€16,944 a year2024Madrid 23% higher
Net income per household€53,213 a year2024€42,374 a year2024Madrid 26% higher
Unemployment7.8%202510.9%2025Madrid 3.1 pts lower
Safety
Recorded crime68.9 per 1,000 people202475.3 per 1,000 people2024Madrid 9% lower
Sexual offences0.51 per 1,000 people20240.54 per 1,000 people2024Madrid 6% lower
Homicides0.48 per 100k people20250.71 per 100k people2025Madrid 32% lower
Robberies with violence210 per 100k people2025248 per 100k people2025Madrid 15% lower
Home burglaries123 per 100k people2025188 per 100k people2025Madrid 34% lower
Thefts without violence2,069 per 100k people20252,811 per 100k people2025Madrid 26% lower
Vehicle thefts110 per 100k people202583 per 100k people2025Madrid 32% higher
Health
Life expectancy84.9 years202383.3 years2023about the same
Hospital beds3.6 per 1,000 people20255.0 per 1,000 people2025Madrid 28% lower
Climate
Days above 35 °C33 a year2015–202424 a year2015–2024Madrid 38% higher
Days above 30 °C78 a year2015–202481 a year2015–2024about the same
Nights above 20 °C11 a year2015–202453 a year2015–2024Valencia 4.7×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)84 a year2015–2024119 a year2015–2024Madrid 29% lower
Rainfall480 mm a year2015–2024462 mm a year2015–2024about the same
Rainy days (≥1 mm)79 a year2015–202470 a year2015–2024Madrid 13% higher
Frost days46 a year2015–20244 a year2015–2024Madrid 11.1×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)54 min202142 min2021Madrid 30% higher
Commute by public transport44% of commuters202122% of commuters2021Madrid 22.2 pts higher
Commute by car40% of commuters202148% of commuters2021Madrid 8.0 pts lower
Distance to the main airport14 km20269 km2026Madrid 52% higher
Airport passengers68.0 million a year202511.8 million a year2025Madrid 5.8×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet99%2025100%2025Madrid 0.6 pts lower
Homes with fibre to the door99%2025100%2025about the same
Education
Adults with a university degree57%202455%2024Madrid 2.5 pts higher
People
Population3,506,7302025840,7922025Madrid 4.2×
Median age43.9 years202546.0 years2025Madrid 5% lower
Residents aged 65+20.2%202521.4%2025Madrid 1.2 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad29.3%202526.5%2025Madrid 2.8 pts higher
Residents with a foreign nationality18.2%202418.8%2024Madrid 0.6 pts lower
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.9 points20245.1 points2024Madrid 2.2 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

85Culture, food and nightlife62
68Founders and self-employed59
65Young professionals48
59High earners and investors49
57Students51
53Remote workers61
51Retirees46
46Families with children33
44Beach, mountains and the outdoors62
29Budget-conscious movers28

Weather through the year

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

Our read of each

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

Valencia

  • English gets you by day to day
  • Valencian is co-official here
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Keep an eye on your phone
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work

Data through Jun 2026 (Madrid) and Jun 2026 (Valencia). 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.