Informed Move
Menu
Updated Contains AI-generated informationMore information

Side by side

Madrid 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 MadridAll about ZaragozaChange 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 · 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 Madrid

  • Stronger on healthcare (94 vs 68)
  • Stronger on prosperity (94 vs 78)
  • Stronger on jobs (72 vs 52)
  • Stronger on digital (70 vs 50)
  • Stronger on connectivity (62 vs 25)
  • Airport passengers: 68.0 million a year vs 0.7 million a year
  • Commute by public transport: 44% of commuters vs 24% of commuters
  • Nights above 20 °C: 11 a year vs 21 a year

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

Why Zaragoza

  • Stronger on safety (64 vs 28)
  • Stronger on housing (56 vs 34)
  • Vehicle thefts: 23 per 100k people vs 110 per 100k people
  • Frost days: 15 a year vs 46 a year
  • Price of an 80 m² flat: €179,224 vs €433,472
  • Buying price per m²: €2,240 vs €5,418
  • 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, Madrid is better on 11 and Zaragoza on 18; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

94 · strongHealthcare68 · above average
94 · strongProsperity78 · strong
72 · above averageJobs52 · average
70 · above averageDigital50 · average
63 · above averageTransport62 · above average
62 · above averageConnectivity25 · below average
43 · averageClimate49 · average
34 · below averageHousing56 · average
28 · below averageSafety64 · above average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureMadridZaragozaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€14.0 a month2024€7.7 a month2024Madrid 81% higher
Rent for a 70 m² flat€978 a month2024€541 a month2024Madrid 81% higher
Typical rent, existing lease€869 a month2024€550 a month2024Madrid 58% higher
Rents, change in a year3.6%20243.2%2024about the same
Buying price per m²€5,418Q2 2026€2,240Q2 2026Madrid 2.4×
Price of an 80 m² flat€433,472Q2 2026€179,224Q2 2026Madrid 2.4×
House prices, change in a year9.4%Q2 202612.6%Q2 2026Madrid 3.2 pts lower
Money & work
Household income per person€20,861 a year2024€17,199 a year2024Madrid 21% higher
Net income per household€53,213 a year2024€41,707 a year2024Madrid 28% higher
Unemployment7.8%20258.1%2025about the same
Safety
Recorded crime68.9 per 1,000 people202441.0 per 1,000 people2024Madrid 68% higher
Sexual offences0.51 per 1,000 people20240.35 per 1,000 people2024Madrid 46% higher
Homicides0.48 per 100k people20250.29 per 100k people2025Madrid 68% higher
Robberies with violence210 per 100k people2025160 per 100k people2025Madrid 31% higher
Home burglaries123 per 100k people202585 per 100k people2025Madrid 45% higher
Thefts without violence2,069 per 100k people20251,203 per 100k people2025Madrid 72% higher
Vehicle thefts110 per 100k people202523 per 100k people2025Madrid 4.8×
Health
Life expectancy84.9 years202383.8 years2023about the same
Hospital beds3.6 per 1,000 people20255.4 per 1,000 people2025Madrid 34% lower
Climate
Days above 35 °C33 a year2015–202435 a year2015–2024Madrid 8% lower
Days above 30 °C78 a year2015–202486 a year2015–2024Madrid 9% lower
Nights above 20 °C11 a year2015–202421 a year2015–2024Madrid 47% lower
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)84 a year2015–2024102 a year2015–2024Madrid 17% lower
Rainfall480 mm a year2015–2024381 mm a year2015–2024Madrid 26% higher
Rainy days (≥1 mm)79 a year2015–202473 a year2015–2024Madrid 8% higher
Frost days46 a year2015–202415 a year2015–2024Madrid 3.1×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)54 min202145 min2021Madrid 22% higher
Commute by public transport44% of commuters202124% of commuters2021Madrid 20.4 pts higher
Commute by car40% of commuters202147% of commuters2021Madrid 6.9 pts lower
Distance to the main airport14 km202613 km2026Madrid 9% higher
Airport passengers68.0 million a year20250.7 million a year2025Madrid 96.3×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet99%202599%2025Madrid 0.7 pts higher
Homes with fibre to the door99%202599%2025Madrid 0.8 pts higher
Education
Adults with a university degree57%202450%2024Madrid 7.4 pts higher
People
Population3,506,7302025693,0912025Madrid 5.1×
Median age43.9 years202548.0 years2025Madrid 9% lower
Residents aged 65+20.2%202522.6%2025Madrid 2.4 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad29.3%202519.4%2025Madrid 9.9 pts higher
Residents with a foreign nationality18.2%202413.8%2024Madrid 4.4 pts higher
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.9 points20242.0 points2024Madrid 0.9 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

85Culture, food and nightlife53
68Founders and self-employed51
65Young professionals55
59High earners and investors62
57Students53
53Remote workers54
51Retirees60
46Families with children59
44Beach, mountains and the outdoors60
29Budget-conscious movers51

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

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 (Madrid) 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.

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.