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Side by side

Melilla 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 MelillaAll about SpainChange a place

Data as of

Region

Melilla

A small Spanish city on the Moroccan coast, with a fortified old town, modernist streets and a border that shapes daily life.

Quality of life44average
Momentum53average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Autonomous cityAfrican coastPort cityBorder cityMilitary garrisonSafety first

31st 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

Melilla 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 Melilla

  • Homicides: 0.00 per 100k people vs 0.72 per 100k people
  • Burglaries: 43 per 100k people vs 293 per 100k people
  • Road deaths: 1.1 per 100k people vs 3.7 per 100k people
  • Thefts: 315 per 100k people vs 451 per 100k people
  • A safe and compact city by the sea with an elegant modernist centre
  • A tapas culture with a reputation across Spain

Watch out: The weakest job market in Spain with very high youth unemployment; The highest housing burden and the highest poverty of any Spanish region.

Why Spain

  • Residents who speak English: 24.6% of residents vs 11.1% of residents
  • Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain: -3.7 points vs -24.2 points
  • Employment rate, born abroad: 69.6% vs 37.7%
  • Adults with a university degree: 52% vs 30%
  • 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 31 figures both publish in the same unit, Melilla is better on 5 and Spain on 12; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

77 · strongSafety46 · average
34 · below averageHousing49 · average
4 · weakProsperity43 · average
3 · weakWellbeing25 · weak
1 · weakJobs42 · average
–Geopolitical Stability100 · strong
–Demographics87 · strong
–Tax & Finance76 · strong
–Education62 · above average
–Healthcare59 · average
–Economy59 · average
–Cost of Living56 · average
–Environment50 · average
–Governance32 · below average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureMelillaSpainDifference
Housing
House prices, change in a year13.8%Q2 202612.1%Q2 2026Melilla 1.7 pts higher
Households spending >40% of income on housing13.8%20257.2%2025Melilla 6.6 pts higher
Cost of living
Household spending€35,169 a year2025€35,101 a year2025about the same
Inflation4.6%Sep 20265.0%Sep 2026about the same
Money & work
Household income per person16,500 PPS a year202327,885 PPS a year2025Melilla 41% lower
Net income per person (survey)€12,696 a year2025€15,620 a year2025Melilla 19% lower
Unemployment24.9%202510.0%Aug 2026Melilla 14.9 pts higher
Youth unemployment (15–24)60.2%202524.9%2025Melilla 35.3 pts higher
Employment rate (20–64)55.0%202573.0%Q2 2026Melilla 18.0 pts lower
Safety
Homicides0.00 per 100k people20240.72 per 100k people2024Melilla 100% lower
Robberies123 per 100k people2024130 per 100k people2024Melilla 5% lower
Burglaries43 per 100k people2024293 per 100k people2024Spain 6.8×
Thefts315 per 100k people2024451 per 100k people2024Melilla 30% lower
Road deaths1.1 per 100k people20243.7 per 100k people2024Spain 3.4×
Health
Life expectancy83.3 years202484.0 years2024about the same
Education
Adults with a university degree30%202552%2025Melilla 22.5 pts lower
People
Population87,067202549,128,2972025Spain 564.3×
Residents who speak English11.1% of residents202124.6% of residents2021Melilla 13.4 pts lower
Residents who speak English well6.5% of residents202114.7% of residents2021Melilla 8.1 pts lower
At risk of poverty39.3%202519.5%2025Melilla 19.8 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad24.6%202519.3%2025Melilla 5.3 pts higher
Born in another EU country0.8% of residents20253.3% of residents2025Melilla 2.4 pts lower
Born elsewhere in Europe0.2% of residents20251.7% of residents2025Melilla 1.5 pts lower
Born in Latin America1.9% of residents20259.4% of residents2025Melilla 7.5 pts lower
Born in Africa21.4% of residents20253.4% of residents2025Melilla 18.0 pts higher
Born in Asia0.2% of residents20251.3% of residents2025Melilla 1.1 pts lower
Born in North America or Oceania0.1% of residents20250.4% of residents2025about the same
Born abroad, change in 5 years1.9 points20254.4 points2025Melilla 2.5 pts lower
Employment rate, born abroad37.7%202569.6%2025Melilla 31.9 pts lower
Employment rate, born in Spain61.9%202573.3%2025Melilla 11.4 pts lower
Employment gap, born abroad vs born in Spain-24.2 points2025-3.7 points2025Melilla 20.5 pts lower

Who each suits, 0–100

54High earners and investors57
43Families with children53
34Culture, food and nightlife–
32Founders and self-employed54
29Students55
24Budget-conscious movers43
12Young professionals39
–Retirees53
–Remote workers57
–Beach, mountains and the outdoors46

Our read of each

Melilla

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Line up work before you come

Spain

    Data through Jun 2026 (Melilla) 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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