Side by side
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 País VascoAll about San SebastiánChange a place
Data as of
Region
An industrious, food-obsessed region with its own language, its own tax system and some of Spain's best public services.
5th of 34 European metro regions
City · País Vasco
A shell-shaped bay, the best bars in Spain and the highest housing costs in the north.
23rd of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000
País Vasco is a region and San Sebastián a city. Each figure is that place’s own; scores compare each with its own peers (regions with regions, cities with cities), so read them side by side rather than as a contest.
Watch out: Rents and house prices among the highest in Spain especially in San Sebastián; Grey wet weather and a culture where Basque is part of schools and public life.
Watch out: Housing among the most expensive in northern Spain; Crowded old town and beaches in summer with pickpocketing.
Of 12 figures both publish in the same unit, País Vasco is better on 6 and San Sebastián on 3; the rest are close or have no better direction.
| Figure | País Vasco | San Sebastián | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| Rent per m² | €10.1 a month2024 | €14.0 a month2024 | País Vasco 28% lower |
| Rent for a 70 m² flat | €706 a month2024 | €979 a month2024 | País Vasco 28% lower |
| Typical rent, existing lease | €729 a month2024 | €967 a month2024 | País Vasco 25% lower |
| Buying price per m² | €3,102Q2 2026 | €5,208Q2 2026 | País Vasco 40% lower |
| Price of an 80 m² flat | €248,184Q2 2026 | €416,664Q2 2026 | País Vasco 40% lower |
| House prices, change in a year | 10.0%Q2 2026 | 8.8%Q2 2026 | País Vasco 1.2 pts higher |
| Money & work | |||
| Unemployment | 7.3%2025 | 5.6%2025 | País Vasco 1.7 pts higher |
| Safety | |||
| Recorded crime | 48.9 per 1,000 people2025 | 58.5 per 1,000 people2024 | País Vasco 16% lower |
| Health | |||
| Life expectancy | 84.7 years2024 | 83.9 years2023 | about the same |
| Education | |||
| Adults with a university degree | 58%2025 | 66%2024 | País Vasco 8.2 pts lower |
| People | |||
| Population | 2,242,3432025 | 189,8662025 | País Vasco 11.8× |
| Who lives here | |||
| Residents born abroad | 14.3%2025 | 15.5%2025 | País Vasco 1.2 pts lower |
Data through Jun 2026 (País Vasco) and Dec 2025 (San Sebastián). 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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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.