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Side by side

Palma 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.

Data as of

City · Illes Balears

Palma

Island life in a real city: a Gothic cathedral on the sea, a year-round centre and mountains behind.

Quality of life54average
Momentum53average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Island capitalPort citySailing and yachtsMild wintersInternational communityGlobal airportInternational crowd

92nd of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

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

Palma is a city 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 Palma

  • A real city that stays open in winter
  • Sea and cycling roads and mountain walks close by

Watch out: A housing market shared with visitors and second-home buyers; Quiet winters in the coastal resorts where many places close.

Why Spain

  • Adults with a university degree: 52% vs 38%
  • House prices, change in a year: 12.1% vs 14.3%
  • 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 6 figures both publish in the same unit, Palma is better on 0 and Spain on 3; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

78 · strongProsperity43 · average
77 · strongConnectivity–
68 · above averageClimate–
53 · averageTransport–
42 · averageJobs42 · average
40 · averageHealthcare59 · average
35 · below averageDigital–
24 · weakHousing49 · average
23 · weakSafety46 · average
–Geopolitical Stability100 · strong
–Demographics87 · strong
–Tax & Finance76 · strong
–Education62 · above average
–Economy59 · average
–Cost of Living56 · average
–Environment50 · average
–Governance32 · below average
–Wellbeing25 · weak

Side by side, figure by figure

FigurePalmaSpainDifference
Housing
House prices, change in a year14.3%Q2 202612.1%Q2 2026Palma 2.2 pts higher
Money & work
Unemployment11.3%202510.0%Aug 2026Palma 1.3 pts higher
Health
Life expectancy83.2 years202384.0 years2024about the same
Education
Adults with a university degree38%202452%2025Palma 14.4 pts lower
People
Population434,786202549,128,2972025Spain 113.0×
Who lives here
Residents born abroad30.3%202519.3%2025Palma 11.0 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

69Culture, food and nightlife–
60Founders and self-employed54
58Beach, mountains and the outdoors46
53Young professionals39
52Remote workers57
52High earners and investors57
49Retirees53
43Students55
35Families with children53
28Budget-conscious movers43

Our read of each

Palma

  • English gets you by day to day
  • Catalan is co-official here
  • Air-conditioning is not a luxury
  • Keep an eye on your phone
  • Easy to fly home
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work
  • A younger crowd

Spain

    Data through Jun 2026 (Palma) 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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