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Side by side

Palma or Vitoria-Gasteiz?

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 PalmaAll about Vitoria-GasteizChange a place

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

City · País Vasco

Vitoria-Gasteiz

The calm, green, well-planned capital of the Basque Country, with a medieval centre and a ring of woods and wetlands.

Quality of life66above average
Momentum67above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Regional capitalInland cityGreen cityCycle-friendlyCool summersFast internetStrong job market

6th of 153 Spanish cities above 50,000

Why Palma

  • Stronger on connectivity (77 vs 0)
  • Airport passengers: 33.8 million a year vs 0.3 million a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 1 a year
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 13 a year
  • Distance to the main airport: 8 km vs 54 km
  • 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 Vitoria-Gasteiz

  • Stronger on healthcare (92 vs 40)
  • Stronger on jobs (81 vs 42)
  • Stronger on digital (56 vs 35)
  • Stronger on safety (47 vs 23)
  • Nights above 20 °C: 1 a year vs 137 a year
  • Vehicle thefts: 30 per 100k people vs 215 per 100k people
  • House prices, change in a year: 5.8% vs 14.3%
  • Robberies with violence: 105 per 100k people vs 229 per 100k people

Watch out: Cold and damp winters with fog and frost; Rents high for an inland northern city and few flats to choose from.

Of 39 figures both publish in the same unit, Palma is better on 10 and Vitoria-Gasteiz on 19; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

78 · strongProsperity89 · strong
77 · strongConnectivity0 · weak
68 · above averageClimate70 · above average
53 · averageTransport62 · above average
42 · averageJobs81 · strong
40 · averageHealthcare92 · strong
35 · below averageDigital56 · average
24 · weakHousing–
23 · weakSafety47 · average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigurePalmaVitoria-GasteizDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€9.8 a month2024€9.2 a month2024Palma 7% higher
Rent for a 70 m² flat€689 a month2024€645 a month2024Palma 7% higher
Typical rent, existing lease€800 a month2024€721 a month2024Palma 11% higher
Buying price per m²€3,814Q2 2026€2,681Q2 2026Palma 42% higher
Price of an 80 m² flat€305,160Q2 2026€214,472Q2 2026Palma 42% higher
House prices, change in a year14.3%Q2 20265.8%Q2 2026Palma 8.5 pts higher
Money & work
Household income per person€17,289 a year2024€18,920 a year2024Palma 9% lower
Net income per household€48,884 a year2024€44,228 a year2024Palma 11% higher
Unemployment11.3%20257.2%2025Palma 4.1 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime80.6 per 1,000 people202449.5 per 1,000 people2024Palma 63% higher
Sexual offences0.79 per 1,000 people20240.61 per 1,000 people2024Palma 30% higher
Homicides0.46 per 100k people20250.00 per 100k people2025about the same
Robberies with violence229 per 100k people2025105 per 100k people2025Palma 2.2×
Home burglaries67 per 100k people202598 per 100k people2025Palma 32% lower
Thefts without violence3,660 per 100k people20251,789 per 100k people2025Palma 2.0×
Vehicle thefts215 per 100k people202530 per 100k people2025Palma 7.2×
Health
Life expectancy83.2 years202384.8 years2023about the same
Hospital beds6.0 per 1,000 people20254.1 per 1,000 people2025Palma 45% higher
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–20241 a year2015–2024Palma 100% lower
Days above 30 °C18 a year2015–202414 a year2015–2024Palma 26% higher
Nights above 20 °C137 a year2015–20241 a year2015–2024Palma 152.0×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)120 a year2015–202498 a year2015–2024Palma 22% higher
Rainfall542 mm a year2015–2024950 mm a year2015–2024Palma 43% lower
Rainy days (≥1 mm)88 a year2015–2024150 a year2015–2024Palma 42% lower
Frost days0 a year2015–202413 a year2015–2024Vitoria-Gasteiz Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)34 min202138 min2021Palma 10% lower
Commute by public transport10% of commuters202114% of commuters2021Palma 3.8 pts lower
Commute by car64% of commuters202153% of commuters2021Palma 11.2 pts higher
Distance to the main airport8 km202654 km2026Vitoria-Gasteiz 6.8×
Airport passengers33.8 million a year20250.3 million a year2025Palma 111.0×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet98%202599%2025Palma 1.4 pts lower
Homes with fibre to the door98%202599%2025Palma 1.4 pts lower
Education
Adults with a university degree38%202454%2024Palma 16.1 pts lower
People
Population434,7862025260,6992025Palma 67% higher
Median age43.0 years202548.1 years2025Palma 11% lower
Residents aged 65+17.2%202522.9%2025Palma 5.7 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad30.3%202518.1%2025Palma 12.2 pts higher
Residents with a foreign nationality20.0%202412.2%2024Palma 7.8 pts higher
Foreign residents, change in 5 years3.1 points20241.7 points2024Palma 1.4 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

69Culture, food and nightlife69
60Founders and self-employed58
58Beach, mountains and the outdoors45
53Young professionals71
52Remote workers46
52High earners and investors64
49Retirees62
43Students55
35Families with children60
28Budget-conscious movers54

Weather through the year

0°15°30°JFMAMJJASOND
Solid: average daily high · dashed: average nightly low, °C.

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

Vitoria-Gasteiz

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Basque is co-official here
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work

Data through Jun 2026 (Palma) and Dec 2025 (Vitoria-Gasteiz). 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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