Informed Move
Menu
Updated Contains AI-generated informationMore information

Side by side

Palma 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 PalmaAll about ZaragozaChange 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 · 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 Palma

  • Stronger on connectivity (77 vs 25)
  • Stronger on climate (68 vs 49)
  • Airport passengers: 33.8 million a year vs 0.7 million a year
  • Days above 35 °C: 0 a year vs 35 a year
  • Frost days: 0 a year vs 15 a year
  • Distance to the main airport: 8 km vs 13 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 Zaragoza

  • Stronger on healthcare (68 vs 40)
  • Stronger on safety (64 vs 23)
  • Stronger on housing (56 vs 24)
  • Stronger on digital (50 vs 35)
  • Commute by public transport: 24% of commuters vs 10% of commuters
  • Vehicle thefts: 23 per 100k people vs 215 per 100k people
  • Nights above 20 °C: 21 a year vs 137 a year
  • Thefts without violence: 1,203 per 100k people vs 3,660 per 100k people

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, Palma is better on 9 and Zaragoza on 21; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

78 · strongProsperity78 · strong
77 · strongConnectivity25 · below average
68 · above averageClimate49 · average
53 · averageTransport62 · above average
42 · averageJobs52 · average
40 · averageHealthcare68 · above average
35 · below averageDigital50 · average
24 · weakHousing56 · average
23 · weakSafety64 · above average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigurePalmaZaragozaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€9.8 a month2024€7.7 a month2024Palma 27% higher
Rent for a 70 m² flat€689 a month2024€541 a month2024Palma 27% higher
Typical rent, existing lease€800 a month2024€550 a month2024Palma 45% higher
Rents, change in a year4.2%20243.2%2024Palma 1.0 pts higher
Buying price per m²€3,814Q2 2026€2,240Q2 2026Palma 70% higher
Price of an 80 m² flat€305,160Q2 2026€179,224Q2 2026Palma 70% higher
House prices, change in a year14.3%Q2 202612.6%Q2 2026Palma 1.7 pts higher
Money & work
Household income per person€17,289 a year2024€17,199 a year2024about the same
Net income per household€48,884 a year2024€41,707 a year2024Palma 17% higher
Unemployment11.3%20258.1%2025Palma 3.2 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime80.6 per 1,000 people202441.0 per 1,000 people2024Palma 2.0×
Sexual offences0.79 per 1,000 people20240.35 per 1,000 people2024Palma 2.3×
Homicides0.46 per 100k people20250.29 per 100k people2025Palma 59% higher
Robberies with violence229 per 100k people2025160 per 100k people2025Palma 43% higher
Home burglaries67 per 100k people202585 per 100k people2025Palma 22% lower
Thefts without violence3,660 per 100k people20251,203 per 100k people2025Palma 3.0×
Vehicle thefts215 per 100k people202523 per 100k people2025Palma 9.3×
Health
Life expectancy83.2 years202383.8 years2023about the same
Hospital beds6.0 per 1,000 people20255.4 per 1,000 people2025Palma 11% higher
Climate
Days above 35 °C0 a year2015–202435 a year2015–2024Zaragoza Infinity×
Days above 30 °C18 a year2015–202486 a year2015–2024Zaragoza 4.8×
Nights above 20 °C137 a year2015–202421 a year2015–2024Palma 6.4×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)120 a year2015–2024102 a year2015–2024Palma 18% higher
Rainfall542 mm a year2015–2024381 mm a year2015–2024Palma 42% higher
Rainy days (≥1 mm)88 a year2015–202473 a year2015–2024Palma 19% higher
Frost days0 a year2015–202415 a year2015–2024Zaragoza Infinity×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)34 min202145 min2021Palma 24% lower
Commute by public transport10% of commuters202124% of commuters2021Palma 13.4 pts lower
Commute by car64% of commuters202147% of commuters2021Palma 17.3 pts higher
Distance to the main airport8 km202613 km2026Palma 38% lower
Airport passengers33.8 million a year20250.7 million a year2025Palma 47.8×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet98%202599%2025Palma 0.9 pts lower
Homes with fibre to the door98%202599%2025Palma 0.8 pts lower
Education
Adults with a university degree38%202450%2024Palma 11.6 pts lower
People
Population434,7862025693,0912025Palma 37% lower
Median age43.0 years202548.0 years2025Palma 11% lower
Residents aged 65+17.2%202522.6%2025Palma 5.4 pts lower
Who lives here
Residents born abroad30.3%202519.4%2025Palma 10.9 pts higher
Residents with a foreign nationality20.0%202413.8%2024Palma 6.2 pts higher
Foreign residents, change in 5 years3.1 points20242.0 points2024Palma 1.1 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

69Culture, food and nightlife53
60Founders and self-employed51
58Beach, mountains and the outdoors60
53Young professionals55
52Remote workers54
52High earners and investors62
49Retirees60
43Students53
35Families with children59
28Budget-conscious movers51

Weather through the year

0°18°35°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

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 (Palma) 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.