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Side by side

Valladolid 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 ValladolidAll about ZaragozaChange a place

Data as of

City · Castilla y León

Valladolid

A solid, flat, well-run industrial city on the Castilian plateau, with good schools, cold winters and few tourists.

Quality of life64above average
Momentum67above average
Outlook–Spain-wide only
Regional capitalUniversity townIndustrial cityCold and foggy wintersVery safeSafety firstFast internet

13th 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 Valladolid

  • Stronger on safety (80 vs 64)
  • Stronger on digital (76 vs 50)
  • Homicides: 0.00 per 100k people vs 0.29 per 100k people
  • Nights above 20 °C: 4 a year vs 21 a year
  • Robberies with violence: 44 per 100k people vs 160 per 100k people
  • Days above 35 °C: 14 a year vs 35 a year
  • Among the safest cities in Spain with large parks and good schools
  • Low rents and prices with a real job market in industry and health

Watch out: Cold foggy winters with a long run of frost; An old population and a quiet nightlife and international scene.

Why Zaragoza

  • Stronger on connectivity (25 vs 0)
  • Airport passengers: 0.7 million a year vs 0.1 million a year
  • Distance to the main airport: 13 km vs 161 km
  • Frost days: 15 a year vs 45 a year
  • Commute by public transport: 24% of commuters vs 15% of commuters
  • A big city with a manageable pace and a strong local identity
  • A tapas and festival culture that is lively and unpretentious

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, Valladolid is better on 15 and Zaragoza on 11; the rest are close or have no better direction.

Life domains

80 · strongSafety64 · above average
79 · strongProsperity78 · strong
78 · strongHealthcare68 · above average
76 · strongDigital50 · average
62 · above averageHousing56 · average
57 · averageJobs52 · average
54 · averageTransport62 · above average
53 · averageClimate49 · average
0 · weakConnectivity25 · below average

Side by side, figure by figure

FigureValladolidZaragozaDifference
Housing
Rent per m²€6.8 a month2024€7.7 a month2024Valladolid 12% lower
Rent for a 70 m² flat€473 a month2024€541 a month2024Valladolid 12% lower
Typical rent, existing lease€531 a month2024€550 a month2024about the same
Rents, change in a year3.0%20243.2%2024about the same
Buying price per m²€1,946Q2 2026€2,240Q2 2026Valladolid 13% lower
Price of an 80 m² flat€155,720Q2 2026€179,224Q2 2026Valladolid 13% lower
House prices, change in a year17.3%Q2 202612.6%Q2 2026Valladolid 4.7 pts higher
Money & work
Household income per person€17,380 a year2024€17,199 a year2024about the same
Net income per household€39,685 a year2024€41,707 a year2024Valladolid 5% lower
Unemployment10.6%20258.1%2025Valladolid 2.5 pts higher
Safety
Recorded crime37.1 per 1,000 people202441.0 per 1,000 people2024Valladolid 10% lower
Sexual offences0.34 per 1,000 people20240.35 per 1,000 people2024about the same
Homicides0.00 per 100k people20250.29 per 100k people2025Valladolid 100% lower
Robberies with violence44 per 100k people2025160 per 100k people2025Zaragoza 3.7×
Home burglaries102 per 100k people202585 per 100k people2025Valladolid 21% higher
Thefts without violence898 per 100k people20251,203 per 100k people2025Valladolid 25% lower
Vehicle thefts23 per 100k people202523 per 100k people2025about the same
Health
Life expectancy84.1 years202383.8 years2023about the same
Hospital beds6.4 per 1,000 people20255.4 per 1,000 people2025Valladolid 19% higher
Climate
Days above 35 °C14 a year2015–202435 a year2015–2024Zaragoza 2.5×
Days above 30 °C58 a year2015–202486 a year2015–2024Valladolid 32% lower
Nights above 20 °C4 a year2015–202421 a year2015–2024Zaragoza 5.9×
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)93 a year2015–2024102 a year2015–2024Valladolid 9% lower
Rainfall443 mm a year2015–2024381 mm a year2015–2024Valladolid 16% higher
Rainy days (≥1 mm)85 a year2015–202473 a year2015–2024Valladolid 16% higher
Frost days45 a year2015–202415 a year2015–2024Valladolid 3.0×
Getting around
Average commute (one way)43 min202145 min2021Valladolid 4% lower
Commute by public transport15% of commuters202124% of commuters2021Valladolid 8.6 pts lower
Commute by car52% of commuters202147% of commuters2021Valladolid 4.9 pts higher
Distance to the main airport161 km202613 km2026Valladolid 12.6×
Airport passengers0.1 million a year20250.7 million a year2025Zaragoza 8.1×
Internet
Homes that can get gigabit internet100%202599%2025Valladolid 1.1 pts higher
Homes with fibre to the door100%202599%2025Valladolid 1.1 pts higher
Education
Adults with a university degree52%202450%2024Valladolid 2.4 pts higher
People
Population302,6142025693,0912025Zaragoza 2.3×
Median age53.1 years202548.0 years2025Valladolid 11% higher
Residents aged 65+28.3%202522.6%2025Valladolid 5.7 pts higher
Who lives here
Residents born abroad12.2%202519.4%2025Valladolid 7.2 pts lower
Residents with a foreign nationality7.9%202413.8%2024Valladolid 5.9 pts lower
Foreign residents, change in 5 years2.7 points20242.0 points2024Valladolid 0.7 pts higher

Who each suits, 0–100

69Families with children59
64High earners and investors62
62Budget-conscious movers51
60Students53
60Culture, food and nightlife53
59Retirees60
59Young professionals55
55Founders and self-employed51
52Remote workers54
38Beach, mountains and the outdoors60

Weather through the year

0°18°35°JFMAMJJASOND
Solid: average daily high · dashed: average nightly low, °C.

Our read of each

Valladolid

  • Plan on Spanish from day one
  • Winters need real heating
  • Line up work before you come
  • Ready for remote work
  • An older, quieter population

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 (Valladolid) 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.

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