Region · Spain · All places
Spain's most populous region: flamenco, white villages, mountains and beaches, with fierce summers inland and a thin job market.
Andalucía occupies the south of Spain and is its most populous region. It has eight provinces, Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Sevilla, and the landscape is huge and varied: two long coasts, the Sierra Nevada with the highest peaks on the peninsula, the Guadalquivir plain of olive groves and farmland, and wild wetlands such as Doñana.
For many visitors this is Spain: whitewashed villages, flamenco, sherry, Moorish palaces and long, loud evenings. For people who move here it is a diverse region where daily life differs a lot between a seafront apartment in Málaga, a village house in the Alpujarras and a large flat in Sevilla.
It rewards people with remote income, a pension or a flexible job. It is much harder for anyone who needs to find local work.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Andalucía is weaker on prosperity and wellbeing. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €515 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Andalucía’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
Few residents come from English-speaking or northern European countries, so daily life runs in Spanish. Contracts, the town hall and most doctors work in Spanish.
Non-urgent surgery takes longer than in most of Spain. Many residents add private health insurance.
Fried fish, gazpacho and salmorejo, Iberian ham, tapas with the drink in Granada, sherry in Jerez.
Slow by day, alive from nine in the evening, with children out on the street at midnight.
Tapas crawls in Sevilla, Granada and Córdoba, beach bars on the coast, flamenco tablaos in Triana.
Sevilla is the capital, Málaga the modern coastal city, Granada the student city under the Alhambra.
Spanish with a soft southern accent, English common on the Costa del Sol and rarer inland.
Holy Week, the April fair in Sevilla, Cádiz Carnival, the patio festival in Córdoba in May.
Beaches, wind sports at Tarifa, skiing in the Sierra Nevada, walking in the Alpujarras and Doñana.
Andalucía lives outdoors and at night. In summer, life starts after nine in the evening, children are in the street at midnight, and people move between bars for small cheap plates of tapas, especially in Granada, Sevilla and Córdoba. In every town, the patron-saint festival, the spring fair and Holy Week, with its enormous processions, are the high points of the year.
Sevilla is the capital: orange trees in the streets, a huge Gothic cathedral, flamenco in Triana and busy evenings. Málaga has reinvented itself as a modern cultural city with museums, a revived port and a growing tech sector, and the Costa del Sol around it has Marbella's glamour and a large international community. Granada has the Alhambra and a student scene. Córdoba has the Mezquita and quiet whitewashed patios. Cádiz is one of the oldest cities in Europe, a salty, sunny peninsula city with a carnival of its own.
Food runs from fried fish and cold tomato soups to Iberian ham, olive oil from Jaén and sherry from Jerez. The white villages such as Ronda and Arcos, the Alpujarras valleys, the beaches of the Costa de la Luz and the desert landscapes of Almería give the region as much variety as a small country.
Andalucía was the centre of Muslim Spain (al-Andalus) for nearly eight hundred years, and that legacy shaped its cities: the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Córdoba, the Giralda in Sevilla. After the Reconquista, power and wealth came from Atlantic trade, then drained away. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the region became a farming economy dominated by large estates, with low wages and heavy emigration to Catalonia, the Basque Country and northern Europe.
Today the economy rests on tourism, farming and services, with growing technology, cybersecurity and aerospace employers in Málaga and Sevilla. Wages are still low, and unemployment has been high for decades. Unemployment is 15.2% (2025). The average gross salary is €26,090 a year (2024). Poverty is also higher than average, with 27.7% of people at risk (2025).
Costs are lower than in the big cities, except on the Costa del Sol, where prices have risen strongly. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €515 a month (2024). Buying costs €1,982 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out average against similar regions, with large differences between cities.
Public services are stretched. Healthcare comes out weak, with doctors at 360 per 100k people (2024). Waits are long, and the wait for surgery is 173 days (H2 2025). Life expectancy is 82.9 years (2024), among the lowest in Spain, which tracks lower incomes and a stretched health service. Most of the region is safe, although tourist areas have petty crime. Homicide is 0.95 per 100k people (2024).
The region is also on the front line of climate change. Summers are the hottest in Europe, water is scarce, and the wetlands of Doñana have suffered from drought.
Figures for Andalucía. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Andalucía data only and compares it with other regions. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Housing is around the middle: behind most Spanish regions.
House prices, change in a year: 11.9% — better than 71% of Spanish regions
Average: 54 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Households spending >40% of income on housingAndalucía · 2025 | 7.00% | better than 68% of European metro regions |
| Rent per m²Andalucía · 2024 | 7.35 €/m² a month | better than 39% of Spanish regions |
| Rents, change in a yearAndalucía · 2024 | 3.80% | better than 15% of Spanish regions |
| Buying price per m²Andalucía · 2026-Q2 | 1,982 €/m² | better than 45% of Spanish regions |
| House prices, change in a yearAndalucía · 2026-Q2 | 11.9% | better than 71% of Spanish regions |
Safety is around the middle: behind most European metro regions.
Thefts: 320 per 100k people — better than 98% of European metro regions
Average: 43 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesAndalucía · 2024 | 0.95 per 100k people | better than 38% of European metro regions |
| Recorded crimeAndalucía · 2025 | 48.0 per 1,000 people | better than 44% of Spanish regions |
| RobberiesAndalucía · 2024 | 85.9 per 100k people | better than 36% of European metro regions |
| BurglariesAndalucía · 2024 | 148 per 100k people | better than 55% of European metro regions |
| Road deathsAndalucía · 2024 | 4.10 per 100k people | better than 20% of European metro regions |
| Assault rateAndalucía · 2024 | 299 per 100k people | better than 55% of European metro regions |
| TheftsAndalucía · 2024 | 320 per 100k people | better than 98% of European metro regions |
| Vehicle theftsAndalucía · 2024 | 49.5 per 100k people | better than 69% of European metro regions |
Healthcare is weak: in the bottom 10% of European metro regions.
Doctors: 360 per 100k people — worse than 98% of European metro regions
Weak: 19 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Wait for a specialist appointmentAndalucía · 2025-H2 | 136 days | better than 21% of Spanish regions |
| Wait for surgeryAndalucía · 2025-H2 | 173 days | better than 3% of Spanish regions |
| DoctorsAndalucía · 2024 | 360 per 100k people | better than 2% of European metro regions |
| Life expectancyAndalucía · 2024 | 82.9 years | better than 59% of European metro regions |
| Infant mortalityAndalucía · 2024 | 3.50 per 1,000 births | better than 30% of European metro regions |
Jobs is weak: in the bottom 10% of European metro regions.
Unemployment: 15.2% — worse than 99% of European metro regions
Weak: 8 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Median gross salaryAndalucía · 2024 | 21,557 € a year per worker | better than 15% of Spanish regions |
| UnemploymentAndalucía · 2025 | 15.2% | better than 1% of European metro regions |
| Employment rate (20–64)Andalucía · 2025 | 65.8% | better than 7% of European metro regions |
| Long-term unemploymentAndalucía · 2025 | 5.10% of the workforce | better than 8% of European metro regions |
| Youth unemployment (15–24)Andalucía · 2025 | 32.7% | better than 5% of European metro regions |
| Labour-force participationAndalucía · 2025 | 71.4% | better than 10% of European metro regions |
| Youth not in employment/education/trainingAndalucía · 2025 | 13.3% | better than 12% of European metro regions |
| Jobs in high-tech sectorsAndalucía · 2025 | 3.00% of jobs | better than 1% of European metro regions |
Prosperity is weak: in the bottom 10% of European metro regions.
Economic output per person: 27,400 PPS per person — worse than 96% of European metro regions
Weak: 6 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Household income per personAndalucía · 2023 | 16,300 PPS per person | better than 7% of European metro regions |
| Economic output per personAndalucía · 2024 | 27,400 PPS per person | better than 4% of European metro regions |
Wellbeing is weak: in the bottom 10% of European metro regions.
At risk of poverty: 27.7% — worse than 96% of European metro regions
Weak: 6 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| At risk of povertyAndalucía · 2025 | 27.7% | better than 4% of European metro regions |
| Material deprivationAndalucía · 2025 | 10.9% | better than 7% of European metro regions |
What we cannot score for Andalucía yet
The south is the warmest part of Spain, but it holds several climates. Winters on the coast are mild and sunny, and snow falls only in the Sierra Nevada, which has a ski resort. Summers are very hot inland, particularly in Córdoba, Sevilla and Jaén, where heat waves routinely reach dangerous levels, while the coast is cooler and breezier.
It is a winter region: from October to May the weather is some of the best in Europe. In July and August the inland cities slow down and people go to the coast or the mountains, and a flat without cooling is hard to live in.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
76/100 · strong · 4th of 34 European metro regions
15.2% in 2025
4.7% in Sep 2026
3.7% in 2024
27,400 PPS in 2024
11.9% in Q2 2026
€7.4 per m² a month in 2024
€1,982 per m² in Q2 2026
82.9 years in 2024
65.8% in 2025
Facts about the people who live in Andalucía. Shown as context only: none of this changes a score.
Guides for the practical side of moving to Spain: residency, housing, healthcare, tax and schools. Where the rules or prices depend on where you live, the guide says so.
Is Spain right for you, when to go, and how to try it before you commit.
Visas, residence permits, the route that fits you, and keeping your status.
Budgeting the first year, banking, tax residency, income and social security.
Employment, remote work, self-employment, running a business and your rights at work.
Choosing where to live, renting safely, buying, and settling into a home.
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Family, children, and education
Partners, children, schools, childcare and studying in Spain.
Paperwork, identity numbers, belongings, pets, utilities and the first weeks.
Learning Spanish, understanding local life and building a social circle.
Routines, food, local customs, holidays, transport and getting around.
Scams, disputes, emergencies, your rights and where to get help.
Long-term settlement and leaving
Staying for good, long-term residence and citizenship, retiring, or returning home.
Cost of living and housing by region
You can estimate what the same life costs in different places and how hard it is to find a home there.
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Regional differences in public healthcare
You will understand what really differs by region, how to find your local rule and how to move your cover.
You will be able to estimate your tax, understand the calculation and see how your region compares.
You will know which language your child will be taught in where you plan to live, how settled that rule is, and how to confirm it for one school.
You can see which regions and cities fit your field and income need.
Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish regions. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
Flamenco, Moorish architecture, Holy Week, festivals and a strong food and tapas culture. One of the richest cultural regions in Spain.
Nothing stands out.
Better in the region for culture, food and nightlife: Granada (69)
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Transport, Walk most.
Granada, Sevilla, Málaga and Córdoba are lively, cheap student cities with big universities and a strong Erasmus presence.
Better in the region for students: Granada (64), Jaén (64), Córdoba (60)
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Median age, Price level vs EU average, Transport, Walk most.
Marbella and the Costa del Sol offer villas, golf, private healthcare and international schools. Prime property is expensive, and regional wealth and inheritance rules are generally lighter than in Catalonia.
Nothing stands out.
Better in the region for high earners and investors: Utrera (55), La Línea de la Concepción (54), Rincón de la Victoria (54)
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Distance to the main airport, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Growing hubs in Málaga and Sevilla, with lower costs than Madrid or Barcelona. The investor base is thinner.
Nothing stands out.
Better in the region for founders and self-employed: Torremolinos (56), Granada (53), Sevilla (52)
Not measured yet: Connectivity, Digital, Distance to the main airport, Regulatory quality.
One of the most popular regions in Europe for retirement, with mild winters, a large foreign community and low costs inland. Public waiting times are long and summers inland are very hot.
Nothing stands out.
Better in the region for retirees: Motril (67), Rincón de la Victoria (64), El Ejido (63)
Not measured yet: Climate, Cost of Living, Days above 35 °C, Environment, Frost days, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry).
Warm, outdoorsy and close-knit, with many international schools on the Costa del Sol. The job market is the main challenge for local families.
Nothing stands out.
Better in the region for families with children: Linares (64), Jaén (60), Utrera (56)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average commute (one way), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Inland cities, villages and the Almería and Huelva coasts are among the cheapest in Spain. Jobs are scarce.
Better in the region for budget-conscious movers: Linares (72), Utrera (66), El Ejido (65)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Price level vs EU average.
Pay is low and unemployment is high compared with the national average, though Málaga and Sevilla have growing tech and aerospace employers.
Better in the region for young professionals: Granada (53), Cádiz (51), Jaén (49)
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Transport.
Málaga and Sevilla have good fibre, coworking spaces, direct flights and a community of remote workers. Costs have risen on the coast.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Climate, Connectivity, Cost of Living, Digital, Distance to the main airport, Fixed broadband penetration, Homes with fibre to the door, Lifestyle, Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry).
Beaches, wind sports, skiing, mountain walking, kayaking and cycling in one region. Summer heat limits the interior.
Nothing stands out.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Climate, Days above 35 °C, Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Frost days, Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry), Rainy days (≥1 mm), Strong-wind days.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Andalucía as anywhere in Spain.
Click a column to sort. Columns with too little data are left out.
| Place | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cádiz | 58 | €635 | 17.0% | 50.3 per 1,000 people | 173 | 82.0 years |
| La Línea de la Concepción | 57 | €545 | 25.9% | 36.3 per 1,000 people | 201 | 80.5 years |
| San Fernando | 55 | €470 | 18.1% | 42.9 per 1,000 people | 173 | 82.5 years |
| Granada | 54 | €479 | 21.1% | 56.5 per 1,000 people | 124 | 83.1 years |
| Benalmádena | 53 | €705 | n/a | n/a | 189 | n/a |
| Jaén | 53 | €414 | 18.7% | 41.5 per 1,000 people | 97 | 82.9 years |
| Rincón de la Victoria | 53 | €612 | n/a | n/a | 189 | n/a |
| Roquetas de Mar | 53 | €424 | n/a | n/a | 136 | n/a |
| Torremolinos | 52 | €712 | 14.5% | 77.9 per 1,000 people | 189 | 83.3 years |
| Linares | 51 | €292 | 23.6% | 32.3 per 1,000 people | 97 | 81.6 years |
| Sevilla | 51 | €642 | 11.2% | 74.4 per 1,000 people | 109 | 82.5 years |
| Utrera | 51 | €380 | n/a | n/a | 113 | n/a |
Guide written 2026-10-22. Figures are refreshed as new official data is published; the period beside each number says what it covers. “Our read” cards are our inferences from those figures. How we score
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