City · Canarias · All places
The sunniest, driest corner of Tenerife, a resort coast with a ferry port and a real town behind it, and the theft that follows tourism.
Arona is a large municipality on the south-western coast of Tenerife, and it covers some of the island's best-known resort areas: Los Cristianos, much of Playa de las Américas, Costa del Silencio and the quieter village of Las Galletas. Behind the coast the land climbs through dry terraces to the old town of Arona and the hills below the Teide. The municipality has 87,793 residents (2025).
The south of Tenerife is dry, sunny and warm in every month, and Arona is where most of that sunshine is monetised. The coast is a busy international resort with an old fishing harbour at its heart. It suits retirees, remote workers and outdoor people who want an easy climate, and it suits them better than anyone who wants an affordable local job market or a place that feels like a traditional town.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Arona stands out for climate; it is weaker on prosperity and safety. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €641 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Arona’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
You will meet English speakers, mostly in the centre and at international employers. Shops, landlords and schools expect Spanish. Contracts, the town hall and most doctors work in Spanish.
Summer nights stay warm, so sleep depends on a cooled bedroom. Check for air-conditioning before you sign.
Thefts without violence happen 3.0 times as often as in the typical Spanish city. Keep phones and bags close in busy areas and on public transport.
Canarian classics such as papas arrugadas with mojo sauce and fresh fish, plus every international cuisine on the Playa de las Américas strip.
Easygoing, with long beach days, terraces at sunset and a clear gap between the busy centre and the quiet outskirts.
The Veronicas strip at Playa de las Américas for bars and clubs, and the calmer terraces of Los Cristianos harbour.
Los Cristianos is a real town with a harbour, Las Américas is resort-and-nightlife, Costa del Silencio is quiet apartments, and the old town of Arona is a village on the hill.
Spanish with a soft Canarian accent, and English, German and Scandinavian languages widely used in the resorts.
The Los Cristianos carnival in February, with a sea procession for the Virgen del Carmen in July.
Whale watching, diving, walks up the Roque del Conde and coastal paths, with the Teide an hour's drive away.
Los Cristianos is the nicest of the resort areas. It started as a fishing village, and the old harbour still has working boats, ferries to La Gomera and a long, protected beach at Las Vistas. Playa de las Américas, which straddles the boundary with Adeje, is all hotels, bars and clubs, and it is loud and international. Costa del Silencio, further down the coast, is quieter and more residential, with rocky coves and low apartment blocks, and Las Galletas is a small fishing village with a gentle pace.
Inland, the old town of Arona has a church, plazas and a more traditional island feel at a higher, cooler altitude. The valleys and terraces above the coast are farmland and walking country, and the Roque del Conde, a flat-topped peak above the coast, is the best-known hike in the municipality.
The mix of people is wide: Canarian families, Spanish workers from the mainland, Latin American migrants, and a large community of British, Irish, German and Scandinavian residents, many of them retired. There is plenty of English, and you can live for a long time without much Spanish, though not for free.
The south of the island sits in the rain shadow of the Teide and the central mountains, so the trade winds drop their cloud on the north and leave the south clear. Until the nineteen sixties this was a dry farming and fishing coast with banana plantations and a small harbour at Los Cristianos. The airport at Reina Sofía, opened in the seventies, made the south a package-holiday destination, and hotels, apartments and shopping centres followed along the coast.
The climate is the product, and it is exceptional. The municipality comes out above average on climate. Rainfall is 114 mm a year (2015–2024), the lowest of any large Spanish city, and the year has 335 a year pleasant days (2015–2024). Very hot days number 0 a year (2015–2024), and frost days number 0 a year (2015–2024).
The economy is tourism and the trades that serve it, and that explains the low pay. Household income is €12,042 a year (2024), one of the lowest among Spanish cities, and prosperity comes out weak. Housing is dear against that income. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €641 a month (2024), and buying costs €2,946 per square metre (Q2 2026). Rents rose by 3.8% in one year (2024), and housing comes out below average, because holiday lets and foreign buyers compete with local tenants.
Crime follows the visitors. Theft is 3,597 per 100k people (2025), one of the highest rates in Spain, and robbery is 341 per 100k people (2025). Vehicle theft, mostly from hire cars and tourists' cars, is 200 per 100k people (2025). The municipality comes out below average on safety. The figures are driven by the resort areas and by visitors being targeted, while the villages and the quieter coast feel calm.
Connections are the other side of the story. The airport is 10 km away (2026), and the ferries from Los Cristianos to La Gomera and onward make this the island's gateway. The island itself has no railway, so buses and the car are the only way around, and the largest public hospitals are in the north of the island, around Santa Cruz and La Laguna, with private clinics in the resorts.
Figures for Arona itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Arona data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Climate is above average: in the top 10% of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 335 days a year — better than 100% of major European cities
Above average: 72 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)Arona · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 335 days a year | better than 100% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CArona · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.00 days a year | better than 88% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CArona · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 182 nights a year | better than 0% of major European cities |
Connectivity is around the middle: better than most major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 10.2 km — better than 57% of major European cities
Average: 57 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Distance to the main airportArona · 2026-10-21 | 10.2 km | better than 57% of major European cities |
Housing is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rents, change in a year: 3.80% — worse than 73% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 32 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Arona · 2024 | 9.15 €/m² a month | better than 31% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearArona · 2024 | 3.80% | better than 27% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Arona · 2026-Q2 | 2,946 €/m² | better than 30% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsArona · 2024 | 5.45% | better than 32% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearArona · 2026-Q2 | 15.0% | better than 45% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes that can get gigabit internet: 95.5% — worse than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 27 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Homes that can get gigabit internetArona · 2025 | 95.5% | better than 15% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorArona · 2025 | 97.1% | better than 21% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageArona · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 49% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is below average compared with similar cities.
Not ranked: too little comparable evidence yet.
Vehicle thefts: 200 per 100k people — worse than 97% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 26 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesArona · 2025 | 1.14 per 100k people | better than 35% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesArona · 2025 | 341 per 100k people | better than 5% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesArona · 2025 | 126 per 100k people | better than 40% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsArona · 2025 | 3,597 per 100k people | better than 4% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsArona · 2025 | 200 per 100k people | better than 3% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is weak: in the bottom 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 12,042 € a year per person — worse than 97% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 3 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 personArona · 2024 | 12,042 € a year per person | better than 3% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
What we cannot score for Arona yet
Highs around 25° in August, lows around 17° in February. 335 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C). 182 warm nights above 20 °C: check for air-conditioning.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19.8°C | 17.9°C | 12 mm |
| February | 19.6°C | 17.4°C | 13 mm |
| March | 19.8°C | 17.4°C | 12 mm |
| April | 20.7°C | 18.2°C | 5 mm |
| May | 21.7°C | 19.1°C | 3 mm |
| June | 23.0°C | 20.5°C | 5 mm |
| July | 24.3°C | 21.6°C | 1 mm |
| August | 25.2°C | 22.5°C | 3 mm |
| September | 25.1°C | 22.7°C | 8 mm |
| October | 24.5°C | 22.2°C | 15 mm |
| November | 22.8°C | 20.7°C | 18 mm |
| December | 21.1°C | 19.2°C | 21 mm |
The weather is the story. Summers are warm and dry but not oppressive, thanks to the trade winds and the sea, and winters are as close to a second spring as Europe gets. Occasionally a calima, a dusty hot wind from the Sahara, brings a few days of haze and heat, but it passes.
There is almost no rain and no frost, and the sun shines through the winter. Rain days number 23 a year (2015–2024). The climate suits anyone who suffers in northern winters, and the main hazard is the strength of the sun, with burn and glare year-round. Flats rarely need heating, and air conditioning is useful for only a few weeks.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
15.0% in Q2 2026
€9.2 per m² a month in 2024
€2,946 per m² in Q2 2026
Facts about the people who live in Arona. Shown as context only: none of this changes a score.
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Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish cities. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
This is one of the most reliable outdoor climates in Europe, with the sea, the Roque del Conde and the Teide all in reach.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Warm, dry and full of other retirees, though healthcare relies on private clinics and the resort areas are noisy.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Healthcare, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
A good fit for a winter or a year, with reliable weather, an airport close by and a growing community of other remote workers.
Better nearby for remote workers: Arrecife (64), Santa Lucía de Tirajana (64)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle, Residents born abroad.
Tourism, dive and boat trips, hospitality and property services are the natural businesses, with the Canary Islands tax regime as a bonus.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for founders and self-employed: San Cristóbal de La Laguna (58), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (53)
Not measured yet: Adults with a university degree, Jobs, Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality, Residents born abroad.
The south has hotels, golf and villas, though the most prestigious addresses are in neighbouring Adeje and in Costa Adeje.
Better nearby for high earners and investors: Granadilla de Abona (57), San Cristóbal de La Laguna (57)
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Rents are not cheap, wages are low and the car is necessary, so the climate saves on heating but not much else.
Better nearby for budget-conscious movers: Santa Lucía de Tirajana (53), Arrecife (51), San Cristóbal de La Laguna (49)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Jobs, Price level vs EU average, Unemployment.
A sunny place for children with beaches, but low local incomes and high rents make life tight, and schools are mixed.
Better nearby for families with children: Granadilla de Abona (47), San Cristóbal de La Laguna (47), Santa Lucía de Tirajana (47)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average commute (one way), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Jobs, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation, Recorded crime.
A hard place for a career outside tourism, with plenty of social life but little pay.
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Jobs, Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median age, Median gross salary, Residents born abroad, Transport, Unemployment, Youth unemployment (15–24).
There is no university in the municipality, and the University of La Laguna is in the north of the island, a long bus ride away.
Not measured yet: Adults with a university degree, Commute by public transport, Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Median age, Price level vs EU average, Transport, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
The culture is Canarian: carnival, festivals and food, with some tourist-oriented shows and little else.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Adults with a university degree, Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Residents born abroad, Transport, Walk most.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Arona as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Arona; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €512 a month
Compare with Arona70 m²: €593 a month
Compare with Arona70 m²: €497 a month
Compare with Arona70 m²: €700 a month
Compare with Arona70 m²: €567 a month
Compare with Arona70 m²: €625 a month
Compare with AronaGuide 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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