City · Extremadura · All places
A hot border city on the Guadiana with a Moorish fortress, Portugal across the bridge and some of the cheapest housing in Spain.
Badajoz is the largest city in Extremadura, on the Guadiana river a few kilometres from the Portuguese border. A big Moorish fortress, the Alcazaba, stands over the old town, and a sixteenth-century stone bridge leads across the river to the walls and the new city on the far side. Beyond are the plains and cork-oak pastures of the Spanish west.
It is a provincial city with real size, a university campus, a major hospital and a garrison, and it is the commercial centre for a large, sparsely populated farming region. The city has 150,209 residents (2025).
It suits people who want a low cost of living, a real Spanish city without foreigners or crowds, and a taste of Portugal. It does not suit those who need a strong job market, mild weather or a quick flight home.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Badajoz stands out for housing; it is weaker on connectivity and digital. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €412 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Badajoz’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.
Summer nights stay warm, so sleep depends on a cooled bedroom. Check for air-conditioning before you sign.
Most people drive to work. Without a car, check bus routes from any flat before you commit.
People born abroad are in work less often than people born in Spain across Extremadura. Remote income or a job offer makes the move far easier.
Almost every home can get gigabit fibre, so working from home is not a gamble on the flat you pick.
Non-urgent surgery takes longer than in most of Spain (Extremadura-wide figure). Many residents add private health insurance.
Iberian ham from the oak pastures, migas, tomato and cheese from the Vegas del Guadiana and Portuguese pastries.
Slow in the heat, with life moving outside after dark in summer.
Tapas on the Plaza Alta and the old town, terraces by the river and a student scene near the campus.
The old town below the Alcazaba, the Plaza de España and the cathedral, and the newer residential districts across the river.
Spanish with an Extremaduran accent and a touch of Portuguese on the border.
The Carnival in February, with street choirs, and the San Juan fair in June.
Warm, talkative and used to Portuguese visitors, with few foreign residents.
Badajoz has the rhythm of a frontier city. The old town climbs the hill below the Alcazaba, with the Plaza Alta, an arcaded square, and the Plaza de España and its cathedral at the heart. Cafés and bars here serve tapas of ham, cheese and migas, and the old quarter is lively in the evening.
Across the Puente de Palmas, the river is a long park where people walk, cycle and fish. The Guadiana is the city's best natural asset, and its banks are a pleasant place at dusk. Spanish and Portuguese shoppers cross the border to buy from each other, and Portuguese pastries and cod appear on many menus.
Carnival is the big event. The Carnival of Badajoz, with its street choirs, parades and a burial of the sardine, is one of the largest in Spain and the main reason many people visit. The rest of the year is quieter, and the city has the feel of a place where everyone knows someone.
Badajoz has been a frontier fortress for a thousand years, first a Moorish town, then the seat of Castilian garrisons facing Portugal, and then the site of sieges in the wars with Napoleon. The walls, the Alcazaba and the gates came from this role, and it left a city with a military and administrative character rather than a merchant one.
The modern economy fits the region. Extremadura has been one of the poorest parts of Spain, with farming, food processing, public administration and services instead of large industry. Unemployment is 14.9% (2025, and jobs come out below average. Household income per person is €14,812 a year (2024), and prosperity comes out below average. The university, with its campus in the city, and the large public hospital are major employers.
The same weakness keeps prices low. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €412 a month (2024), and buying costs €1,580 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out above average, the best of its dimensions.
Distance is the other defining fact. The nearest big airport is 182 km away (2026), the local airport has almost no commercial flights and rail links with Madrid and Seville are slow. Commuters go mostly by car: 72% of commuters (2021), against 8% of commuters by public transport.
Health and safety are middling to weak. Recorded crime is 51.7 per 1,000 people (2024), and safety comes out below average. Life expectancy is 83.0 years (2023).
Figures for Badajoz itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Badajoz data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Housing is above average: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rent per m²: 5.89 €/m² a month — better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 73 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Badajoz · 2024 | 5.89 €/m² a month | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearBadajoz · 2024 | 3.00% | better than 71% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Badajoz · 2026-Q2 | 1,580 €/m² | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsBadajoz · 2024 | 4.77% | better than 46% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearBadajoz · 2026-Q2 | 9.51% | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Commute by car: 72.1% — worse than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 39 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Average commute (one way)Badajoz · 2021 | 35.8 minutes | better than 76% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carBadajoz · 2021 | 72.1% | better than 9% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportBadajoz · 2021 | 7.60% | better than 23% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is below average: in the bottom quarter of major European cities.
Days above 35 °C: 56.0 days a year — worse than 97% of major European cities
Below average: 38 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)Badajoz · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 84.6 days a year | better than 62% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CBadajoz · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 56.0 days a year | better than 3% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CBadajoz · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 27.9 nights a year | better than 24% of major European cities |
Healthcare is below average: behind most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 83.0 years — worse than 63% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 37 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyBadajoz · 2023 | 83.0 years | better than 37% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is below average: behind most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 14,812 € a year per person — worse than 64% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 36 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 personBadajoz · 2024 | 14,812 € a year per person | better than 36% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is below average: behind most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Burglaries: 169 per 100k people — worse than 80% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 35 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesBadajoz · 2025 | 1.33 per 100k people | better than 23% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeBadajoz · 2024 | 51.7 per 1,000 people | better than 33% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesBadajoz · 2025 | 72.6 per 100k people | better than 60% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesBadajoz · 2025 | 169 per 100k people | better than 20% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesBadajoz · 2024 | 0.52 per 1,000 people | better than 31% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsBadajoz · 2025 | 1,188 per 100k people | better than 48% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsBadajoz · 2025 | 35.9 per 100k people | better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment: 14.9% — worse than 77% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentBadajoz · 2025 | 14.9% | better than 23% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearBadajoz · 2025 | -0.94 points | better than 47% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
5G coverage: 99.9% — worse than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 28 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 internetBadajoz · 2025 | 97.7% | better than 36% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorBadajoz · 2025 | 97.7% | better than 33% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageBadajoz · 2025 | 99.9% | better than 13% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 182 km — worse than 100% of major European cities
Weak: 0 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 airportBadajoz · 2026-10-21 | 182 km | better than 0% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Badajoz yet
Highs around 37° in July, lows around 3° in January. 85 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C).
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.2°C | 3.0°C | 54 mm |
| February | 15.2°C | 4.3°C | 40 mm |
| March | 17.4°C | 5.8°C | 71 mm |
| April | 20.5°C | 8.5°C | 64 mm |
| May | 25.9°C | 11.7°C | 35 mm |
| June | 31.2°C | 15.5°C | 17 mm |
| July | 36.7°C | 18.6°C | 3 mm |
| August | 36.7°C | 19.0°C | 3 mm |
| September | 30.9°C | 16.2°C | 25 mm |
| October | 25.3°C | 12.7°C | 95 mm |
| November | 17.8°C | 7.5°C | 72 mm |
| December | 14.7°C | 5.0°C | 64 mm |
Badajoz is one of the hottest big cities in Spain. Summers are long and fierce, with the thermometer above the mid-thirties on many days: very hot days number 56 a year (2015–2024), and warm days number 108 a year (2015–2024). Nights offer little relief at the peak of summer, with tropical nights at 28 a year (2015–2024).
Winters are mild by inland standards, with occasional frost: 12 a year (2015–2024). Rainfall is 543 mm a year (2015–2024), falling mostly from autumn to spring. Pleasant days, mild and dry, number 85 a year (2015–2024). It is a better city from October to May, when the sun is warm and the streets are pleasant, and air conditioning is not a luxury in July and August. Anyone who sleeps badly in the heat should look for a flat with cooling and shutters.
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56/100 · average · 57th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
14.9% in 2025
9.5% in Q2 2026
€5.9 per m² a month in 2024
€1,580 per m² in Q2 2026
83.1 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Badajoz. 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.
One of the cheapest large cities in Spain for housing, with a good public health service.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
The University of Extremadura campus in the city, with cheap rooms and a lively term-time scene.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Big cheap flats, parks and a quiet routine, but a weak job market and very hot summers.
Better nearby for families with children: Cáceres (59)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Spacious and cheap homes for those with a larger budget, but no luxury services and tough summers.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for high earners and investors: Cáceres (55)
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
A small job market in public services, health, farming and logistics, with high unemployment and many graduates moving away.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
A Moorish fortress, a famous Carnival, a good museum of fine arts and Roman Mérida a short drive away.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
Very cheap and calm, with a large hospital, but extreme summer heat and a long way from airports.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
A cheap base for local services, retail and logistics, with border trade, but a small market.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
Cheap rents and a quiet life, but fibre is mixed and the airport options are poor.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
Flat river banks and dehesa pastures, with the Alentejo and the Sierra de San Pedro within a drive.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Badajoz as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Badajoz; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €378 a month
Compare with Badajoz70 m²: €358 a month
Compare with BadajozGuide 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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