City · Castilla y León · All places
A cathedral city on the Camino de Santiago with cold winters, safe streets and the best black pudding in Spain.
Burgos is a medium-sized city on the high plateau of northern Castile, on the Camino de Santiago. Its Gothic cathedral, a World Heritage site, rises over a compact old town between a river and a castle hill. Around it are well-kept parks, wide streets and an industrial belt of factories on the edge.
It is a solid, orderly, comfortable city that has been a centre of trade since the Middle Ages. It has no coast, no famous nightlife and no mild winter. It has safe streets, clean air, good schools and a reputation for quality of life, and it is among the coldest cities in Spain. The city has 177,402 residents (2025).
It suits families, retirees who like order and people who want to live well on a Castilian budget. It is a poor match for those who want warmth, sea or a city that stays up late.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Burgos stands out for healthcare, prosperity and digital; it is weaker on connectivity. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €496 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Burgos’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.
Frosty nights are common. Many older Spanish flats are poorly insulated: ask about heating and the winter energy bill.
People born abroad are in work less often than people born in Spain across Castilla y León. 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.
Black pudding made with rice, roast suckling lamb, fresh cheese and Ribera del Duero wine.
Orderly and unhurried, with a strong lunch hour and quiet evenings.
Tapas and vermouth around the cathedral and in the lanes of the old centre, with bars closing early on weeknights.
The old centre by the cathedral, the Gamonal district across the railway for everyday life and newer residential areas to the west.
Clear Castilian Spanish, with students coming to study the language.
The San Pedro and San Pablo fiestas in late June.
Riverside walks, the Camino, the Sierra de la Demanda and the Picos de Europa within reach by car.
Burgos is a city of order and routine. Locals stroll the Paseo del Espolón, the riverside promenade with its plane trees, and meet for vermouth at lunchtime on the streets around the cathedral. The pedestrian zone fills at weekends, and the bars serve tapas that are generous and hearty.
Food is the city's pride: black pudding made with rice, roast suckling lamb, fresh cheese and the wines of the Ribera del Duero. The cathedral's spires dominate every view, and its interior holds an astonishing amount of art. Behind the old town, the castle hill gives views over the roofs, and the Monastery of Las Huelgas and the Cartuja de Miraflores are a short walk or ride away.
People are serious, direct and slow to open up. The Camino brings walkers from around the world through the city, and a small community of foreign residents gives it a bit of colour. Gamonal, across the railway, is the working-class district with a character of its own.
Burgos was the capital of the old kingdom of Castile and the seat of its early kings. El Cid, the medieval hero, came from a village nearby. Wool merchants made the city rich in the late Middle Ages and paid for the cathedral and the churches. Pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago have passed through for a thousand years, and the city grew up around the road.
The economy today is based on manufacturing, especially food processing, chemicals, automotive parts and tyres, with services for the surrounding province. These factories pay steady wages and have kept the city from emptying like many inland towns. Household income per person is €17,600 a year (2024), and prosperity comes out strong. Unemployment is 7.8% (2025), and jobs come out average.
A major prehistoric site nearby, Atapuerca, has produced some of the oldest human remains in Europe, and the city has a modern museum of human evolution beside the river. The University of Burgos is small but well regarded, and the share of adults with a degree is 55% (2024).
The city is safe and healthy. Recorded crime is 36.3 per 1,000 people (2024), and safety comes out above average. Life expectancy is 84.3 years (2023), and healthcare comes out strong. A large modern hospital is among the biggest employers in the city.
Housing is moderate. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €496 a month (2024), and buying costs €2,060 per square metre (Q2 2026). House prices rose by 20.5% over the latest year (Q2 2026).
Figures for Burgos itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Burgos data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Healthcare is strong: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 84.3 years — better than 84% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 84 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyBurgos · 2023 | 84.3 years | better than 84% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is strong: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 17,600 € a year per person — better than 82% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 82 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 personBurgos · 2024 | 17,600 € a year per person | better than 82% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is strong: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
5G coverage: 100% — better than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 75 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 internetBurgos · 2025 | 99.4% | better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorBurgos · 2025 | 99.1% | better than 64% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageBurgos · 2025 | 100% | better than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Recorded crime: 36.3 per 1,000 people — better than 94% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 74 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesBurgos · 2025 | 0.56 per 100k people | better than 49% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeBurgos · 2024 | 36.3 per 1,000 people | better than 94% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesBurgos · 2025 | 58.6 per 100k people | better than 76% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesBurgos · 2025 | 104 per 100k people | better than 55% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesBurgos · 2024 | 0.29 per 1,000 people | better than 81% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsBurgos · 2025 | 1,077 per 100k people | better than 58% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsBurgos · 2025 | 38.3 per 100k people | better than 70% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is above average: in the top 10% of major European cities.
Nights above 20 °C: 0.40 nights a year — better than 89% of major European cities
Above average: 71 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)Burgos · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 94.4 days a year | better than 73% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CBurgos · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 2.00 days a year | better than 49% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CBurgos · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.40 nights a year | better than 89% of major European cities |
Transport is around the middle: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Average commute (one way): 35.8 minutes — better than 76% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 59 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)Burgos · 2021 | 35.8 minutes | better than 76% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carBurgos · 2021 | 58.3% | better than 56% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportBurgos · 2021 | 10.4% | better than 40% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Housing is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rents, change in a year: 3.00% — better than 71% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 57 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Burgos · 2024 | 7.09 €/m² a month | better than 60% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearBurgos · 2024 | 3.00% | better than 71% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Burgos · 2026-Q2 | 2,060 €/m² | better than 62% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsBurgos · 2024 | 4.27% | better than 69% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearBurgos · 2026-Q2 | 20.5% | better than 9% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment: 7.80% — better than 88% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 57 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentBurgos · 2025 | 7.80% | better than 88% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearBurgos · 2025 | 0.51 points | better than 11% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 123 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 airportBurgos · 2026-10-21 | 123 km | better than 0% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Burgos yet
Highs around 28° in August, lows around -1° in January. 94 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C).
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.2°C | -0.5°C | 64 mm |
| February | 9.6°C | 0.3°C | 54 mm |
| March | 12.1°C | 1.6°C | 56 mm |
| April | 15.1°C | 3.8°C | 60 mm |
| May | 18.7°C | 6.9°C | 43 mm |
| June | 23.2°C | 10.6°C | 53 mm |
| July | 27.3°C | 12.7°C | 24 mm |
| August | 27.7°C | 13.0°C | 23 mm |
| September | 22.7°C | 10.3°C | 42 mm |
| October | 18.3°C | 7.6°C | 64 mm |
| November | 11.7°C | 3.4°C | 77 mm |
| December | 9.0°C | 1.5°C | 61 mm |
Burgos has a cool continental climate because it sits high on the plateau. Winters are long and cold, with frost, fog and the occasional snowfall: frost days number 58 a year (2015–2024). Rain falls on many days, 118 a year (2015–2024), mostly in spring and autumn.
Summers are warm, dry and short, with cool evenings and almost no tropical nights: very hot days number only 2 a year (2015–2024). Pleasant days, mild and dry, number 94 a year (2015–2024). It is a summer city, with its best days from May to October, and winters are for people who accept the cold and have good heating.
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38/100 · below average · 95th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
7.8% in 2025
20.5% in Q2 2026
€7.1 per m² a month in 2024
€2,060 per m² in Q2 2026
84.3 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Burgos. 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.
Safe, clean and well equipped, with good schools, sports and parks, in a city of a manageable size.
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Safe, well served by a large hospital and affordable, with cool summers that suit those who dislike heat, but with cold winters.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Pleasant, quiet and safe, with a good private hospital option, but few luxury services.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Good value, with real services and a stable economy.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Jobs in industry, food and logistics at fair salaries, though the social life is quiet and many young people leave for Madrid.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
A cathedral, museums and Romanesque abbeys, with Castilian food, in a deep historic city on a small scale.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
A small, friendly university in a calm city with cheap rooms, where Spanish is spoken clearly.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Industrial skills, a loyal local market and low costs, with regional support, but a small market and distant airport.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
Cheap and quiet, with good fibre, but few coworking options and an airport that is a long way off.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
Camino walks, hills and mountains within an hour, but no sea and cold winters.
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 Burgos as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Burgos; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €447 a month
Compare with Burgos70 m²: €403 a month
Compare with Burgos70 m²: €394 a month
Compare with Burgos70 m²: €480 a month
Compare with Burgos70 m²: €350 a month
Compare with Burgos70 m²: €414 a month
Compare with BurgosGuide 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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