City · Comunitat Valenciana · All places
A quiet Mediterranean tile-making city with a port beach, cheap flats and the Valencia train a short ride away.
Castellón de la Plana is the capital of its province, on the flat Mediterranean coastal plain north of Valencia. The old centre sits a few kilometres from the sea, joined to the port district of El Grau and the beaches by a long road, and behind it the first foothills of the Desert de les Palmes rise towards the interior. Orange groves still surround the city on the plain.
It is an unflashy, orderly city. The economy is built on ceramic tiles and the port, the centre is arranged around a handsome market square, and the sea is close without being the city's main theme. The city has 183,711 residents (2025).
It suits people who want a cheap, calm Mediterranean base with a big enough city around it, and who do not need a fast-moving job market. It is poor for those who want an international scene or a short commute by public transport.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Castellón de la Plana stands out for climate; it is weaker on connectivity and transport. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €380 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Castellón de la Plana’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 or Valencian.
Valencian is an official language alongside Spanish. Expect it on signs, at the town hall and in state schools.
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 Comunitat Valenciana. 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.
Valencian rice dishes, grilled fish and prawns from El Grau, and oranges from the plain.
Slow and provincial, with a long coffee in the plaza and an early close on weekdays.
Terraces on the Plaza Mayor, bars in the old centre and beach restaurants in summer.
The old centre is compact, El Grau is the port and beach district, and the Pinar and Gurugú beaches lie beyond.
Spanish on the street, with Valencian in schools and official use.
The Magdalena fiestas in March, with lantern parades and a pilgrimage to the hermitage.
Beaches, the Desert de les Palmes hills and the Columbretes islands by boat.
The centre is a small grid around the Plaza Mayor, where the octagonal bell tower of El Fadrí stands beside the co-cathedral and the covered market fills the other side. Mornings start with coffee in the plaza and a visit to the market for fish, fruit and vegetables. The pedestrian streets around it are where people do their shopping and have their vermouth, and the atmosphere is provincial in the best sense: everybody seems to know somebody.
The Magdalena fiestas, in March, are the year's big event. They recall the founding of the city, with a pilgrimage with reed canes to the hermitage, parades of giant lanterns and a week of music, bullfights and fireworks. The rest of the year is quiet. For the sea, people go to El Grau and the Pinar and Gurugú beaches, where seafood restaurants and a long promenade serve those who drive out on a Sunday.
Food is the Valencian food of the coast: rice dishes, grilled fish and prawns, oranges and the cold-weather stews of the interior. Valencian is spoken alongside Spanish, though Spanish dominates on the street more than it does further north in the province. The city is wide, flat and bicycle-friendly, with long avenues and a green belt around the old centre.
People are friendly, a little reserved and less hurried than in Valencia. A quarter of the city was born abroad, a high share for a provincial capital, and the foreign-born community of Romanians, Moroccans and Latin Americans is well integrated.
Castellón was founded on the plain in the thirteenth century, when the villagers came down from the hill fortress to the open land. For most of its history it was a market town for the orange and carob farmers of the plain. Industry arrived in the second half of the twentieth century, when the nearby towns of Vila-real, Onda and Alcora became one of the biggest ceramic tile clusters in the world, and the port grew to serve it and a refinery.
That specialisation explains the labour market. The tile industry and the port employ many people, but they swing with the housing cycle, and unemployment has been high since the construction crash. Unemployment is 13.8% (2025, and jobs come out average. The city has also never had a large business or office sector, so graduates often leave for Valencia or Barcelona.
The same factors keep housing cheap. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €380 a month (2024), and buying costs €1,516 per square metre (Q2 2026). House prices still rose by 15.3% over the latest year (Q2 2026). Housing comes out average.
The Jaume I University, on the northern edge of the city, brings a student population and research in engineering, chemistry and business. Safety is middling and comes out average. Recorded crime is 41.5 per 1,000 people (2024), and the figure that stands out is burglary at 228 per 100k people (2025), among the higher rates in Spain.
Cars dominate. Public transport carries only 7% of commuters (2021), and the average commute is 37 min (2021).
Figures for Castellón de la Plana itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Castellón de la Plana 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 quarter of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 131 days a year — better than 92% of major European cities
Above average: 64 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)Castellón de la Plana · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 131 days a year | better than 92% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CCastellón de la Plana · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.50 days a year | better than 66% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CCastellón de la Plana · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 82.1 nights a year | better than 5% of major European cities |
Safety is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homicides: 0.00 per 100k people — better than 78% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 0.00 per 100k people | better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeCastellón de la Plana · 2024 | 41.5 per 1,000 people | better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 77.3 per 100k people | better than 52% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 228 per 100k people | better than 6% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesCastellón de la Plana · 2024 | 0.42 per 1,000 people | better than 49% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 1,231 per 100k people | better than 43% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 53.3 per 100k people | better than 57% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment, change in a year: -2.45 points — better than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 56 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 13.8% | better than 33% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | -2.45 points | better than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes that can get gigabit internet: 98.4% — better than 55% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 54 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 internetCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 98.4% | better than 55% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 98.4% | better than 51% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageCastellón de la Plana · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 55% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Housing is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rent per m²: 5.43 €/m² a month — better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 49 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Castellón de la Plana · 2024 | 5.43 €/m² a month | better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearCastellón de la Plana · 2024 | 4.30% | better than 16% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Castellón de la Plana · 2026-Q2 | 1,516 €/m² | better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsCastellón de la Plana · 2024 | 6.73% | better than 11% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearCastellón de la Plana · 2026-Q2 | 15.3% | better than 43% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 15,237 € a year per person — worse than 58% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 42 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 personCastellón de la Plana · 2024 | 15,237 € a year per person | better than 42% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Healthcare is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 83.2 years — worse than 59% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 41 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyCastellón de la Plana · 2023 | 83.2 years | better than 41% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Commute by public transport: 7.00% — worse than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 40 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)Castellón de la Plana · 2021 | 36.6 minutes | better than 69% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carCastellón de la Plana · 2021 | 65.5% | better than 29% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportCastellón de la Plana · 2021 | 7.00% | better than 15% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 67.8 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 airportCastellón de la Plana · 2026-10-21 | 67.8 km | better than 0% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Castellón de la Plana yet
Highs around 30° in July, lows around 8° in January. 131 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C). 82 warm nights above 20 °C: check for air-conditioning.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14.3°C | 7.7°C | 42 mm |
| February | 14.9°C | 8.2°C | 24 mm |
| March | 16.6°C | 9.4°C | 63 mm |
| April | 18.3°C | 11.2°C | 51 mm |
| May | 22.3°C | 14.7°C | 42 mm |
| June | 26.3°C | 19.0°C | 37 mm |
| July | 29.7°C | 22.2°C | 17 mm |
| August | 29.7°C | 22.5°C | 37 mm |
| September | 26.2°C | 19.6°C | 74 mm |
| October | 22.8°C | 16.3°C | 64 mm |
| November | 18.2°C | 11.9°C | 68 mm |
| December | 15.6°C | 9.6°C | 37 mm |
Castellón has a mild Mediterranean climate on the coast. Winters are gentle and bright, and frost is unknown: 0 a year (2015–2024). Rain is modest at 556 mm a year (2015–2024) and falls in short, heavy bursts, mostly in autumn.
Summers are long, humid and warm, and the warm nights are the part many residents find hard: tropical nights number 82 a year (2015–2024). Pleasant days, mild and dry, number 131 a year (2015–2024). The mild months are long and pleasant, with a lot of daylight and outdoor life. It is a better city outside high summer, and air conditioning is almost a necessity from June to September for anyone who sleeps badly in the heat.
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79/100 · strong · 10th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
13.8% in 2025
15.3% in Q2 2026
€5.4 per m² a month in 2024
€1,516 per m² in Q2 2026
83.2 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Castellón de la Plana. 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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Partners, children, schools, childcare and studying in Spain.
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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.
You will know where Spanish rentals are found, what they cost, how to time and run a search, and how to judge a flat before you commit.
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Finding your public healthcare route
You will know which route applies to your situation and what, if anything, you have to do to start it.
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You will know whether and from when Spain taxes you as a resident, and how to keep the evidence to back your position.
School types and choosing a school
You will know which stage your child is in, what each school type means in Spain, and how to shortlist schools that fit your family's stay and goals.
You will have a step-by-step way to pick a barrio in Spain and the tools to test it before signing.
Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish cities. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
The beach, the Columbretes islands, the Desert de les Palmes and the Maestrat mountains inland.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
One of the cheapest Mediterranean provincial capitals, with a good public health service.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Mild winters, low prices and a flat, quiet city on the coast make it a good value choice for those who can live with summer humidity.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
A calm city with cheap family flats, beaches and schools in Valencian and Spanish.
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
A modest city for culture, with its own festival, the Plaza Mayor and a concert hall, but a short train ride to Valencia for the larger scene.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
Cheap rents and good weather, but few other remote workers and a weak international connection.
Better nearby for remote workers: Paterna (65), Valencia (61)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
The Jaume I University is a compact campus with good facilities and cheap rooms.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
A comfortable and affordable place for those with a larger budget, but short of luxury and international services.
Better nearby for high earners and investors: San Vicente del Raspeig (58)
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
A modest market in tiles, logistics, energy and services, with many graduates leaving for bigger cities.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Strong in ceramics and port-related industry, with cheap premises, but a small local market.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for founders and self-employed: Paterna (64), Valencia (59), Alicante (54)
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Castellón de la Plana as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Castellón de la Plana; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €315 a month
Compare with Castellón de la Plana70 m²: €381 a month
Compare with Castellón de la Plana70 m²: €591 a month
Compare with Castellón de la Plana70 m²: €497 a month
Compare with Castellón de la Plana70 m²: €315 a month
Compare with Castellón de la Plana70 m²: €366 a month
Compare with Castellón de la PlanaGuide 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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