City · Andalucía · All places
A sprawling Atlantic beach town near Cádiz, with long sand, cheap rents and a hard job market, built around the car.
Chiclana de la Frontera sits on the Atlantic coast of Cádiz province, about twenty minutes south of the city of Cádiz, with the Sancti Petri salt marshes behind it and a long beach in front. It is a town of urbanisations and low-rise streets, a small old centre and the resort strip at Novo Sancti Petri, and it has grown very fast. The municipality has 90,864 residents (2025).
It is relaxed and unglamorous. The beaches are the best thing about it, rents are low, and the sun shines almost every day of the year, but jobs are scarce and wages are low. It suits retirees, remote-minded people with a car and anyone who wants the sea more than a city, and it suits them better than people who need a career or a lively street life.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Chiclana de la Frontera is weaker on connectivity and digital. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €470 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Chiclana de la Frontera’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.
Non-urgent surgery takes longer than in most of Spain (Andalucía-wide figure). Many residents add private health insurance.
Fried fish and shrimp fritters, tuna in season, and a glass of local fino with a plate of ham.
Slow and sunny, with the beach crowds arriving in July and August and thinning out fast in September.
Beach bars along La Barrosa in summer, flamenco and chirigotas in the old centre, and not much once the season ends.
A small old centre around the Plaza Mayor, then miles of residential estates, chalets on rural plots and the resort strip at Sancti Petri.
Spanish with a strong Andalusian accent, and some English in the resort area.
Local families, Spanish second-home owners from Seville and Madrid, golf visitors and a small foreign community.
Beach, kitesurfing, the pine forests and the salt marshes of the Bay of Cádiz, plus surfing at Conil along the coast.
Chiclana has a small, old core around the Plaza Mayor and the church of San Juan Bautista, with narrow streets, bars and a few bodegas, and the rest is housing. The urbanisations spread across low hills of pine and scrub towards the sea, and each has its own supermarket, bars and pool. There is a long stretch of coast called Sancti Petri, where hotels and golf courses face the sea, and the island of Sancti Petri, with its old castle, sits just offshore.
La Barrosa is the beach everyone talks about: a wide, straight, gently shelving Atlantic beach lined with chiringuitos, and the main reason people move here. The Atlantic wind, the levante, can be strong, which makes it good for kitesurfing and tiresome for sunbathing. The marshes behind it are a protected natural area, with flamingos and salt pans.
The food is the cooking of the Bay of Cádiz: fried fish, shrimp fritters, tuna cured and fresh, sherry vinegar and ham, and a glass of local wine. The Carnival follows the Cádiz model, with satirical choirs performing in the streets and theatres, and Easter processions are well supported. In winter, the beach chiringuitos shut, many holiday homes go dark and the town returns to its residents. In summer it fills with Spanish families on holiday.
Chiclana was a farming and wine town on the road to Cádiz, with a small centre, a few bodegas and a fishing and salt-working tradition in the marshes. From the nineties it was developed for holiday homes, first by Spanish families from Seville and Madrid and then by builders putting up estates along the coast. The result is a very large town without a dense centre, with new urbanisations, golf resorts and many houses on rural plots that were built informally and only later given services.
The economy followed. Construction and seasonal tourism are the main employers, and both are volatile. Unemployment is 17.1% (2025), and household income is €12,487 a year (2024). Prosperity comes out weak, and jobs are only average.
Housing is cheap for a coastal town. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €470 a month (2024), and buying costs €2,229 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out average. The low prices reflect low local incomes more than they reflect poor quality, and many holiday homes sit empty in winter.
The sprawl explains the services. Public transport is minimal, with 6% of commuters of commuters using it (2021), while 77% of commuters go by car (2021). Mobility comes out weak. A bay tram now links Chiclana with San Fernando and Cádiz, which helps, but it only serves a corridor. Internet is patchy in the dispersed areas: fibre reaches 90% of homes (2025), and digital comes out weak.
Safety is middling. Recorded crime is 45.7 per 1,000 people (2024), below the middle for Spanish cities, and robbery is low. Burglary of holiday homes is the main problem, at 199 per 100k people (2025). Healthcare comes out below average, with a small number of beds in the town and the main public hospital in nearby Puerto Real, and life expectancy is 82.6 years (2023).
Figures for Chiclana de la Frontera itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Chiclana de la Frontera data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Climate is around the middle: in the top quarter of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 173 days a year — better than 95% of major European cities
Average: 59 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)Chiclana de la Frontera · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 173 days a year | better than 95% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CChiclana de la Frontera · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 2.50 days a year | better than 41% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CChiclana de la Frontera · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 82.0 nights a year | better than 5% of major European cities |
Safety is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Robberies: 39.6 per 100k people — better than 92% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 1.10 per 100k people | better than 36% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeChiclana de la Frontera · 2024 | 45.7 per 1,000 people | better than 61% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 39.6 per 100k people | better than 92% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 199 per 100k people | better than 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesChiclana de la Frontera · 2024 | 0.32 per 1,000 people | better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 689 per 100k people | better than 92% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 84.7 per 100k people | better than 34% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Housing is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rent per m²: 6.71 €/m² a month — better than 67% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 47 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Chiclana de la Frontera · 2024 | 6.71 €/m² a month | better than 67% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearChiclana de la Frontera · 2024 | 3.60% | better than 35% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Chiclana de la Frontera · 2026-Q2 | 2,229 €/m² | better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsChiclana de la Frontera · 2024 | 5.03% | better than 42% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearChiclana de la Frontera · 2026-Q2 | 16.5% | better than 33% 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: -2.37 points — better than 90% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 46 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 17.1% | better than 17% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | -2.37 points | better than 90% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Healthcare is below average: behind most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 82.6 years — worse than 74% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyChiclana de la Frontera · 2023 | 82.6 years | better than 26% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is weak: in the bottom 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Commute by car: 76.8% — worse than 97% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 20 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)Chiclana de la Frontera · 2021 | 39.3 minutes | better than 42% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carChiclana de la Frontera · 2021 | 76.8% | better than 3% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportChiclana de la Frontera · 2021 | 6.10% | better than 9% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is weak: in the bottom 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 12,487 € a year per person — worse than 90% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 10 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 personChiclana de la Frontera · 2024 | 12,487 € a year per person | better than 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is weak: in the bottom 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes with fibre to the door: 90.3% — worse than 98% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 6 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 internetChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 90.3% | better than 3% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 90.3% | better than 2% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageChiclana de la Frontera · 2025 | 99.9% | better than 16% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 73.6 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 airportChiclana de la Frontera · 2026-10-21 | 73.6 km | better than 0% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Chiclana de la Frontera yet
Highs around 30° in August, lows around 10° in January. 173 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C). 82 warm nights above 20 °C: check for air-conditioning.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15.9°C | 10.4°C | 49 mm |
| February | 16.6°C | 11.1°C | 36 mm |
| March | 17.7°C | 11.9°C | 86 mm |
| April | 19.7°C | 13.7°C | 42 mm |
| May | 23.1°C | 16.2°C | 27 mm |
| June | 25.8°C | 18.9°C | 5 mm |
| July | 29.1°C | 21.5°C | 0 mm |
| August | 29.7°C | 22.0°C | 1 mm |
| September | 26.8°C | 20.2°C | 10 mm |
| October | 23.9°C | 18.0°C | 71 mm |
| November | 19.7°C | 14.3°C | 70 mm |
| December | 17.5°C | 12.4°C | 62 mm |
This is an Atlantic coast, and it moderates the climate: summers are warm rather than scorching, and winters are mild. Very hot days number 2 a year (2015–2024), and there is no frost, with frost days at 0 a year (2015–2024). Tropical nights number 82 a year (2015–2024), which is warm and humid for sleeping in a flat without cooling.
Pleasant days number 173 a year (2015–2024), and rainfall is 460 mm a year (2015–2024), falling mostly between October and March. The wind is a constant of life, and the levante can blow for days. July and August are crowded and busy, and spring and autumn are the best seasons to live here.
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79/100 · strong · 11th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
17.1% in 2025
16.5% in Q2 2026
€6.7 per m² a month in 2024
€2,229 per m² in Q2 2026
82.6 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Chiclana de la Frontera. 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 best places on this stretch of coast for the beach, the wind, the pine forest and the marshes.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Cheap rents, mild winters and a long flat beach make it appealing, though healthcare is thin and everything needs a car.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Rents are low, but wages are even lower and a car is a necessity.
Better nearby for budget-conscious movers: Linares (72), Utrera (66), El Ejido (65)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Beaches and low prices help, but incomes, jobs and school choice are limited and the town is spread out.
Better nearby for families with children: Linares (64), Jaén (60), Utrera (56)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
The golf and resort coast at Sancti Petri has upmarket homes and hotels, but the town lacks the services and prestige of Marbella or Sotogrande.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for high earners and investors: Utrera (55), La Línea de la Concepción (54), Rincón de la Victoria (54)
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
There is no university in the town, and the main campus for the area is the University of Cádiz in Puerto Real and Cádiz.
Better nearby for students: Granada (64), Jaén (64), Córdoba (60)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Beautiful on the beach side, but weak on the practical side, with a long distance to an airport and uneven fibre.
Better nearby for remote workers: La Línea de la Concepción (72), Torremolinos (63), Fuengirola (60)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
A difficult place to build a career, since the job market is weak and the social life depends on the season.
Better nearby for young professionals: Granada (53), Cádiz (51), Jaén (49)
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Opportunities exist in tourism, hospitality and services for holiday homes, but the local market is poor and connections are weak.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for founders and self-employed: Torremolinos (56), Granada (53), Sevilla (52)
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
The culture is local and seasonal, with carnival, flamenco and Easter, while the real depth is in Cádiz and Jerez.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for culture, food and nightlife: Granada (69), Cádiz (54), Almería (53)
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Chiclana de la Frontera as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Chiclana de la Frontera; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €635 a month
Compare with Chiclana de la Frontera70 m²: €705 a month
Compare with Chiclana de la Frontera70 m²: €474 a month
Compare with Chiclana de la Frontera70 m²: €500 a month
Compare with Chiclana de la Frontera70 m²: €474 a month
Compare with Chiclana de la Frontera70 m²: €440 a month
Compare with Chiclana de la FronteraGuide 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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