Region · Spain · All places
Spain's capital region: the country's biggest job market, with the mountains an hour from the centre.
The Comunidad de Madrid is a small region by Spanish standards, a single province wrapped around the capital. It runs from the granite peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama in the north, down through the suburbs and business parks of the central belt, to the dry plains and vineyards of the south-east. Almost everyone lives in the capital or in the cities that have grown into it.
For a mover it is the most economically productive region in the country, with the strongest job market, the best-staffed hospitals and a large foreign community. It is also one of the dearest places to rent or buy. If you need to be where Spanish business, government and media are, you live here. If you want sea, green hills or cheap space, you do not. The region has 7,113,886 residents (2025).
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
Fit for you
Neutral priorities. Pick who you are:
Working out your fit…
What the data says
Comunidad de Madrid stands out for healthcare, jobs and safety; it is weaker on housing. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €848 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Comunidad de Madrid’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
A large international and graduate population means English is common at work, in cafés and among neighbours. Contracts, the town hall and most doctors work in Spanish.
Cocido stews, lamb, tapas and a very wide choice of cuisines from every part of Spain and Latin America.
Fast at work and long into the night, with the capital and its suburbs running at different speeds.
Dinner after nine, bars until late and weekends that start on Thursday.
Leafy northern suburbs, denser working-class southern towns and university Alcalá to the east.
Spanish only, with English in business and a large Latin American community.
San Isidro in May, the Dos de Mayo holiday and village fiestas through the summer.
Walking, climbing and cycling in the Guadarrama mountains, and ski days for beginners.
The region runs on two speeds. In the capital, work and social life run at full pace from early morning until late at night. In the commuter towns, life is quieter and more suburban: tidy streets, shopping centres, schools, padel courts and a train line into town. The two can feel like different countries.
The northern suburbs, such as Pozuelo, Las Rozas and Alcobendas, are leafy, car-friendly and full of families and company employees. The southern ones, such as Getafe, Leganés, Alcorcón and Fuenlabrada, are denser and more working class, with strong local identities and lower rents. The east has Alcalá de Henares, a university city with a long literary past and an old centre that feels like a town of its own.
In the mountains, the pace changes again. Villages around Guadarrama and the Sierra Norte fill with day-trippers at weekends: hikers, cyclists, families heading for a long lunch of roast meat. On winter weekends a few ski slopes open, mostly for beginners.
Away from the capital, two historic royal sites, El Escorial and Aranjuez, add palaces, gardens and a quieter Sunday. Wine from the south-east, lamb and cocido stews are what the region eats at home.
Madrid became the capital in 1561, chosen by a king for its central position and not for any river or port. Four and a half centuries of administration, banking and public investment then drew the head offices, ministries, universities and hospitals to one place. Since the 1990s the region has attracted a stream of people from the rest of Spain and Latin America.
That concentration explains the numbers. Doctors per head stand at 618 per 100k people (2024), and life expectancy is 85.7 years (2024), the highest among Spanish regions. Healthcare comes out strong against comparable regions. Unemployment is 8.0% (2025), and the average gross salary is €34,410 a year (2024). Adults with a university degree make up 50% (2025).
Housing is the cost of that success. Demand from workers, students, investors and foreign buyers has outrun supply for years, and building has not caught up. A 70 m² flat rents for about €848 a month (2024), and buying costs €4,090 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out below average compared with similar regions.
Safety is mixed. Homicides are 0.30 per 100k people (2024), and burglaries are 126 per 100k people (2024), but the capital draws crowds and pickpockets. The weak spot is street robbery, which is concentrated in the busiest parts of the capital and on the metro: robberies are 158 per 100k people (2024). The region comes out average on safety.
The region also sets its own taxes within national rules. Madrid has chosen low rates on wealth and inheritance and on some income bands, which draws wealthy residents and companies from other regions and from abroad.
Figures for Comunidad de Madrid. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Comunidad de Madrid data only and compares it with other regions. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Healthcare is strong: in the top 10% of European metro regions.
Life expectancy: 85.7 years — better than 99% of European metro regions
Strong: 78 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Wait for a specialist appointmentComunidad de Madrid · 2025-H2 | 68.0 days | better than 68% of Spanish regions |
| Wait for surgeryComunidad de Madrid · 2025-H2 | 50.0 days | better than 97% of Spanish regions |
| DoctorsComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 618 per 100k people | better than 72% of European metro regions |
| Life expectancyComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 85.7 years | better than 99% of European metro regions |
| Infant mortalityComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 2.80 per 1,000 births | better than 63% of European metro regions |
Jobs is above average: better than most European metro regions.
Median gross salary: 28,038 € a year per worker — better than 85% of Spanish regions
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Median gross salaryComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 28,038 € a year per worker | better than 85% of Spanish regions |
| UnemploymentComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 8.00% | better than 31% of European metro regions |
| Employment rate (20–64)Comunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 77.9% | better than 51% of European metro regions |
| Long-term unemploymentComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 2.50% of the workforce | better than 35% of European metro regions |
| Youth unemployment (15–24)Comunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 19.3% | better than 35% of European metro regions |
| Labour-force participationComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 78.3% | better than 54% of European metro regions |
| Youth not in employment/education/trainingComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 10.4% | better than 43% of European metro regions |
| Jobs in high-tech sectorsComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 8.50% of jobs | better than 65% of European metro regions |
Safety is around the middle: in the top quarter of European metro regions.
Thefts: 422 per 100k people — better than 95% of European metro regions
Average: 60 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 0.30 per 100k people | better than 95% of European metro regions |
| Recorded crimeComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 55.1 per 1,000 people | better than 15% of Spanish regions |
| RobberiesComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 158 per 100k people | better than 14% of European metro regions |
| BurglariesComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 126 per 100k people | better than 62% of European metro regions |
| Road deathsComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 1.80 per 100k people | better than 79% of European metro regions |
| Assault rateComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 202 per 100k people | better than 73% of European metro regions |
| TheftsComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 422 per 100k people | better than 95% of European metro regions |
| Vehicle theftsComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 72.2 per 100k people | better than 60% of European metro regions |
Prosperity is around the middle: around the middle of European metro regions.
Household income per person: 25,100 PPS per person — better than 71% of European metro regions
Average: 55 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 personComunidad de Madrid · 2023 | 25,100 PPS per person | better than 71% of European metro regions |
| Economic output per personComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 49,900 PPS per person | better than 40% of European metro regions |
Wellbeing is around the middle: behind most European metro regions.
At risk of poverty: 12.7% — better than 66% of European metro regions
Average: 43 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| At risk of povertyComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 12.7% | better than 66% of European metro regions |
| Material deprivationComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 8.40% | better than 19% of European metro regions |
Housing is below average: in the bottom 10% of Spanish regions.
Rent per m²: 12.1 €/m² a month — worse than 97% of Spanish regions
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Households spending >40% of income on housingComunidad de Madrid · 2025 | 9.90% | better than 48% of European metro regions |
| Rent per m²Comunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 12.1 €/m² a month | better than 3% of Spanish regions |
| Rents, change in a yearComunidad de Madrid · 2024 | 3.40% | better than 38% of Spanish regions |
| Buying price per m²Comunidad de Madrid · 2026-Q2 | 4,090 €/m² | better than 3% of Spanish regions |
| House prices, change in a yearComunidad de Madrid · 2026-Q2 | 12.9% | better than 58% of Spanish regions |
What we cannot score for Comunidad de Madrid yet
The region has a dry continental climate. Summers are hot and the sun is relentless, especially in the plains south of the capital. Winters are crisp, clear and often cold at night, with frost common in the hills and snow in the sierra. Spring and autumn are the best seasons.
It is a year-round region rather than a summer or winter one. People who dislike heat leave for the coast in August, and many offices run reduced hours. The mountains are cooler in summer and give a refuge within an hour's drive.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
74/100 · above average · 6th of 34 European metro regions
8.0% in 2025
5.3% in Sep 2026
3.6% in 2024
49,900 PPS in 2024
12.9% in Q2 2026
€12.1 per m² a month in 2024
€4,090 per m² in Q2 2026
85.7 years in 2024
77.9% in 2025
Facts about the people who live in Comunidad de Madrid. 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.
Public and private care, health cover, and insurance for your life in Spain.
Family, children, and education
Partners, children, schools, childcare and studying in Spain.
Paperwork, identity numbers, belongings, pets, utilities and the first weeks.
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.
Cost of living and housing by region
You can estimate what the same life costs in different places and how hard it is to find a home there.
You will know whether you need an NIE, which route to take and how to handle its paperwork.
Regional differences in public healthcare
You will understand what really differs by region, how to find your local rule and how to move your cover.
You will be able to estimate your tax, understand the calculation and see how your region compares.
You will know which language your child will be taught in where you plan to live, how settled that rule is, and how to confirm it for one school.
You can see which regions and cities fit your field and income need.
Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish regions. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
The capital's museums, theatres, music and food scene are the main attraction, and nowhere else in the region comes close. Alcalá de Henares and Aranjuez add history.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Transport, Walk most.
The strongest ecosystem in Spain for investors, large clients and talent. Low regional taxes help. High-tech sectors make up 8.5% of jobs (2025).
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Connectivity, Digital, Distance to the main airport, Regulatory quality.
Regional tax rules on wealth and inheritance are the lightest in Spain, and the best private healthcare and schools are close by. Prime property is expensive.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Distance to the main airport, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
The region has some of the best-staffed hospitals in Spain and the longest life expectancy of any Spanish region. The catch is a cold winter, a hot summer and high housing costs, which makes the coast a more popular choice for retirees.
Not measured yet: Climate, Cost of Living, Days above 35 °C, Environment, Frost days, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry).
This is the region where careers in Spain are made, with the widest range of employers. Shared flats are the usual first step.
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Transport.
Strong schools, hospitals and green suburbs make this a good region for families who can afford the housing. Space is the trade-off: bigger homes sit further out, with longer commutes.
Better in the region for families with children: Fuenlabrada (62), Aranjuez (60), Coslada (60)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average commute (one way), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Large public and private universities, a young population and easy transport. Student housing is expensive and competitive in the capital, and cheaper in towns such as Alcalá de Henares.
Better in the region for students: Madrid (57), Rivas-Vaciamadrid (57), Parla (56)
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Median age, Price level vs EU average, Transport, Walk most.
Rent and purchase prices are among the highest in Spain. The south of the region and the smaller towns are cheaper, but they are still not cheap.
Better in the region for budget-conscious movers: Aranjuez (55), Valdemoro (54), Fuenlabrada (51)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Price level vs EU average.
Fast connections, coworking spaces, an international airport and a large expat community make the region easy to work from. It is dearer than most of Spain, but cheaper than comparable capitals in northern Europe.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Climate, Connectivity, Cost of Living, Digital, Distance to the main airport, Fixed broadband penetration, Homes with fibre to the door, Lifestyle, Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry).
The Guadarrama mountains offer walking, climbing and cycling within an hour's drive. There is no coast, and summer heat limits the plains.
Nothing stands out.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Climate, Days above 35 °C, Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Frost days, Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry), Rainy days (≥1 mm), Strong-wind days.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Comunidad de Madrid as anywhere in Spain.
Click a column to sort. Columns with too little data are left out.
| Place | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcobendas | 68 | €829 | 84 |
| Coslada | 68 | €685 | 84 |
| Tres Cantos | 65 | €805 | 84 |
| Madrid | 64 | €978 | 84 |
| San Sebastián de los Reyes | 64 | €804 | 84 |
| Torrejón de Ardoz | 63 | €645 | 84 |
| Las Rozas de Madrid | 62 | €938 | 84 |
| Fuenlabrada | 61 | €633 | 84 |
| Pinto | 61 | €660 | 87 |
| Alcorcón | 60 | €713 | 84 |
| Rivas-Vaciamadrid | 60 | €641 | 84 |
| Majadahonda | 59 | €925 | 84 |
Guide 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
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.