City · Comunitat Valenciana · All places
A citrus town with a long flat beach attached, busy and mixed in summer and much quieter the rest of the year.
Gandia is a town of the Safor district on the Valencian coast, about an hour south of Valencia by regional train. It has two parts that feel like different places: the old town of palaces, churches and orange-grove roots a couple of kilometres inland, and the beach district, a long strip of sand with apartment blocks and bars along it. The ducal palace of the Borgia family is the main monument.
In summer the beach fills up with Spanish families, young visitors and northern European residents. The rest of the year it reverts to a small working town with plenty of parking.
The city has 83,135 residents (2025), and 32.5% of them were born abroad (2025). It suits budget-minded people who want sea and sun and can tolerate a seasonal beach strip.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Gandia stands out for climate and transport; it is weaker on connectivity and prosperity. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €366 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Gandia’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.
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.
Fideuà, rice dishes, oranges and clementines, and cheap seafood on the seafront.
Easy in the town and frantic on the beach strip in July and August.
Summer nightlife by the beach, quieter bars in the old centre the rest of the year.
The old centre by the ducal palace, a grid of ordinary blocks and a beach district of apartment towers.
Valencian and Spanish, with a good deal of English and other languages heard in the beach area.
Fallas in March, the festivals of Saint Francis Borgia in October and a busy summer calendar.
A long, shallow beach, rice and orange fields for cycling, and the Mondúver mountain inland.
The old centre is where the town lives: a market, banks, bakeries and a palace with a courtyard that hosts concerts. Streets around it are narrow and shaded, and the cafés on the main avenues are full of retirees and students. Life goes at a normal Valencian pace, with a long lunch and shops open into the evening.
The beach district feels different. It is a flat, wide strip of fine sand with a promenade, a marina and a row of apartment towers. In July and August it is busy, loud and mostly young, with bars, discos and a reputation for summer parties. From October to May it is calm, with half the shutters down and the sea to yourself.
A large foreign community lives in and around the town, including northern Europeans in the apartment blocks and families from Morocco and Latin America working in farming and services. That makes it easier to settle in than in a typical small Spanish town. Valencian is the local language, and Spanish works everywhere.
Fideuà, rice cooked in the oven and fresh fruit from the groves are the staples. The Fallas in March fill the streets with monuments and fireworks, and the festivities of Saint Francis Borgia in October are the town's own. The countryside begins a short walk from the edge of town.
Gandia has been a farming and trading town for a long time. The Borgia dukes made it the capital of their duchy in the sixteenth century, and the fertile plain around it grew citrus, rice and vegetables. Tourism arrived in the sixties, when the shallow beach, mild water and cheap land attracted apartment blocks, and the town became a summer destination for Spanish families.
That history explains the economy. Work comes from tourism, citrus, services and a port, and much of it is seasonal. Jobs come out average and prosperity weak, with unemployment at 11.9% (2025). Household incomes are modest, and the share of adults with a degree is 34% (2024). The university campus brings some young people in, but most graduates look to Valencia.
It also explains the safety picture. Recorded crime is 62.8 per 1,000 people (2024), higher than in most cities of its size, and safety comes out weak. The pattern is typical of a resort town: bag theft on the beach, burglary of holiday flats that sit empty in winter, and nights that get lively in summer. Sexual offences are 0.63 per 1,000 people (2024).
Rents are low for the Valencian coast but rising fast. A seventy square metre flat rents for about €366 a month (2024), and buying costs €1,757 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out below average. Healthcare comes out weak, with life expectancy of 82.0 years (2023).
Figures for Gandia itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Gandia 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): 142 days a year — better than 92% of major European cities
Above average: 63 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)Gandia · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 142 days a year | better than 92% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CGandia · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.30 days a year | better than 68% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CGandia · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 112 nights a year | better than 0% of major European cities |
Transport is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Average commute (one way): 33.6 minutes — better than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 63 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)Gandia · 2021 | 33.6 minutes | better than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carGandia · 2021 | 55.8% | better than 70% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportGandia · 2021 | 9.10% | better than 30% 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: -1.56 points — better than 75% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentGandia · 2025 | 11.9% | better than 39% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearGandia · 2025 | -1.56 points | better than 75% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes with fibre to the door: 99.2% — better than 68% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Homes that can get gigabit internetGandia · 2025 | 98.3% | better than 53% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorGandia · 2025 | 99.2% | better than 68% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageGandia · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 21% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Housing is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rents, change in a year: 5.60% — worse than 98% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Gandia · 2024 | 5.22 €/m² a month | better than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearGandia · 2024 | 5.60% | better than 2% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Gandia · 2026-Q2 | 1,757 €/m² | better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsGandia · 2024 | 6.82% | better than 9% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearGandia · 2026-Q2 | 20.4% | better than 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is weak: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Burglaries: 202 per 100k people — worse than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 23 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesGandia · 2025 | 1.20 per 100k people | better than 31% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeGandia · 2024 | 62.8 per 1,000 people | better than 19% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesGandia · 2025 | 130 per 100k people | better than 29% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesGandia · 2025 | 202 per 100k people | better than 9% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesGandia · 2024 | 0.63 per 1,000 people | better than 15% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsGandia · 2025 | 1,564 per 100k people | better than 25% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsGandia · 2025 | 57.7 per 100k people | better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Healthcare is weak: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 82.0 years — worse than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 16 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyGandia · 2023 | 82.0 years | better than 17% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is weak: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 12,995 € a year per person — worse than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 15 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 personGandia · 2024 | 12,995 € a year per person | 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: 60.6 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 airportGandia · 2026-10-21 | 60.6 km | better than 0% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Gandia yet
Highs around 30° in August, lows around 10° in January. 142 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C). 112 warm nights above 20 °C: check for air-conditioning.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15.1°C | 9.7°C | 51 mm |
| February | 15.4°C | 10.1°C | 27 mm |
| March | 16.7°C | 11.2°C | 70 mm |
| April | 18.2°C | 12.8°C | 49 mm |
| May | 21.8°C | 16.3°C | 34 mm |
| June | 25.9°C | 20.3°C | 22 mm |
| July | 29.2°C | 23.6°C | 9 mm |
| August | 29.5°C | 24.2°C | 26 mm |
| September | 26.6°C | 21.9°C | 76 mm |
| October | 23.5°C | 18.4°C | 54 mm |
| November | 19.1°C | 14.0°C | 62 mm |
| December | 16.5°C | 11.5°C | 47 mm |
Gandia is a summer town. The sea is warm from June to October and the beach is the centre of life. Heat is moderated by the sea, so very hot days number 0 a year (2015–2024), but humidity is high and the nights are long and warm at 112 a year (2015–2024). A flat without air conditioning can be hard to sleep in.
Winters are soft and bright, and frost does not appear: 0 a year (2015–2024). Rain comes in bursts, mainly in autumn, with 526 mm a year in a year (2015–2024). Pleasant days number 142 a year (2015–2024), and climate comes out above average. Out of season, the beach strip is quiet and some businesses close.
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71/100 · above average · 26th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
11.9% in 2025
20.4% in Q2 2026
€5.2 per m² a month in 2024
€1,757 per m² in Q2 2026
82.0 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Gandia. 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.
Beach, flat cycling roads, citrus valleys and nearby mountains make this a good base.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Among the cheaper Mediterranean towns, with cheap food and a beach.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Cheap, sunny and connected, with a train to Valencia and an airport reachable in about an hour.
Better nearby for remote workers: Paterna (65), Valencia (61)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
A campus of the Polytechnic University of Valencia is here, with media, tourism and environmental courses.
Better nearby for students: Alicante (56)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
A town with a palace, a university presence and a strong festival calendar, but a small cultural scene overall.
Better nearby for culture, food and nightlife: Alicante (70), Valencia (62)
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
Seasonal jobs and low pay, so most ambitious people commute to Valencia or move there.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Sun, sea and a large foreign community, though healthcare and summer heat are the trade-offs.
Better nearby for retirees: San Vicente del Raspeig (60), Vila-real (60), Castellón de la Plana (58)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Tourism, hospitality and services are the obvious businesses, and the foreign population is a ready customer base.
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.
Good beach life and low rents, but crime figures and school choice are drawbacks.
Better nearby for families with children: Alcoy (57), Castellón de la Plana (56), Elda (54)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
A lively seaside setting, but not a place for premium services.
Better nearby for high earners and investors: San Vicente del Raspeig (58), Torrent (57), Paterna (54)
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Gandia as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Gandia; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €380 a month
Compare with Gandia70 m²: €315 a month
Compare with Gandia70 m²: €381 a month
Compare with Gandia70 m²: €591 a month
Compare with Gandia70 m²: €497 a month
Compare with Gandia70 m²: €315 a month
Compare with GandiaGuide 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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