City · Comunidad de Madrid · All places
Spain's biggest job market, world-class museums and a street life that runs late into the night.
Madrid is the biggest city in Spain and the seat of its government, its largest companies and its main hub airport. It sits at the geographic centre of the country, on a high, dry plateau, with no sea and no river worth the name. Everything about it, from the long boulevards to the late dinners, comes from being a capital that people moved to, not a place that grew around a port.
It is a large, grown-up city. The centre is walkable, the metro is dense, and a lot of life takes place in neighbourhood bars and squares. It is also demanding: commutes can be long, summers are hot and the housing market is competitive.
The city has 3,506,730 residents (2025). Residents born abroad make up 29.3% (2025).
The main airport is 14 km from the city (2026) and handles 68.0 million a year (2025).
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Madrid stands out for healthcare, prosperity and jobs; it is weaker on safety and housing. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €978 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from 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.
Summer nights stay warm, so sleep depends on a cooled bedroom. Check for air-conditioning before you sign.
Frosty nights are common. Many older Spanish flats are poorly insulated: ask about heating and the winter energy bill.
Most commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Owning a car is optional, and parking is the bigger cost.
Thefts without violence happen 1.8 times as often as in the typical Spanish city. Keep phones and bags close in busy areas and on public transport.
A big airport close to town means direct flights to most European capitals and many long-haul routes.
Almost every home can get gigabit fibre, so working from home is not a gamble on the flat you pick.
Residents are younger than in most of Spain: more students, young families and evening life.
Stews such as cocido, fried squid sandwiches, a caña with a small plate, and churros with thick hot chocolate.
Slow mornings, lunch at two or later, dinner at nine or ten, and streets still full at midnight.
Malasaña for bars and independent shops, Chueca for nightlife, La Latina for Sunday vermouth.
Salamanca is elegant, Chamberí residential, Lavapiés loud and mixed, Usera and Vallecas working-class.
Castilian Spanish everywhere, with English heard in business and among the many newcomers.
San Isidro in May, a large Pride celebration in early July, Three Kings in January.
Direct, informal and quick to include a stranger, since most Madrileños have roots elsewhere.
Madrid starts slowly and finishes late. Mornings are for coffee and a tostada at the counter, lunch is at two or after, and dinner is at nine or ten. On a Thursday night, the streets of Malasaña, Chueca and La Latina are full at midnight. The saying that Madrid never sleeps is exaggerated but not by much.
The city is direct and unfussy. People talk across the bar, pass a stranger a napkin, argue about football and politics at volume. They are less formal than in many capitals and are usually quick to include a newcomer, since most Madrileños are themselves from somewhere else. The city's own symbol is not a landmark but a habit: the caña and a little plate of something, served in hundreds of bars with no fuss.
Neighbourhoods have distinct characters. Salamanca is elegant, with designer shops and long-established families. Chamberí is residential, local and well kept, popular with young families and professionals. Malasaña is the area for independent shops and bars; Chueca is the centre of gay life and nightlife; Lavapiés is multicultural, loud and creative. La Latina has the Sunday flea market at the Rastro and the habit of vermut before lunch. Further out, Usera, Vallecas and Carabanchel are working-class and mixed, and Retiro and the Madrid Río riverside park are where families and joggers go.
Culture is close at hand. The Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen museums sit within a short walk of each other, and the city's theatres, concert halls and cinemas keep a busy calendar all year. Food is strong and unshowy: cocido madrileño, fried squid sandwiches, churros with thick hot chocolate, and a growing range of cooking from Latin America, Asia and North Africa. In May the city celebrates its patron, San Isidro, and in early July Madrid hosts a large Pride celebration.
Philip II made Madrid the capital in 1561, because it was central, not because it was beautiful or rich. For four hundred years the court, the ministries and later the banks and head offices came and stayed. Railways and motorways then ran outwards from the city like the spokes of a wheel, which is why almost every route in Spain still passes through it.
That history explains the strengths. Hospitals, universities, research centres and headquarters cluster here. The city comes out strong on healthcare, strong on prosperity and above average on jobs against similar Spanish cities. Life expectancy is 84.9 years (2023). Unemployment is 7.8% (2025). Adults with a university degree make up 57% (2024).
It also explains the weak spot. Many people want to live where the work is, and a lot of the growth happens in towns beyond the city boundary. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €978 a month (2024), and buying costs €5,418 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out below average against other large Spanish cities.
Commuting is the other price. Many workers live in suburbs and towns beyond the city boundary and travel in every morning. The average one-way commute is 54 min (2021). The upside is a transport system that people actually use: public transport carries 44% of commuters (2021).
Recorded crime is 68.9 per 1,000 people (2024), and safety comes out below average in the comparison with large Spanish cities. Thefts without violence stand at 2,069 per 100k people (2025).
Figures for Madrid itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Madrid data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Healthcare is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 84.9 years — better than 94% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 94 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyMadrid · 2023 | 84.9 years | better than 94% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 20,861 € a year per person — better than 94% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 94 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 personMadrid · 2024 | 20,861 € a year per person | better than 94% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is above average: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment: 7.80% — better than 88% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 72 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentMadrid · 2025 | 7.80% | better than 88% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearMadrid · 2025 | -1.03 points | better than 50% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes that can get gigabit internet: 99.3% — better than 75% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 70 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 internetMadrid · 2025 | 99.3% | better than 75% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorMadrid · 2025 | 99.4% | better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageMadrid · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 60% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Commute by public transport: 43.9% — better than 100% 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)Madrid · 2021 | 54.5 minutes | better than 6% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carMadrid · 2021 | 40.2% | better than 97% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportMadrid · 2021 | 43.9% | better than 100% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is above average: better than most major European cities.
Airport passengers: 68.0 million passengers a year — better than 93% of major European cities
Above average: 62 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 airportMadrid · 2026-10-21 | 14.0 km | better than 36% of major European cities |
| Airport passengersMadrid · 2025 | 68.0 million passengers a year | better than 93% of major European cities |
Climate is around the middle: behind most major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 84.2 days a year — better than 61% of major European cities
Average: 43 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)Madrid · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 84.2 days a year | better than 61% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CMadrid · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 32.6 days a year | better than 7% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CMadrid · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 11.3 nights a year | better than 42% of major European cities |
Housing is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rent per m²: 14.0 €/m² a month — worse than 99% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 34 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Madrid · 2024 | 14.0 €/m² a month | better than 1% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearMadrid · 2024 | 3.60% | better than 35% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Madrid · 2026-Q2 | 5,418 €/m² | better than 2% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsMadrid · 2024 | 4.31% | better than 68% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearMadrid · 2026-Q2 | 9.41% | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Recorded crime: 68.9 per 1,000 people — worse than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 28 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesMadrid · 2025 | 0.48 per 100k people | better than 52% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeMadrid · 2024 | 68.9 per 1,000 people | better than 13% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesMadrid · 2025 | 210 per 100k people | better than 14% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesMadrid · 2025 | 123 per 100k people | better than 43% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesMadrid · 2024 | 0.51 per 1,000 people | better than 33% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsMadrid · 2025 | 2,069 per 100k people | better than 14% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsMadrid · 2025 | 110 per 100k people | better than 22% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
What we cannot score for Madrid yet
Highs around 35° in July, lows around -0° in January. 84 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C).
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.9°C | -0.1°C | 40 mm |
| February | 12.2°C | 0.9°C | 32 mm |
| March | 14.9°C | 2.7°C | 57 mm |
| April | 18.2°C | 5.1°C | 59 mm |
| May | 23.6°C | 9.1°C | 33 mm |
| June | 29.2°C | 14.1°C | 28 mm |
| July | 34.7°C | 17.7°C | 10 mm |
| August | 33.9°C | 17.5°C | 19 mm |
| September | 27.1°C | 13.1°C | 41 mm |
| October | 21.7°C | 9.3°C | 70 mm |
| November | 14.5°C | 4.2°C | 49 mm |
| December | 11.4°C | 1.8°C | 43 mm |
Madrid has a dry continental climate. An old Spanish saying describes it as nine months of winter and three of hell. That is unfair: winter days are often clear and bright, but mornings are cold and heating matters in older flats. Frost is part of winter: 46 a year (2015–2024). The city gets little rain, 480 mm a year (2015–2024).
Summers are hot. Days of fierce heat reach 33 a year (2015–2024). Warm nights, the kind that make sleeping hard, number 11 a year (2015–2024). Dry air means it cools down at night better than in coastal cities, but a flat without cooling in July is hard work. Many locals leave in August.
Spring and autumn are the best seasons. Pleasant days, mild and dry, number 84 a year (2015–2024). It is a year-round city, but those who dislike heat plan to be away for part of the summer, and winter sun makes the city better than its reputation for cold implies.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
58/100 · average · 54th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
7.8% in 2025
9.4% in Q2 2026
€14.0 per m² a month in 2024
€5,418 per m² in Q2 2026
84.9 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in 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.
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.
You will know whether you need an NIE, which route to take and how to handle its paperwork.
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.
Becoming a Spanish tax resident
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.
Major museums, constant concerts, theatre, festivals and a restaurant scene that ranges from old tavern to experimental kitchen.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
Investors, corporate clients and accelerators sit within one metro network, which makes meetings easy to arrange.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
Madrid draws young people into law, finance, consulting, media, public affairs and tech, and a lot of the social life happens after work on weeknights. Many share a flat for years.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Elegant neighbourhoods, private hospitals and schools, and a regional tax regime that treats wealth differently from other regions. Madrid rebates the regional wealth tax for most taxpayers, with a special rule for people also subject to the state tax on large fortunes.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Large public and private universities and a student scene spread along metro lines out to the south and east, where many students rent a room.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Coworking spaces and cafés in most districts, and the main airport for client trips. Homes that can get gigabit internet stand at 99% (2025).
Better nearby for remote workers: Coslada (62)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
Many older residents live in Madrid without a car, using a metro that reaches most districts and walking in Retiro and Madrid Río. Winters are cold and summers hot, and the price of a flat in a good area is part of the decision. Hospital beds stand at 3.6 per 1,000 people (2025).
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Parks, a mix of state, private and bilingual schools, and neighbourhoods such as Chamberí and Retiro that were made for children. Space is limited inside the city, so many families end up in suburban towns.
Better nearby for families with children: Fuenlabrada (62), Aranjuez (60), Coslada (60)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
The city has big parks, a river park and the Sierra de Guadarrama an hour away for hiking and skiing. There is no sea, and the long summer heat limits outdoor life in the middle of the day.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Housing is the main cost in Madrid, and many people on a small budget live along metro lines in the outer districts. Housing comes out below average against other large Spanish cities.
Better nearby for budget-conscious movers: Aranjuez (55), Valdemoro (54), Fuenlabrada (51)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Madrid as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Madrid; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €829 a month
Compare with Madrid70 m²: €713 a month
Compare with Madrid70 m²: €659 a month
Compare with Madrid70 m²: €553 a month
Compare with Madrid70 m²: €569 a month
Compare with Madrid70 m²: €885 a month
Compare with MadridGuide 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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