The kinds of places in Spain and how daily life differs

Key rules

• Car need: If you will not drive, stick to cities or the centres of larger coastal towns.
• Rent: Rent falls sharply as places get smaller, with big cities the dearest and inland provinces the cheapest.
• Services: Hospitals, international schools and jobs are concentrated in big cities; villages may have no shops and only part-time doctors.
• Urbanizaciones: Resort estates are car-dependent and many are quiet in winter.

Rent and population figures are approximate, so check current prices for your chosen town on local listings and with its town hall.

The short version

Spain has eight kinds of places that matter to a newcomer: big cities, mid-size cities, commuter towns, coastal towns, resort urbanizaciones, inland towns, villages and islands. The bigger the place, the more services you get, the higher the rent, and the less you need a car. The decision tool below helps you pick one for your household.

Where people actually live

Spain has about 48 million people, and they are very unevenly spread. Roughly 40% live in municipalities of over 100,000 people. Around 40–45% live in coastal municipalities, which are a small share of the land.

Over 80% of municipalities have fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, yet together they hold only about 12–13% of the population. Roughly half the territory is "empty Spain", mainly in provinces such as Teruel, Soria, Cuenca, Zamora and Ourense. Many villages there are shrinking.

Big cities

Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao and Málaga have the fullest services: big hospitals, international schools, jobs and public transport. Metro, buses and commuter trains mean a car is optional and often a burden. Rents are the highest in the country. In 2025, asking rents in Madrid averaged about €17–19 per m² a month, and in Málaga about €15–17 on the main portals. Barcelona is similar to Madrid or a little higher, and Valencia is a bit cheaper than Málaga. Check current rental portals for up-to-date figures.

Mid-size cities

Zaragoza, Valladolid, Murcia, Granada, Vigo and Alicante offer most of what a big city does at lower cost. They are mostly walkable or have good buses. A car is useful but not essential, and many people keep one.

Commuter towns

Towns around big cities have a train or bus link to the centre. Housing is cheaper and larger than in the city. You will still need a car for daily errands.

Coastal towns

Larger coastal towns have good services and a big expat community. Prices and crowds swing with the season. Dense centres like Málaga or Alicante work on foot or by bus, while outlying residential areas need a car. Outside the bigger towns, cars are often needed.

Resort urbanizaciones

These are planned estates on the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca and the Murcia golf resorts. They are far out of walking range of shops and doctors, so a car, often two, is essential. Local services are limited. The social scene is strongly foreign, and many are quiet in winter.

Inland towns

Towns of 5,000–50,000 people have basic services, cheap housing and a local social life. Buses are limited, so a car is usually necessary. In inland provinces such as Zamora, Teruel, Soria or Ourense, rents run about €5–€8 per m². A typical 80 m² flat costs roughly €400–€700 a month.

Villages

Villages have few or no shops, and doctors visit only part-time. They have the lowest costs in Spain. A car is essential for shopping, healthcare and everything else.

Islands

The Balearics have high costs. The Canaries have a mild climate all year. Both depend on ferries or flights for specialist care. Rents in Palma and the Canaries are around €13–€17 per m².

If you do not drive

Choose a big city, a mid-size city or the dense centre of a coastal town. Anywhere smaller will make daily life hard without a car.

Details vary by region, so check local rents and services in the exact town before you commit.

Which type of place fits your household best?

Which type of place in Spain suits your household? Work through the points in order and stop when one clearly decides it.

• A large city: Choose this if you need to be in an office or want the widest choice of jobs and specialist healthcare. It also fits you if you want to live without a car, have a bigger budget, and want an international crowd and easy integration with other newcomers. Expect higher rents and less space.

• A mid-size city or provincial capital: Choose this if you want a balance: good hospitals, schools and public transport, lower rents than the biggest cities, and a local social life you can join. You can often manage without a car. It suits families and remote workers who want to learn Spanish and settle in.

• A coastal town: Choose this if you work remotely or are retired, can handle a quiet winter when many shops and bars close, and want sun and outdoor life. A car is usually useful. Many towns have large foreign communities, so integration is easy but you may use less Spanish. Check how close the nearest hospital is.

• A small inland town or village: Choose this if your budget is tight, you work online or have local work, and you are happy with a slower pace. Plan on owning a car, longer trips for specialist care and fewer services. Winters can be cold and quiet. Locals tend to know each other, so integration takes effort but brings real rewards.

• An island: Choose this if you want mild weather and island life and accept that leaving means a flight or ferry. Residents of the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla receive a 75% discount on the base fare for flights to the mainland. Check the choice of specialist healthcare and how busy the tourist season makes rents and roads.

Start with work: if you must be in an office, pick a city. Next, healthcare: if you need regular specialist care, stay close to a large or mid-size city hospital. Then the car: if you do not want to drive, pick a city or a town with good transport. Then budget: a tight budget points inland or to a small town. Then season tolerance: if you dislike quiet winters or very hot summers, avoid resort towns and the deep interior. Last, integration: if you want to learn Spanish and join local life, favour a mid-size city or small town over a foreign-heavy coast. If families have children, remember that school is free and compulsory from age 6 to 16, so check school options in each place.

Frequently asked questions

How much cheaper is a small inland town than a big city?

A small inland town is typically 25–45% cheaper than Madrid or Barcelona. Asking rents in Madrid averaged about €17–19 per m² a month in 2025, while inland provinces such as Zamora, Teruel, Soria or Cuenca are about €5–€8.

Can I live in Spain without a car?

Yes, if you choose a big city or the dense centre of a coastal city such as Málaga or Alicante. Mid-size cities are mostly walkable with buses. In villages and urbanizaciones a car is essential, and urbanizaciones often need two.

How many people actually live in the empty interior?

Only a small share of people live in the empty interior, far fewer than its size suggests. Around 40–45% of people live in coastal municipalities, and about half the territory counts as sparsely populated. The small-municipality figures are covered earlier on this page.

Which places are quiet in winter?

Resort urbanizaciones on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and the Murcia golf resorts are often quiet in winter. Coastal towns also swing with the seasons in price and crowding. If you want year-round life, check a place in the off-season before committing.