City · Galicia · All places
A quiet Galician river city of hot springs, Roman bridges and very low rents, with an old population and a long way to an airport.
Ourense is a river city in the interior of Galicia, set in a broad bend of the Miño, in a valley sheltered from the Atlantic. It is warmer and drier than the coast, hotter in summer and foggier in winter, and has a long tradition of public hot springs, which come out of the ground in the middle of town.
The old quarter is compact and mostly pedestrian, with a Romanesque-Gothic cathedral, a Roman bridge rebuilt over the centuries and a large main square, the Praza Maior. The cost of living is low, healthcare is good, and the pace is easy. The price is a population that is old, a thin job market for the young and a long way to the nearest airport.
The city has 105,769 residents (2025). It suits people who want a quiet life, low housing costs and good services, and it suits people who want a big social scene or a beach far less.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Ourense stands out for housing, jobs and safety; it is weaker on connectivity and digital. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €355 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Ourense’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 Galician.
Galician is an official language alongside Spanish. Expect it on signs, at the town hall and in state schools.
Residents are older than in most of Spain: calmer streets, and fewer young people to share a flat or a night out with.
Octopus fairs, empanada, lacón with turnip tops and a good glass of Ribeiro or Godello in a tavern.
Slow and sociable, with a long paseo along the Rúa do Paseo in the evening.
Wine bars and cafés around the Praza Maior, a student scene in the Posío district and quiet nights outside weekends.
The old town is pedestrian and compact, with newer blocks beyond the railway and across the Miño.
Galician is widely spoken in the street and used in schools alongside Spanish.
Entroido in February and the Santo Cristo festivities in spring.
Riverside paths, the Miño canyons and the Ribeira Sacra a short drive away.
Ourense is a city where people walk. The evening paseo runs along the Rúa do Paseo and the streets around the Praza Maior, with families, older couples and groups of teenagers all out at the same hour. The old town fills on Saturdays and is quiet on Mondays, and in August many locals leave.
The signature of the city is its hot water. The Burgas, a set of monumental thermal springs in the old quarter, flow into stone basins where you can still see steam on a cold morning. Along the Miño, outside the centre, there are free and paid thermal pools reached by a riverside path from the Roman bridge, and on winter weekends the locals go for a soak the way others go for a coffee. The Millennium bridge, a modern pedestrian bridge, links the two banks.
Food is Galician and inland: octopus in the style of the fairs, empanada, pork shoulder and turnip tops, cured sausage, chestnuts in autumn and bread from the villages. The wines of Ribeiro, Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacra are on every table, and a tavern lunch with a bottle is cheap. Entroido, the Galician carnival, is wilder in the villages of the province than in the city itself.
Galician is the language of many streets and of the local press, and Spanish works everywhere. People are reserved at first and warm once they know you. There are few foreigners, so settling in means joining the local routine rather than an expat circle.
Ourense sits where the Miño valley opens out, at a crossing point that the Romans used for the road and the hot springs. The city grew as a market town and administrative centre for a province of villages, vineyards and small farms, and it has never had a coastal port or a large factory to bring in people from outside.
The province is the most ageing in Spain, and the city shows it: young people leave for Vigo, Santiago, Madrid and abroad, and the median age is high. That is the main reason why housing is so cheap. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €355 a month (2024), and buying costs €1,445 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out strong against similar places. House prices changed by 0.9% over the last year (Q2 2026).
The jobs that exist are mostly in the public sector, health, education, commerce and the wine and food business of the province, with a campus of the University of Vigo in town and a large hospital complex. Unemployment is 9.6% (2025), and jobs come out above average. Internet and transport links are the weak points: digital comes out weak and connectivity weak. The nearest airport is 74 km away (2026), and the city has no commercial airport of its own.
Safety is comfortable: it comes out above average, and recorded crime is 43.3 per 1,000 people (2024).
Figures for Ourense itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Ourense data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Housing is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
House prices, change in a year: 0.95% — better than 100% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 88 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Ourense · 2024 | 5.07 €/m² a month | better than 93% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearOurense · 2024 | 2.60% | better than 90% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Ourense · 2026-Q2 | 1,445 €/m² | better than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsOurense · 2024 | 4.34% | better than 65% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearOurense · 2026-Q2 | 0.95% | better than 100% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment, change in a year: -1.97 points — better than 83% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentOurense · 2025 | 9.63% | better than 62% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearOurense · 2025 | -1.97 points | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Vehicle thefts: 16.1 per 100k people — better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 68 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesOurense · 2025 | 0.00 per 100k people | better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeOurense · 2024 | 43.3 per 1,000 people | better than 69% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesOurense · 2025 | 69.0 per 100k people | better than 63% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesOurense · 2025 | 93.6 per 100k people | better than 63% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesOurense · 2024 | 0.40 per 1,000 people | better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsOurense · 2025 | 1,032 per 100k people | better than 62% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsOurense · 2025 | 16.1 per 100k people | better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is above average: in the top quarter of major European cities.
Nights above 20 °C: 0.90 nights a year — better than 78% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)Ourense · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 89.7 days a year | better than 70% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °COurense · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 8.50 days a year | better than 28% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °COurense · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.90 nights a year | better than 78% of major European cities |
Healthcare is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 83.6 years — better than 59% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 59 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyOurense · 2023 | 83.6 years | better than 59% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Average commute (one way): 37.3 minutes — better than 62% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 55 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)Ourense · 2021 | 37.3 minutes | better than 62% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carOurense · 2021 | 57.6% | better than 61% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportOurense · 2021 | 10.6% | better than 41% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 16,019 € a year per person — better than 55% of Spanish cities above 50,000
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 personOurense · 2024 | 16,019 € a year per person | better than 55% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is weak: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes with fibre to the door: 97.0% — worse than 81% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Homes that can get gigabit internetOurense · 2025 | 97.0% | better than 26% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorOurense · 2025 | 97.0% | better than 19% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageOurense · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 25% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 74.3 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 airportOurense · 2026-10-21 | 74.3 km | better than 0% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Ourense yet
Highs around 30° in August, lows around 3° in January. 90 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C).
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.5°C | 3.1°C | 134 mm |
| February | 12.0°C | 3.5°C | 110 mm |
| March | 13.6°C | 4.3°C | 113 mm |
| April | 16.9°C | 6.3°C | 99 mm |
| May | 20.3°C | 8.8°C | 71 mm |
| June | 23.6°C | 11.5°C | 59 mm |
| July | 29.0°C | 13.5°C | 16 mm |
| August | 29.8°C | 13.8°C | 27 mm |
| September | 25.4°C | 12.0°C | 59 mm |
| October | 20.3°C | 9.9°C | 144 mm |
| November | 14.1°C | 6.6°C | 147 mm |
| December | 11.8°C | 4.8°C | 161 mm |
Ourense has the hottest summers in Galicia. The valley holds heat in July and August, with days above the heat threshold at 8 a year (2015–2024), though the nights cool off, with warm nights at just 1 a year (2015–2024). Afternoons are for the river, the shade of the Alameda and the swimming pools.
Winters are cool, damp and foggy, with frost on 17 a year (2015–2024), and the Atlantic fronts bring rain: 1,138 mm a year (2015–2024). Pleasant days, mild and dry, number 90 a year (2015–2024), so the best weather is concentrated in late spring and early autumn. The hot springs are a good reason to like winter.
It is a year-round city for people who accept both a hot summer and a grey winter, and who have a decent heating system, since many older flats are poorly insulated.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
75/100 · strong · 18th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
9.6% in 2025
1.0% in Q2 2026
€5.1 per m² a month in 2024
€1,445 per m² in Q2 2026
83.6 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Ourense. 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-value cities in Spain: rents and buying prices are among the lowest of any city its size.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Safe, uncrowded and cheap, with space for a three-bedroom flat at a low rent, and a calm place for children to grow up.
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
The campus offers a calm, affordable student life, though the city is not a student town on the scale of Santiago.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
A cheap place to start out, with public-sector, health and commerce jobs, but a small field and an older crowd.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Space, calm and easy living, though few luxury services and a long drive to the airport.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
A flat riverside, a large hospital complex, thermal baths and low costs make it an easy place to retire, if you accept the hot summer.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
A cathedral, museums, Roman remains and Galician festivals at a small scale, with a quiet agenda outside the main dates.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for culture, food and nightlife: A Coruña (72), Vigo (59)
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
Low costs and a loyal local market, but a long way from investors, a thin pool of peers and weak connectivity.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for founders and self-employed: Santiago de Compostela (62), A Coruña (59)
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
Cheap and calm, but the airport is far, the foreign scene is tiny and connectivity outside the centre is patchy.
Better nearby for remote workers: A Coruña (55)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
The Miño canyons, the Ribeira Sacra and the nearby mountains are good, but the city itself is a little far from the sea and the weather is mixed.
Better nearby for beach, mountains and the outdoors: Ferrol (65), Pontevedra (60), A Coruña (59)
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Ourense as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Ourense; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €497 a month
Compare with Ourense70 m²: €505 a month
Compare with Ourense70 m²: €341 a month
Compare with Ourense70 m²: €443 a month
Compare with Ourense70 m²: €533 a month
Compare with Ourense70 m²: €333 a month
Compare with OurenseGuide 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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