City · Andalucía · All places
A sunny, dry Almería coast town of greenhouses, resort blocks and cheap flats, with winters that stay mild.
Roquetas de Mar is a coastal town in the west of Almería province, on the Gulf of Almería, with a long beach, a marina at Aguadulce and, behind it, one of the largest concentrations of greenhouses in the world. It is a town of two economies that rarely meet: a resort strip of apartment blocks and promenades, and an inland farming zone of plastic roofs that supplies much of the vegetables eaten across Europe in winter.
It is dry, sunny and cheap. It is not a historic town and it does not try to be; its case is the climate, the price and the beach. It suits retirees, budget movers and people who want a mild winter and low costs and do not need a lively city.
The city has 111,240 residents (2025). Many of the people who work the greenhouses come from Morocco, Romania, West Africa and Latin America, so the town is more mixed than the resort image suggests.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Roquetas de Mar is weaker on connectivity and prosperity. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €424 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Roquetas de Mar’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.
Summer nights stay warm, so sleep depends on a cooled bedroom. Check for air-conditioning before you sign.
Almost every home can get gigabit fibre, so working from home is not a gamble on the flat you pick.
Non-urgent surgery takes longer than in most of Spain (Andalucía-wide figure). Many residents add private health insurance.
Fried fish and prawns from the local port, tomatoes and peppers at every meal, and a tapa with the drink.
Slow and outdoors, with long lunches on terraces and an early evening promenade.
Beachfront bars and terraces at Roquetas and Aguadulce, with quiet streets in winter.
The old fishing centre, the resort strips of Roquetas and Aguadulce and the dispersed districts toward the greenhouses.
Spanish with a hard Andalusian accent, with English in the resorts and Arabic and Romanian in the farming districts.
Fiestas of the Virgen del Rosario in October, Semana Santa and summer fairs on the promenade.
Long beaches, the Punta Entinas-Sabinar reserve with its dunes and flamingos, and the Cabo de Gata coast not far east.
Roquetas does not have a centre in the sense of a plaza and a church that everyone passes. It has a long seafront promenade with the Santa Ana castle as its landmark, an old centre of low white houses, a modern marina at Aguadulce and a lot of apartment blocks. Life is outdoors: walking the promenade, swimming in the sea in October and eating fish on a terrace.
Inland, the greenhouses stretch to the horizon in a flat white-and-green sheet. The landscape is surprising and a bit surreal, and the people who work in it are the backbone of the local economy. The town's weekly life is a mix of tourists, retirees, farm workers and families, and shops and bars cater to each group.
Winter is the busy season for foreign visitors and for pensioner groups, and summer is busy with Spanish families. In shoulder months some bars and apartments close up, and the promenade can feel empty. Nature is a quiet bonus: the dunes and salt flats of Punta Entinas-Sabinar are a short drive away and host flamingos and other waders.
The Campo de Dalías was an empty, dry plain until the 1960s, when farmers discovered that plastic greenhouses, drip irrigation and a mild winter could produce vegetables out of season. The business grew into one of the main engines of the Spanish agricultural export economy, and thousands of workers arrived to run it. Roquetas grew from a fishing village into a city in two generations.
The tourist side developed alongside. The seafront at Roquetas and Aguadulce filled with apartment blocks aimed at Spanish holidaymakers, northern European winter visitors and subsidised pensioner trips, and the coastline became a long strip of promenades and chiringuitos. The economy is seasonal and hard-working, and wages are low: household income per person is €12,189 a year (2024), among the lowest of Spanish cities, and the city comes out weak on prosperity.
Housing is cheap. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €424 a month (2024), and buying costs €1,706 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out average, and safety comes out average.
The weak points are services and connections. There are no hospital beds inside the municipality, with 0.0 per 1,000 people per thousand people (2025), and most patients use the public hospital in nearby El Ejido or the Almería hospitals. The town comes out weak on connectivity, with no rail and a modest airport at Almería. Fibre reaches 98% of homes (2025), and the digital band is average.
Figures for Roquetas de Mar itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Roquetas de Mar data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Safety is around the middle compared with similar cities.
Not ranked: too little comparable evidence yet.
Homicides: 0.00 per 100k people — better than 78% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesRoquetas de Mar · 2025 | 0.00 per 100k people | better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesRoquetas de Mar · 2025 | 154 per 100k people | better than 24% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesRoquetas de Mar · 2025 | 152 per 100k people | better than 28% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsRoquetas de Mar · 2025 | 1,310 per 100k people | better than 37% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsRoquetas de Mar · 2025 | 38.7 per 100k people | better than 68% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
5G coverage: 100% — better than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 58 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 internetRoquetas de Mar · 2025 | 98.3% | better than 49% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorRoquetas de Mar · 2025 | 98.3% | better than 46% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageRoquetas de Mar · 2025 | 100% | better than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is around the middle: in the top quarter of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 136 days a year — better than 92% of major European cities
Average: 57 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)Roquetas de Mar · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 136 days a year | better than 92% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CRoquetas de Mar · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 8.60 days a year | better than 27% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CRoquetas de Mar · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 51.2 nights a year | better than 19% of major European cities |
Housing is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rent per m²: 6.06 €/m² a month — better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 52 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Roquetas de Mar · 2024 | 6.06 €/m² a month | better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearRoquetas de Mar · 2024 | 3.70% | better than 30% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Roquetas de Mar · 2026-Q2 | 1,706 €/m² | better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsRoquetas de Mar · 2024 | 5.73% | better than 25% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearRoquetas de Mar · 2026-Q2 | 14.1% | better than 53% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is weak: in the bottom 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 12,189 € a year per person — worse than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 5 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 personRoquetas de Mar · 2024 | 12,189 € a year per person | better than 5% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 168 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 airportRoquetas de Mar · 2026-10-21 | 168 km | better than 0% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Roquetas de Mar yet
Highs around 33° in July, lows around 5° in January. 136 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C). 51 warm nights above 20 °C: check for air-conditioning.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.9°C | 5.4°C | 25 mm |
| February | 15.1°C | 6.1°C | 16 mm |
| March | 17.0°C | 7.5°C | 44 mm |
| April | 19.4°C | 9.3°C | 30 mm |
| May | 23.8°C | 13.1°C | 19 mm |
| June | 28.3°C | 17.3°C | 6 mm |
| July | 32.5°C | 21.0°C | 2 mm |
| August | 31.9°C | 21.1°C | 6 mm |
| September | 27.4°C | 17.7°C | 20 mm |
| October | 23.3°C | 14.0°C | 30 mm |
| November | 18.0°C | 9.2°C | 25 mm |
| December | 15.5°C | 7.2°C | 29 mm |
Roquetas is one of the driest places in mainland Spain, with 253 mm a year a year (2015–2024) falling on only 49 a year (2015–2024). Winters are mild and sunny, and frost does not occur at 0 a year (2015–2024). Summers are warm and tempered by the sea: very hot days number 9 a year (2015–2024), and tropical nights number 51 a year (2015–2024).
Pleasant days are many at 136 a year (2015–2024). The town is a winter city: the best months are October to May, when the beach is comfortable and the greenhouses are at their busiest. July and August are hot and humid, and a flat without air conditioning is hard to live in. The dry climate makes water a real concern, and the landscape is arid.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
14.1% in Q2 2026
€6.1 per m² a month in 2024
€1,706 per m² in Q2 2026
Facts about the people who live in Roquetas de Mar. 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 cheapest places on the Spanish coast, with a beach and mild winters.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Jobs, Price level vs EU average, Unemployment.
Beach, dunes and the Cabo de Gata natural park not far away, in a dry, sunny setting.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
A good fit for a winter-sun budget: mild, dry weather and cheap flats, but the hospital is outside the town and summers are hot.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Healthcare, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Affordable and low-crime, with beaches and a mixed community, but incomes are low and employment is seasonal.
Better nearby for families with children: Linares (64), Jaén (60)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average commute (one way), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Jobs, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation, Recorded crime.
Cheap and sunny, with decent fibre, but the airports are far and the remote scene is non-existent.
Better nearby for remote workers: La Línea de la Concepción (72), Torremolinos (63), Fuengirola (60)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle, Residents born abroad.
Not a luxury address; the better coast is elsewhere, though some marina apartments are of good quality.
Better nearby for high earners and investors: Utrera (55), La Línea de la Concepción (54), Rincón de la Victoria (54)
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Agri-food, packaging, logistics and tourism offer niches, at very low costs.
Nothing stands out.
Better nearby for founders and self-employed: Torremolinos (56), Granada (53), Sevilla (52)
Not measured yet: Adults with a university degree, Jobs, Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality, Residents born abroad.
Jobs are in farming, packing, logistics and seasonal tourism, with few professional paths.
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Jobs, Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median age, Median gross salary, Residents born abroad, Transport, Unemployment, Youth unemployment (15–24).
The University of Almería campus is a short drive away, and local rents are low.
Not measured yet: Adults with a university degree, Commute by public transport, Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Median age, Price level vs EU average, Transport, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
A modest cultural life, with Almería's old town, castle and tapas culture a short drive away.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Adults with a university degree, Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Residents born abroad, Transport, Walk most.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Roquetas de Mar as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Roquetas de Mar; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €635 a month
Compare with Roquetas de Mar70 m²: €705 a month
Compare with Roquetas de Mar70 m²: €474 a month
Compare with Roquetas de Mar70 m²: €474 a month
Compare with Roquetas de Mar70 m²: €470 a month
Compare with Roquetas de Mar70 m²: €440 a month
Compare with Roquetas de MarGuide 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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