City · País Vasco · All places
A shell-shaped bay, the best bars in Spain and the highest housing costs in the north.
San Sebastián, called Donostia in Basque, sits on the Bay of Biscay a short way from the French border. Its beach, La Concha, is a near-perfect curve of sand between two green hills, with a long promenade of nineteenth-century buildings along the shore. The old town sits at one end, next to the river and the harbour.
It is a small, wealthy and refined city, known for food, a film festival, surf and a very high standard of living. It is also one of the most expensive places in the north of Spain to rent or buy a home, and very crowded with visitors in summer. The city has 189,866 residents (2025).
It suits people who want a beautiful, safe, well-run city and who can pay for it. It suits people on a limited budget much less.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Dec 2025
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What the data says
San Sebastián stands out for prosperity, transport and healthcare; it is weaker on connectivity and safety. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €979 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from San Sebastián’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 Basque.
Basque is an official language alongside Spanish. Expect it on signs, at the town hall and in state schools.
People born abroad are in work less often than people born in Spain across País Vasco. 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.
Residents are older than in most of Spain: calmer streets, and fewer young people to share a flat or a night out with.
Pintxos at the counter, grilled fish and steak, cider houses in winter and a table at a gastronomic society for those who are invited.
A bar crawl through the old town, Gros for a younger crowd, and a drink by the river on a summer night.
The old town and the Centro are for visitors and bars, Gros is young and creative, Amara and Antiguo are residential, and Ondarreta and Miramar are the hillside villas.
Basque and Spanish are both in daily use, and English and French are common in the centre.
The Tamborrada in January, jazz in July, the Semana Grande in August and the film festival in September.
Proud, reserved at first and loyal later, with an older population and a strong sense of local identity.
Surf at Zurriola, a swim at La Concha, hills on every side and the Pyrenees and French Basque coast nearby.
San Sebastián runs on food and the sea. In the old town and in Gros, the bars are packed in the evening with people eating pintxos, small bites on bread or on a plate, at the counter, and moving on to the next place. Mornings begin with surf at Zurriola and swimming at La Concha, and the promenade is busy from dawn to dusk.
Gros, across the river, is where young locals live and go out: casual, local and creative, with surfers, independent shops and the Kursaal concert hall at its edge. Amara and Antiguo are residential, with the university campus and the Ondarreta beach at one end. The upper-class districts climb the hill of Miramar and Igueldo. The city is full of festivals, from the jazz festival in July to the film festival in September and the Tamborrada drum parade in January, when the whole town marches in chefs' and soldiers' uniforms.
People are proud of their city and their culture, reserved at first, funny when they know you, and committed to the table and to their friends' societies. The Basque language is in daily use alongside Spanish, and learning it is a mark of respect, though not a requirement for daily life.
San Sebastián was a fortress town until it was destroyed in the early nineteenth century, then rebuilt on a grid. In the late nineteenth century the Spanish royal family adopted it as a summer residence, and the aristocracy followed, building the belle-époque casino, the grand hotels and the seafront villas. That origin as a resort for the rich left a city that is still geared to a demanding clientele.
Its modern identity is shaped by food. A generation of cooks transformed Basque cuisine in the late twentieth century, and the city now has an extraordinary number of starred restaurants for its size, a gastronomy university and an everyday bar culture of the highest standard. The Basque Country has its own tax arrangements and funds high public spending, which shows in the clean streets, the buses and the public services.
A narrow valley, hills and the sea limit space, and demand from residents, second-home buyers and visitors is intense. Household income per person is €23,700 a year (2024), and prosperity comes out strong. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €979 a month (2024), and buying costs €5,208 per square metre (Q2 2026).
The city is educated and long-lived. Adults with a university degree make up 66% (2024), and life expectancy is 83.9 years (2023). The population is old: median age is 51.2 years (2025), and seniors make up 26.2% (2025). Jobs come out above average, with unemployment at 5.6% (2025).
The one weak mark is safety, which comes out below average. Recorded crime is 58.5 per 1,000 people (2024). The cause is again visitors: phones, bags and bicycles are stolen from crowded beaches, bars and festival crowds, and the rate is counted per resident, not per person present. Sexual offences are 0.64 per 1,000 people (2024), which is high for the north of Spain.
Figures for San Sebastián itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses San Sebastián data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Prosperity is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 23,700 € a year per person — better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 95 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 personSan Sebastián · 2024 | 23,700 € a year per person | better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Commute by car: 43.5% — better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 82 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)San Sebastián · 2021 | 37.0 minutes | better than 66% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carSan Sebastián · 2021 | 43.5% | better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportSan Sebastián · 2021 | 25.2% | better than 90% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Healthcare is above average: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 83.9 years — better than 73% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 73 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancySan Sebastián · 2023 | 83.9 years | better than 73% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment: 5.56% — better than 98% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 66 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentSan Sebastián · 2025 | 5.56% | better than 98% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearSan Sebastián · 2025 | 0.06 points | better than 18% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is above average: in the top quarter of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 97.8 days a year — better than 76% 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)San Sebastián · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 97.8 days a year | better than 76% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CSan Sebastián · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.20 days a year | better than 69% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CSan Sebastián · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 14.9 nights a year | better than 32% of major European cities |
Digital is above average: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes that can get gigabit internet: 99.3% — better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 61 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 internetSan Sebastián · 2025 | 99.3% | better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorSan Sebastián · 2025 | 99.3% | better than 68% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageSan Sebastián · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 35% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Sexual offences: 0.64 per 1,000 people — worse than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 29 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesSan Sebastián · 2025 | 0.53 per 100k people | better than 50% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeSan Sebastián · 2024 | 58.5 per 1,000 people | better than 22% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesSan Sebastián · 2025 | 126 per 100k people | better than 33% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesSan Sebastián · 2025 | 175 per 100k people | better than 17% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesSan Sebastián · 2024 | 0.64 per 1,000 people | better than 13% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsSan Sebastián · 2025 | 1,772 per 100k people | better than 18% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsSan Sebastián · 2025 | 40.6 per 100k people | better than 65% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 74.7 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 airportSan Sebastián · 2026-10-21 | 74.7 km | better than 0% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for San Sebastián yet
Highs around 24° in August, lows around 7° in January. 98 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C).
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11.1°C | 7.4°C | 151 mm |
| February | 12.2°C | 8.0°C | 117 mm |
| March | 13.3°C | 8.9°C | 103 mm |
| April | 15.3°C | 10.4°C | 86 mm |
| May | 17.9°C | 13.2°C | 76 mm |
| June | 21.2°C | 16.4°C | 89 mm |
| July | 23.4°C | 18.4°C | 48 mm |
| August | 24.2°C | 18.9°C | 57 mm |
| September | 22.2°C | 17.3°C | 98 mm |
| October | 19.5°C | 14.7°C | 103 mm |
| November | 15.1°C | 11.2°C | 174 mm |
| December | 13.2°C | 9.4°C | 141 mm |
San Sebastián has a mild, wet Atlantic climate. Summers are warm and bright but often interrupted by showers; winters are cool and rainy, with the fine drizzle locals call sirimiri. Rainy days number 162 a year (2015–2024), and the city gets 1,241 mm a year (2015–2024).
Frost is unknown, with 0 a year (2015–2024), and pleasant days, mild and dry, number 98 a year (2015–2024). It is a year-round city for people who accept rain. July to September is when the beaches and festivals are at their best, while autumn and winter are quiet and good for food. The sea is cold outside summer, although surfers wear wetsuits all year.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
42/100 · average · 87th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
5.6% in 2025
8.8% in Q2 2026
€14.0 per m² a month in 2024
€5,208 per m² in Q2 2026
83.9 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in San Sebastián. 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.
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Routines, food, local customs, holidays, transport and getting around.
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Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish cities. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
A food scene and festival calendar that punch well above the city's size.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
A good job market for its size, with pay above average, and a social life built around bars and sport.
Not measured yet: Housing, Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Several universities and a famous culinary school, in a lively and attractive setting.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Housing, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
A stable regional tax arrangement and a strong food, health and technology scene, but a small local market.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
One of the most appealing places in Spain: safe, beautiful, with excellent restaurants and a strong public sector.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Housing, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Beautiful, safe and well-served by hospitals, but expensive, hilly and damp, with an older crowd.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Housing, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Safe streets, beaches, good schools and an active outdoor life, held back by housing costs.
Better nearby for families with children: Vitoria-Gasteiz (60)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Housing, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Surf, swimming, hiking and cycling in the hills and along the coast, with the Pyrenees and French Basque coast close.
Better nearby for beach, mountains and the outdoors: Bilbao (69), Getxo (57), Barakaldo (52)
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Fast connections and an exceptional quality of life, but high rents and a small airport.
Better nearby for remote workers: Barakaldo (63), Bilbao (60), Getxo (48)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Housing, Lifestyle.
Not a city for a tight budget.
Better nearby for budget-conscious movers: Vitoria-Gasteiz (54)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Housing, Price level vs EU average.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in San Sebastián as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with San Sebastián; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €794 a month
Compare with San Sebastián70 m²: €806 a month
Compare with San Sebastián70 m²: €645 a month
Compare with San Sebastián70 m²: €733 a month
Compare with San Sebastián70 m²: €692 a month
Compare with San SebastiánGuide 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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