City · Cataluña · All places
A dense, working-class city across the river from Barcelona, with its own metro stops and a hill park behind.
Santa Coloma de Gramenet is a city on the north-east edge of Barcelona, on the far bank of the Besòs river, hemmed in by Badalona, Sant Adrià and the Serralada de Marina hills. It has one of the highest population densities in Spain: blocks climb the hillsides street after street, with markets, shops and small bars on the ground floors.
It is a working-class city built in a few decades, a place where first, second and third generations of families from southern Spain and from further afield live in the same buildings. It is not a visitor destination. Its case is practical: metro stops on two lines, rents below Barcelona, a strong neighbourhood life and a wooded hill park at the end of the street.
The city has 123,981 residents (2025). It suits people who want to be in the Barcelona orbit for work or study at a lower price, and it suits those who want space, quiet or pretty streets much less.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Santa Coloma de Gramenet stands out for digital and climate; it is weaker on connectivity and prosperity. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €694 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Santa Coloma de Gramenet’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
You will meet English speakers, mostly in the centre and at international employers. Shops, landlords and schools expect Spanish. Contracts, the town hall and most doctors work in Spanish or Catalan.
Catalan is an official language alongside Spanish. Expect it on signs, at the town hall and in state schools.
Summer nights stay warm, so sleep depends on a cooled bedroom. Check for air-conditioning before you sign.
People born abroad are in work less often than people born in Spain across Cataluña. 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.
Non-urgent surgery takes longer than in most of Spain (Cataluña-wide figure). Many residents add private health insurance.
Andalusian bars, Moroccan bakeries, Pakistani grocers and Catalan fideuà on Sundays, mostly cheap.
Busy and sociable, with life on the pavement and in the markets rather than in cafés.
Local bars and terraces around the Plaça de la Vila and the big shopping streets, with most nights out in Barcelona.
Fondo and Singuerlín are dense working-class districts, while the old centre by the church is quieter.
Spanish and Catalan both heard daily, with Arabic, Urdu and Chinese on some streets.
The Festa Major and neighbourhood fiestas, plus community events from the many groups that live here.
Parc de Can Zam and the Besòs riverside path, and the Serralada de Marina forest park behind the city.
Santa Coloma is a city of ground floors. Shops, bakeries, bars and butcher's counters line the streets, and people know each other. The market halls are the best place to see this, and the stalls reflect the city's many origins. It is a city of people rather than of buildings.
The metro makes it work. The red and orange lines stop at Fondo and Singuerlín and at stations in the middle of the city, so central Barcelona is a short ride. The Besòs river path and the Parc de Can Zam give a little green room along the water, and the forest park on the hill above is a real relief from the grid.
Visitors will not find much sightseeing: the old church, the Torre Balldovina and a few small museums. Locals do not mind. Santa Coloma is about the ordinary working life of a big city, and that is both its limit and its honesty.
Until the 1950s Santa Coloma was a small town surrounded by farms, with a medieval tower, the Torre Balldovina, among its few old remains. Barcelona's industrial boom pulled in huge numbers of migrants from Andalucía, Extremadura, Murcia and Aragón, and the municipality filled up with cheaply built blocks on the steep hillsides, often before roads and services arrived. The result was density, narrow streets and a very strong sense of neighbourhood.
Later waves of immigration from Morocco, Latin America, Pakistan and China added to the mix. Incomes stayed modest: household income per person is €13,118 a year (2024), and the city comes out weak on prosperity. Safety comes out average, with the usual urban problems of theft in the busier streets and the metro stops.
Housing is cheaper than in Barcelona but not cheap, because demand from the capital pulls rents up. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €694 a month (2024), and buying costs €2,586 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out average. The city is well served digitally, with fibre reaching 100% of homes (2025). The city comes out weak on connectivity, since the airport and the main stations are on the other side of Barcelona.
Figures for Santa Coloma de Gramenet itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Santa Coloma de Gramenet data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Digital is strong: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes that can get gigabit internet: 99.6% — better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 77 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 internetSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2025 | 99.6% | better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2025 | 99.6% | better than 81% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 58% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is above average: in the top quarter of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 116 days a year — better than 89% of major European cities
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)Santa Coloma de Gramenet · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 116 days a year | better than 89% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.00 days a year | better than 88% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 82.2 nights a year | better than 5% of major European cities |
Housing is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rents, change in a year: 2.70% — better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 57 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Santa Coloma de Gramenet · 2024 | 9.92 €/m² a month | better than 19% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2024 | 2.70% | better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Santa Coloma de Gramenet · 2026-Q2 | 2,586 €/m² | better than 40% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2024 | 3.68% | better than 86% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2026-Q2 | 14.0% | better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is around the middle compared with similar cities.
Not ranked: too little comparable evidence yet.
Burglaries: 84.7 per 100k people — better than 73% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 42 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2025 | 0.81 per 100k people | better than 43% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2025 | 397 per 100k people | better than 4% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2025 | 84.7 per 100k people | better than 73% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2025 | 1,146 per 100k people | better than 53% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2025 | 77.4 per 100k people | better than 39% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is weak: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 13,118 € a year per person — worse than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Weak: 17 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 personSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2024 | 13,118 € a year per person | better than 17% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 20.8 km — worse than 95% of major European cities
Weak: 5 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 airportSanta Coloma de Gramenet · 2026-10-21 | 20.8 km | better than 5% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Santa Coloma de Gramenet yet
Highs around 28° in August, lows around 7° in January. 116 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C). 82 warm nights above 20 °C: check for air-conditioning.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.0°C | 7.4°C | 52 mm |
| February | 14.0°C | 8.0°C | 39 mm |
| March | 15.4°C | 9.2°C | 79 mm |
| April | 17.2°C | 11.1°C | 92 mm |
| May | 20.9°C | 14.4°C | 69 mm |
| June | 24.8°C | 19.0°C | 63 mm |
| July | 27.9°C | 22.1°C | 57 mm |
| August | 28.2°C | 22.5°C | 69 mm |
| September | 25.0°C | 19.7°C | 96 mm |
| October | 21.5°C | 16.3°C | 109 mm |
| November | 17.1°C | 11.7°C | 89 mm |
| December | 14.6°C | 9.2°C | 36 mm |
Santa Coloma shares the Barcelona coast's mild Mediterranean climate. Winters are mild and frost does not occur at 0 a year (2015–2024). Summers are warm and humid more than scorching: very hot days are 0 a year (2015–2024), but tropical nights number 82 a year (2015–2024), and in dense blocks that hold the heat the nights are stuffy.
Rain falls mostly in autumn storms and totals 849 mm a year (2015–2024). Pleasant days number 116 a year (2015–2024). Spring and early autumn are the best seasons. Fans or air conditioning matter, and top-floor flats in July can be oppressive. Winters are short and gentle, with a clear light on the hills.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
14.0% in Q2 2026
€9.9 per m² a month in 2024
€2,586 per m² in Q2 2026
Facts about the people who live in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. 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.
Mild winters, markets, a hospital in the city and a metro to Barcelona, but dense, hilly and not especially quiet.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Healthcare, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
The Serralada de Marina park and the Besòs river path are close, and the sea is a short ride away.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Fibre is strong and Barcelona's coworking spaces and airport are a metro ride away.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle, Residents born abroad.
Not a natural fit: Barcelona's better-served districts and the coast are elsewhere.
Better nearby for high earners and investors: Sant Cugat del Vallès (69), Viladecans (67), Cerdanyola del Vallès (63)
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Small retail and service firms can start cheaply, serving a dense, mixed local market.
Better nearby for founders and self-employed: Barcelona (68), Cornellà de Llobregat (67), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (67)
Not measured yet: Adults with a university degree, Jobs, Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality, Residents born abroad.
Plenty of local schools and neighbourhood life, but small flats, little green space and modest incomes.
Better nearby for families with children: Sant Cugat del Vallès (58), Viladecans (56), Cerdanyola del Vallès (54)
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.
Cheaper than Barcelona, but not cheap, because demand from the capital pushes up rents and prices.
Better nearby for budget-conscious movers: Lleida (72), Reus (58), Manresa (57)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Jobs, Price level vs EU average, Unemployment.
A cheap base for a Barcelona career with metro access, even if the district itself has little to do after work.
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).
Good metro links to the Barcelona universities and cheaper rooms, though student life is in the capital.
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).
Strong neighbourhood and community culture locally, with Barcelona's museums and venues a metro ride 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 Santa Coloma de Gramenet as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Santa Coloma de Gramenet; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €766 a month
Compare with Santa Coloma de Gramenet70 m²: €794 a month
Compare with Santa Coloma de Gramenet70 m²: €958 a month
Compare with Santa Coloma de Gramenet70 m²: €703 a month
Compare with Santa Coloma de Gramenet70 m²: €896 a month
Compare with Santa Coloma de Gramenet70 m²: €712 a month
Compare with Santa Coloma de GramenetGuide 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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