City · Cataluña · All places
A Roman amphitheatre above the beach, human towers in the squares and a calmer, cheaper neighbour to Barcelona.
Tarragona is a port city on the Costa Daurada, south-west of Barcelona. It sits on a hill above the sea, with a Roman amphitheatre looking out over the water, a medieval cathedral at the top of the old town and a long city beach below. Its Roman remains make up a World Heritage site, and they are part of everyday scenery rather than a museum.
It is a mid-sized, relaxed city, about an hour or so from Barcelona by train and close to resort beaches and a major theme park. It is cheaper and calmer than the capital and has a strong local identity. It also hosts a large port and petrochemical complex, which shapes the economy and the edges of the city.
The city has 143,649 residents (2025), and residents born abroad make up 27.3% (2025). It suits people who want sea, history and a slower pace, and are happy to live in Catalan or Spanish.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Tarragona stands out for connectivity, prosperity and transport; it is weaker on safety and digital. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €525 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Tarragona’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
A large international and graduate population means English is common at work, in cafés and among neighbours. 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.
New leases cost about 19% more than what sitting tenants pay, so the averages you read understate what a newcomer will pay. Good flats go fast.
Summer nights stay warm, so sleep depends on a cooled bedroom. Check for air-conditioning before you sign.
Thefts without violence happen 1.6 times as often as in the typical Spanish city. Keep phones and bags close in busy areas and on public transport.
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.
Non-urgent surgery takes longer than in most of Spain (Cataluña-wide figure). Many residents add private health insurance.
Fish at El Serrallo, romesco and calçots in winter, and rice dishes by the sea.
Slow, sunny and unpretentious, with a long evening stroll on the Rambla Nova.
Terraces in the Part Alta and bars around the Plaça de la Font, calmer than Barcelona and quieter on weeknights.
The walled Part Alta is the old town, the Part Baixa is the shopping grid, outer districts are working-class.
Catalan is the language of daily life and school, with Spanish understood by everyone.
Santa Tecla in September, the Roman festival in May and the castells competition every second year.
Beaches under the amphitheatre, coastal paths, sailing from the Real Club Nàutic and Priorat hills inland.
Tarragona is light, sunny and unpretentious. People walk the Rambla Nova, a wide boulevard that ends at the Balcó del Mediterrani, a lookout over the sea, and meet on terraces. The Part Alta, the walled old town, is quiet and handsome in the evening, with small squares, cathedral steps and bars. The amphitheatre sits between the old town and the beach, which is why it is the first place residents take visitors.
The city is known for its castells, the human towers that teams build by climbing on each other's shoulders. They are a point of local pride and recognised by UNESCO. The biggest event is Santa Tecla in September, with parades of giants, fire-breathing beasts and a lot of noise. The Roman history festival in May turns the ruins into a stage.
El Serrallo, the fishing quarter, serves the freshest fish, often the day it was landed. Further out, the beaches of Salou, the wine villages of the Priorat and the Ebro delta give plenty of weekend choices. Locals are friendly and proud, and live at a calmer pace than in Barcelona.
Tarragona was Tarraco, the capital of a large Roman province and one of the main ports and administrative centres of the whole peninsula. The theatre, the amphitheatre and the circus were built for a big population, and sections of the Roman walls still run through the old town. After Rome it declined and became a church city, and it only grew again with the port and the railway.
Today the economy depends on the port, the chemical industry, logistics, a university and tourism fed by the beaches of the Costa Daurada. Salaries in industry are decent but the office job market is narrow, and unemployment is 11.6% (2025). Household income per person is €16,536 a year (2024).
Housing is cheaper than in Barcelona, although it has risen as people from the capital move south for space. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €525 a month (2024), and buying costs €1,851 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out average against similar places.
Safety is the honest weak spot. Recorded crime is 68.5 per 1,000 people (2024), and the city comes out below average on safety. Most of it is theft and robbery in the centre and the port districts, and violent crime is rare. Healthcare comes out average, with a large public hospital and a university medical school.
Figures for Tarragona itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Tarragona data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Connectivity is above average: in the top quarter of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 8.60 km — better than 70% of major European cities
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Distance to the main airportTarragona · 2026-10-21 | 8.60 km | better than 70% of major European cities |
Prosperity is above average: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 16,536 € a year per person — better than 70% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Household income per personTarragona · 2024 | 16,536 € a year per person | better than 70% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is above average: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Commute by car: 55.3% — better than 73% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 69 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)Tarragona · 2021 | 36.2 minutes | better than 72% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carTarragona · 2021 | 55.3% | better than 73% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportTarragona · 2021 | 15.1% | better than 62% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is above average: in the top quarter of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 127 days a year — better than 92% of major European cities
Above average: 65 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)Tarragona · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 127 days a year | better than 92% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CTarragona · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.10 days a year | better than 73% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CTarragona · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 97.1 nights a year | better than 3% of major European cities |
Housing is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
House prices, change in a year: 11.7% — better than 75% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 56 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Tarragona · 2024 | 7.50 €/m² a month | better than 51% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearTarragona · 2024 | 3.40% | better than 43% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Tarragona · 2026-Q2 | 1,851 €/m² | better than 68% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsTarragona · 2024 | 4.66% | better than 53% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearTarragona · 2026-Q2 | 11.7% | better than 75% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment, change in a year: -1.56 points — better than 75% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentTarragona · 2025 | 11.6% | better than 41% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearTarragona · 2025 | -1.56 points | better than 75% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Healthcare is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 83.5 years — better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 54 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyTarragona · 2023 | 83.5 years | better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is below average: behind most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes with fibre to the door: 96.4% — worse than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 37 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 internetTarragona · 2025 | 96.7% | better than 23% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorTarragona · 2025 | 96.4% | better than 13% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageTarragona · 2025 | 100% | better than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Recorded crime: 68.5 per 1,000 people — worse than 86% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 32 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesTarragona · 2025 | 0.00 per 100k people | better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeTarragona · 2024 | 68.5 per 1,000 people | better than 14% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesTarragona · 2025 | 204 per 100k people | better than 14% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesTarragona · 2025 | 166 per 100k people | better than 20% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesTarragona · 2024 | 0.48 per 1,000 people | better than 37% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsTarragona · 2025 | 1,927 per 100k people | better than 16% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsTarragona · 2025 | 116 per 100k people | better than 19% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
What we cannot score for Tarragona yet
Highs around 29° in August, lows around 8° in January. 127 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C). 97 warm nights above 20 °C: check for air-conditioning.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.3°C | 7.6°C | 32 mm |
| February | 14.3°C | 8.6°C | 24 mm |
| March | 15.7°C | 9.9°C | 42 mm |
| April | 17.4°C | 11.9°C | 50 mm |
| May | 21.1°C | 15.3°C | 35 mm |
| June | 25.2°C | 19.9°C | 33 mm |
| July | 28.3°C | 23.0°C | 21 mm |
| August | 28.6°C | 23.6°C | 39 mm |
| September | 25.6°C | 20.6°C | 53 mm |
| October | 22.0°C | 17.2°C | 67 mm |
| November | 17.5°C | 12.3°C | 57 mm |
| December | 14.9°C | 9.7°C | 22 mm |
Tarragona has a mild Mediterranean climate. Winters are mild and bright, and frost is unknown 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, the sticky kind that make sleeping hard, number 97 a year (2015–2024).
Rain falls mostly in short, heavy autumn storms, and the city gets 475 mm a year (2015–2024). A strong north-west wind sometimes blows in winter and spring. It is a year-round city: summer is for the beach, spring and autumn for walking and festivals, and winter is among the mildest in Catalonia. Fans or air conditioning matter in July and August.
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71/100 · above average · 26th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
11.6% in 2025
11.7% in Q2 2026
€7.5 per m² a month in 2024
€1,851 per m² in Q2 2026
83.5 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Tarragona. 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.
Roman ruins, castells, festivals and Catalan culture make a strong small-city scene, with Barcelona an hour away.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
A very active coast: beaches, sailing, cycling and walking, with climbing and wine country inland.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Jobs in industry, logistics, tourism and the port at fair pay, and a quieter scene than Barcelona.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
A well-regarded public university with a sunny, cheap and sociable city around it.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Port, logistics and tourism offer openings at costs below Barcelona, though the local market is small.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
Mild winters, a beach in the city and a train to Barcelona, with a good teaching hospital close to the centre.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Pleasant but not especially luxurious, since the better-served addresses are in the Barcelona area.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Cheaper than Barcelona with a train, a nearby airport and sunshine, though the remote-work community is small.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
Cheaper than Barcelona and the northern coast, with good trains, though unemployment is on the high side.
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, Price level vs EU average.
Beaches, parks and a calm pace suit children, but crime and housing are the questions, and school lessons are mostly in Catalan.
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 dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Tarragona as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Tarragona; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €766 a month
Compare with Tarragona70 m²: €794 a month
Compare with Tarragona70 m²: €958 a month
Compare with Tarragona70 m²: €703 a month
Compare with Tarragona70 m²: €896 a month
Compare with Tarragona70 m²: €712 a month
Compare with TarragonaGuide 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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