Which cities in Spain have the best quality of life?

MALAGA, Valencia and Alicante beat Madrid and Barcelona for quality of life when it comes to the best cities to live in Spain.

In a recent survey by the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU), 15 of Spain’s largest cities were compared, including everything from cost of living to education and health services, leisure, culture, employment and more. 

Coming out on top was the Galician city of Vigo, with 70%, scoring highly in safety, cleanliness, education, environment and pollution – an all round favourite place to live. Just behind Vigo is Zaragoza and Bilbao at 69%.

Sitting in the middle is Malaga, with 66%, followed by Valencia (65%) and Alicate (64%), with an average score across the board.

Slipping into the 50’s is Murcia, Palma and Barcelona, with Madrid sitting in last place. Palma, specifically, was called out for its low education offer, while Barcelona and Madrid were seen as the worst cities for pollution, as well as their lack of culture, sports and leisure offerings.

• READ ALSO:
• Barrios of Estepona: Where to live in the Costa del Sol’s ‘Garden City’
• NOT BAD: Valencia claims mid-table slot on list of Spanish cities for quality of life according to resident survey
• Number of young Brits looking to move to Spain soars by nearly 500%