Where in Spain Should You Move? Andalusia and the Canary Islands Compared

In short: There is no best region, only the one that suits your life. Andalusia offers the mainland, big cities and real seasons, the Canary Islands mild weather all year round. Three questions are decisive: how do you earn your money, how much city do you need and how well do you cope with heat?

Find your place with sliders

Set the sliders according to how important climate, costs, beach, city life and work are to you. The place finder instantly shows you which place in Andalusia or the Canary Islands suits you best.

Andalusia or the Canary Islands: what sets the regions apart?

Andalusia is the mainland: you can reach other cities by car or train, you get hot summers and cool winters and a larger job market. The Canary Islands are islands in the Atlantic with an even climate, their own consumption tax and a one-hour time difference to the mainland. Trips to Germany or Austria from there always go via the airport.

The rent figures are asking prices from listings, not signed contracts. What the islands’ special tax means for the self-employed is explained under IGIC, REPEP and ZEC.

Andalusia: which city and which coast suits you?

In Andalusia, the interior and the coast are worlds apart, in climate as well as in prices. Here are the places one by one, each with what is good and what is annoying.

Granada

A university city at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and, at 10.8 € per m², one of the cheapest big cities in Andalusia. Lots of young life, short distances, a ski resort and mountains on your doorstep. The downsides: summer is hot (an average maximum of almost 35 °C in July), winter is noticeably cold, the sea is not on your doorstep and the job market is small.

Málaga

The most international city in Andalusia: a large airport, high-speed trains to Madrid, many employers and a large international community. On the coast the climate is milder than inland (around 31 °C in high summer). The price for that is meant literally: 16.5 € per m², and good apartments go fast.

Seville

The regional capital, a big city with plenty of culture, administration and jobs. Rent is 13.4 € per m². In July and August it gets very hot at around 36 °C, and many locals leave the city then. No beach nearby.

Cádiz and the Costa de la Luz

The Atlantic, long sandy beaches and a more relaxed, very Spanish way of life. In Cádiz you pay 12.4 € per m², in Chiclana 11.8 € and in Jerez 10.6 €. On the other hand, it is often windy, very quiet in winter and crowded in August. Jobs are mainly seasonal.

Almería

The driest and cheapest corner: 9.4 € per m² in the city, 9.2 € in Roquetas de Mar. Lots of sun, little rain, less hustle and bustle. The flip side is fewer jobs, fewer flight connections and less choice in culture and shopping.

Costa Tropical

The coast of the province of Granada around Almuñécar (11.5 € per m²) and Motril (8.3 € per m²). A mild climate, quieter and cheaper than the Costa del Sol, with Granada and the mountains close by. On the other hand, the job market is small and some bars and restaurants close in winter.

Costa del Sol

From Torremolinos (17.9 € per m²) via Fuengirola and Benalmádena (17.2 € each) to Estepona (21.1 €) and Marbella (23.6 €). This is where you will find the most German-language services, international schools and Málaga airport within reach. It is the most expensive coast in Andalusia, densely built up and crowded in summer. East of Málaga, Nerja, at 15.1 € per m², is smaller and quieter.

Canary Islands: which island suits you?

On the islands, the weather is the main argument: at Gran Canaria Airport the January average is 17.9 °C and the August maximum 27.5 °C. The difference lies less between the islands than between the north and south of a single island. You will find a detailed comparison of all the islands under Which Canary Island suits me?

Tenerife North

Santa Cruz (14.0 € per m²) and the university city of La Laguna (12.7 € per m²) are real cities with clinics, public offices and everyday life beyond tourism. The north is green, but also cloudier and more humid. In Puerto de la Cruz you pay 16.5 € per m².

Tenerife South

Adeje (19.0 € per m²) and Arona (18.9 € per m²) offer the most sun and plenty of jobs in tourism. On the other hand, rents are high, apartments are scarce and the surroundings are strongly geared towards holidaymakers. More on this: North or South Tenerife.

Gran Canaria

Las Palmas (14.6 € per m²) is the largest city in the Canary Islands, with a city beach, a university and many people who work remotely. The northeast is cloudier, the south sunnier and more expensive: in Mogán asking rents are 21.3 € per m², in San Bartolomé de Tirajana 21.1 €. You can live more cheaply in Telde at 11.6 € per m².

Fuerteventura

Beach, wind and wide open spaces, popular with surfers and kitesurfers. In La Oliva with Corralejo landlords ask 18.8 € per m², in the capital Puerto del Rosario 12.3 €. The job market is small, and so is the choice of apartments, doctors and schools.

Lanzarote

Volcanic landscape, little rain and a slow pace. Idealista’s rental report does not list individual municipalities for Lanzarote, so reliable rent figures are missing. Expect a tight housing market and allow more time for a specialist doctor, a public office or a flight home.

What does an apartment cost in the place you want to live?

The table projects the asking rent per m² onto a 70 m² apartment. This is our own projection for orientation. Small apartments are usually more expensive per m².

You can work out what comes on top for electricity, internet, food and transport under Cost of living in Spain. How to get the apartment is explained under Finding an apartment.

How do you make the decision?

Do not start with the most beautiful beach, start with your income. After that come everyday life and climate.

1. Income: If you need a local job, Málaga, Seville, Las Palmas and the south of Tenerife are the more realistic places. With a pension or laptop work, you are free to choose.
2. Everyday life: With children, school and a paediatrician matter; in retirement, a hospital and the airport. Small islands and coastal villages offer less here.
3. Climate: If you do not cope well with heat, test inland Andalusia in summer first.
4. Test: Rent somewhere for one to three months, once in summer and once in winter.

Once you have settled on a place, the roadmap continues here: Moving to Spain step by step.

All place profiles in detail

Rents, neighbourhoods, work, schools and honest downsides for every place:

• Andalusia at a glance
• Málaga and the Costa del Sol
• Granada
• Canary Islands at a glance
• Tenerife
• Gran Canaria
• Lanzarote
• Fuerteventura
• La Palma
• Tenerife or Gran Canaria?

Frequently asked questions

Cover image: Tuxyso · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0