Region · Spain

Living in Catalonia

Catalonia sits between Spain's extremes on climate: winters near 8°C, summer highs around 29.1°C, and roughly 60 rainy days a year. Summer water stress reads WEI+ 57 against a national 56.

On the wallet: homes run about €2,532/m² (25% above the national average (€2,024/m²)); median net income is about €15,813 per person (11% above the national average (€14,279)).

Public healthcare here means a mean surgical wait around 142 days (38% above the national average (103 days)), with 32% of the surgical list waiting over six months — a real, published number, not a brochure claim.

We publish 44 of Catalonia's 947 municipalities in depth so far — the ones with a full guide portrait to sit alongside the numbers, weighted toward the milder-summer north. Every figure below is shown against the national reference, gaps included.

Schools PISA science 477 — 12 points below the national average (489)

Surgery wait 142 days — 38% above the national average (103 days)

Homes €2,532/m² — 25% above the national average (€2,024/m²)

The numbers for Catalonia

Region-level data, each figure against the national reference. Where a figure is a comunidad-autónoma reading rather than a town measurement, we say so under the card.

Climate

Winter average: 8.0°C 0.3 °C above the national average (7.8°C)
Summer high: 29.1°C 1 °C below the national average (30.2°C)
Rainy days a year: 60 days 12% below the national average (69 days)
Sunshine: 7.2 h/day about the national average (7.2 h/day)
Summer water stress (WEI+): 57 about the national average (56)

Aggregated from the region's municipalities (AEMET/derived); summer water stress is a river-basin (WEI+) reading.

Schools

PISA maths: 469 10 points below the national average (479)
PISA reading: 462 16 points below the national average (478)
PISA science: 477 12 points below the national average (489)

PISA 2022, reported per comunidad autónoma (INEE). National reference = the mean across the 17 comunidades.

Healthcare

Surgical wait: 142 days 38% above the national average (103 days)
Waiting over 6 months: 32.0% 15.3 pts above the national average (16.6%)
Specialist consult wait: 120 days 26% above the national average (95 days)

Public waiting lists, SISLE-SNS Dic 2025 (2025-12-31), per comunidad autónoma.

Cost & economy

Median net income / person: €15,813 11% above the national average (€14,279)
Median home price: €2,532/m² 25% above the national average (€2,024/m²)

Median across the region's municipalities (INE net income; Catastro-derived sale price).

Who lives here

Born in Spain: 85.0% 3.8 pts below the national average (88.8%)
Born elsewhere in EU/UK: 4.0% 0.2 pts above the national average (3.8%)

Share of residents by place of birth, averaged across the region's municipalities (INE).

Tax posture

Wealth tax: Real wealth-tax bills — Catalonia levies its own Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio with no blanket rebate.

Among the regions where a wealth-tax bill is a genuine cost, in contrast to Madrid/Andalucía/Galicia. Source: REAF Panorama de la Fiscalidad Autonómica y Foral 2025 (Consejo General de Economistas). General posture, not personal tax advice — thresholds and reliefs change and depend on your circumstances.

Town profiles in Catalonia

We profile 44 of Catalonia's 947 municipalities in depth — numbers plus an honest portrait. More as we cover them.

Is Catalonia right for you?

These are Catalonia's regional numbers. Whether it fits you depends on your priorities — winter sun or mild summers, short medical waits, a city or a village, an easy flight home. The 3-minute quiz scores every one of Spain's 8,132 municipalities on what you care about, Catalonia included.

Take the quiz — rank Catalonia for you →

Overview