Best Spanish Cities to Live: Soria, Oviedo or the Coast

Best Spanish Cities to Live: Soria, Oviedo or the Coast

Leaving one's hometown to move elsewhere in Spain is a decision increasingly considered by many. The core question is straightforward: considering what each person desires in an ideal city, which is the best place in Spain to live for the rest of their life? As expected, there is no single answer. Some prefer urban centers with full services, while others argue that quality of life lies in small towns, away from crowds.

The discussion starts with a clear premise: the dream city can be a major metropolis or a village of fewer than 50 inhabitants. There are no fixed conditions. This opens up a range stretching from the Mediterranean coast to 'Empty Spain' (rural depopulated areas), passing through rainy northern regions and the Castilian interior.

The North: Oviedo, Santander and Employment Issues

One frequently cited trend points north. Oviedo appears as a somewhat small city but with all services, clean and well-maintained, offering a climate that avoids the stifling heat of the Mediterranean. The problem, they note, is the lack of jobs. In Asturias, as in much of the north, unemployment is the main brake. Some argue that Oviedo and Avilés rely heavily on public sector employment: an aging population, retirees with high pensions, and oversized regional and municipal administrations. The result is a comfortable city for those who do not need to work, but difficult for job seekers.

Santander also receives praise. It is described as the best city in Spain, slightly provincial, but this suits it. The Val d'Aran, on the French border, is another desired location. In all these cases, gray and rainy weather is the price paid for tranquility.

The Mediterranean: Heat, Tourism and Prices

At the other extreme, the Mediterranean coast concentrates preferences for those prioritizing climate and sea. Alicante, Castellón, Almería, Cádiz or Córdoba appear on the list. Castellón stands out for having both sea and mountains, located next to Valencia. Jávea or Mallorca are liked, but only with significant financial resources; without them, the experience changes radically.

The coastal issue is twofold. First, the heat: some describe coastal towns north of Barcelona as ovens from late May to late September, with children playing in schoolyard shade or soaking in fountains. Second, tourism: tourist villages are wonderful off-season, but become unbearable in summer. Populations from Madrid, Seville and Málaga crowd the same streets.

'Empty Spain': Soria, Zamora, Cuenca

Opposing the coast and capitals, some participants defend provinces losing population. Soria, Zamora, Palencia, Logroño, Cuenca, Guadalajara and Cáceres appear as places with higher quality of life, precisely due to lack of overcrowding. The argument is that infrastructure in these provinces does not burn out from saturation, streets are not unpleasant, and services, though limited, do not collapse.

Soria has one problem: cold. Zamora, however, receives praise from someone who moved from the Basque Country, stating things are going very well so far. 'Empty Spain' is not just about price: it is a bet on a slower pace of life, with fewer people and less rush. The cost is a lack of job opportunities and, in many cases, depopulation.

Work Factor: Remote Work and Hospitality

A repeated conclusion is that the ideal city depends on work. If one does not need to work, the coast wins. If dependent on employment, options drastically reduce. In coastal areas, work is limited to hospitality and cleaning. In the north, it is mostly public sector. Remote work emerges as the only way to combine a quiet place with a stable salary.

Some propose a sabbatical year in a village, setting aside career pogre, while others recall that age, assets and resume condition any move. The question is not just where to live, but how to sustain oneself.

The Case of Huelva: Empty Beaches and €400 Rents

One of the most concrete testimonials comes from a tourist town on the Huelva coast. The writer claims to have fled the Basque Country and lives in a place where the beach is empty, the promenade for running is too, and their residential area has total silence. Rent: €400. They describe it as paradise. A nuance comes from another participant who lived three years in Isla Cristina: good place, food is excellent, but things change in summer.

Huelva and Cádiz are also championed for their greenery. Some argue that parts of Huelva and especially Cádiz have more vegetation than people assume given their southern location. A chalet in a pine forest next to the beach exists and is not expensive, although another voice warns that many such houses are on rural land, without utilities and sometimes outside planning regulations.

Climate as Decisive Factor

Climate is likely the most divisive factor. Those living in northern Galicia complain of rain, humidity and cold, with three-quarters of the year cloudy, seeking dry climate, light and good temperatures. Those on the north Barcelona coast say they are ill-adapted to scorching heat almost half the year. The exchange is perfect: one wants to go to the Mediterranean, the other to the north.

The result is that there is no perfect city, but as many as profiles. The coast offers climate and sea in exchange for heat, tourism and prices. The north offers tranquility and services in exchange for rain and lack of jobs. 'Empty Spain' offers space and low prices in exchange for solitude and limited services. Ultimately, the decision depends on what each person is willing to sacrifice.

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With these factors, internal migration should be massive. It remains marginal. No one fully explains why.