Spain’s best and worst regions for quality of life revealed in latest INE ranking

Where you live in Spain can make a difference to your quality of life, according to newly published figures placing Navarra at the top of the regional table. For residents on the Costas, the results offer a comparison: the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community score above the national average, while Murcia, Andalucía and the Canary Islands sit below it.

The findings come from Spain’s National Statistics Institute, the INE, which published its latest Multidimensional Quality of Life Indicator on Friday, October 23. The results refer to 2025, rather than measuring conditions throughout 2026.

According to the official INE release, Spain’s overall score increased slightly to 101.74 points, compared with 101.43 the previous year. However, the national figure conceals differences between regions and between the various aspects of daily life included in the assessment.

For anyone already living in Spain, or considering a move, the ranking provides useful context. Understanding what it measures is essential before treating it as a guide to where to settle.

Which Spanish regions rank highest for quality of life?

Navarra leads the table with 105.43 points, followed by La Rioja on 104.30 and the Basque Country on 104.12. Aragón takes fourth place, ahead of the Balearic Islands.

Among regions particularly familiar to international residents, the Balearics score 103.54, while the Valencian Community records 102.74. Both exceed the Spanish average.

Catalonia scores 101.45 and the Region of Murcia 100.64. Andalucía records 99.85, followed by the Canary Islands on 99.40, making them the two lowest-scoring autonomous communities.

The distinction between communities and cities matters here. Ceuta and Melilla score lower still, at 98.33 and 98.39 respectively, but are autonomous cities rather than members of Spain’s 17-community regional table.

These are regional averages. The Andalusian result covers the whole community, including its inland provinces, and does not give Málaga, Marbella or the Costa del Sol an individual score.

Similarly, the Valencian figure covers Alicante, Valencia and Castellón. It cannot establish that every Costa Blanca town offers the same living conditions, or directly rank Torrevieja against Fuengirola.

That geographical limitation matters for readers comparing places to live. A regional result is a starting point for asking more specific questions about a neighbourhood, rather than a substitute for examining it.

What does Spain’s quality of life index measure?

The indicator looks beyond income to consider several aspects of wellbeing. The INE describes it as an experimental statistical measure, designed to develop a broader picture of people’s lives.

Its methodological explanation sets out 55 indicators grouped into nine dimensions. These cover material living conditions, employment, health, education, leisure and social relationships, personal safety, governance and basic rights, the environment, and general experience of life.

The dimensions receive equal weight by default when combined into the overall index. This means the headline result brings together issues that individual readers may value differently.

A family looking for schools and employment may have different priorities from a retired couple focused on healthcare, social connections and their surroundings. Neither household’s experience can be fully represented by one number.

The scores are also index values, not marks out of 100 or percentages of satisfied residents. A figure above 100 should not be read as a satisfaction rating.

The INE’s interactive tools allow users to explore the results and adjust the importance assigned to different dimensions. That offers a more personal way to examine the information than simply choosing whichever region finishes first.

What do the results mean for people living on the Costas?

For EWN readers, the strongest use of the ranking is to put familiar regions into a wider national context.

It can prompt useful questions when planning a move: how accessible are local services, what employment is available, and how easy would it be to maintain social connections? Those questions require local research alongside the regional figures.

The index does not specifically rank British retirees, foreign homeowners or holidaymakers. Nor should it be confused with commercial surveys of attractive destinations or polls asking people how happy they feel.

A lower regional position does not mean every resident has a poor quality of life. Equally, a high position cannot guarantee an affordable home, a suitable job or the right services in a particular town.

Anyone comparing regions should therefore keep the headline figures alongside their own circumstances. Housing, transport, language, family ties and everyday routines can all shape whether a location works for them.

The latest INE publication provides a broader evidence base for that comparison. For prospective movers, its practical value lies in helping identify what to investigate before committing to a new home.