Living in San Sebastián
In San Sebastián, rents across existing tenancies average €14.50 per m² a month (2024) and unemployment is 5.5% (2024).
San Sebastián (locally: Donostia) is a city in Spain. A monthly estimate placed internet service at €30 in July 2026. A monthly estimate placed basic utilities for an 85 m² home at €119 in July 2026. Gigabit broadband availability was 99.3% in 2025. Monthly mean temperatures were 8.6°C in January and 19.1°C in July. At the start of 2025, San Sebastián had a population of 189,866.
Pricier rent than any other Spanish city that publishes it, higher unemployment than 71% of Spanish cities that publish it and more recorded crime than 85% of Spanish cities that publish it.
Which Spain-wide rules apply when you move to San Sebastián?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
How much does it cost to rent in Donostia/San Sebastián?
Average net cold rent is 14.5 EUR/m² per month (2024), excluding heating and operating charges.
Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.
- Average net rent (nettokalt): 14.5 EUR/m²/month · es.eustat.eus8
Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness club membership, monthly | 38.25 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian34Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 29.8 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian34Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Private kindergarten, monthly | 400 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian34Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 18.5 EUR | 31 Jul 2026 | Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian34Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 25 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian34Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² home | 118.6 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian34Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Dwellings | 94,734 dwellings | 31 Dec 2021 | Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain16Official |
| Main residence dwellings | 79,335 dwellings | 31 Dec 2021 | Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain16Official |
| Secondary, seasonal or vacant dwellings | 15,402 dwellings | 31 Dec 2021 | Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain16Official |
| Average net rent (nettokalt) | 14.5 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €5.10 | 31 Dec 2024 | es.eustat.eus8Official |
| Official reference rent (median) | 966.8 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | SERPAVI — VDP001_01 — rental price and surface indicators by municipality22Official |
Is San Sebastián a good place to live?
There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.
Worked out from these numbers
What does a 60 m² flat cost?
About 870 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 14.5 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.
Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.
Work and income
The unemployment rate was 5.5% in 2024.
What is the unemployment rate in Donostia/San Sebastián?
The unemployment rate is 5.5 % (2024). Source: INE Urban Indicators — unemployment rate by city10
San Sebastián 5.5%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gigabit broadband availability | 99.28 % | 30 Jun 2025 | SETELECO Cobertura Banda Ancha España 2021-202523Official |
| People in employment | 78,642 people | 31 Dec 2021 | Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain16Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 2,659 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)12Official · regional context |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5 %country median 4.4% | 31 Dec 2024 | INE Urban Indicators — unemployment rate by city10Official |
What does a salary buy in San Sebastián?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentUtilitiesInternetMobileLeft over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
| Each month | € |
|---|---|
| Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions. | €2,041 |
| Rent, 60 m²€14.50/m² · official · es.eustat.eus · 2024-12-31 | − €870 |
| Public transport passnot published for this city | — |
| Utilities, 85 m²€119 · market price · Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian · 2026-07-31 | − €119 |
| Internet€30 · market price · Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian · 2026-07-31 | − €30 |
| Mobile plan€25 · market price · Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian · 2026-07-31 | − €25 |
| Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish | €997 |
Public employment service
No exact public employment office is currently linked to San Sebastián. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.
Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal — Public employment service
Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in San Sebastián. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.
Healthcare
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital beds per 100,000 residents | 772.6 beds per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | Ministerio de Sanidad – Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales 202517Official |
| Hospitals | 6 count | 31 Dec 2025 | Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales 202517Official |
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in San Sebastián under the national coverage rules.
Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.
Open the official coverage guideSafety
How safe is Donostia/San Sebastián?
Police recorded about 5,842 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: MIR 2024 Q4 exact III. TOTAL INFRACCIONES PENALES, enero-diciembre 2024; INE 29005 denominator.18
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglaries per 100,000 residents | 175.4 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | ES-MinInterior-1509012-2025Q47Official |
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 5,842 incidents per 100,000country median 4,281 | 31 Dec 2024 | MIR 2024 Q4 exact III. TOTAL INFRACCIONES PENALES, enero-diciembre 2024; INE 29005 denominator.18Official |
| Violent crime per 100,000 residents | 268.6 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | ES-MinInterior-1509012-2025Q47Official |
Mobility and administration
Language courses and integration
No exact city-level course record is currently published for San Sebastián. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.
Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas — public language education network — State Language Course
Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports / autonomous education authorities
For adult language learners, residents.
Climate and air quality
Monthly precipitation was 150.6 mm in January and 91.5 mm in July. Annual PM2.5 was 7.2 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.
Is the air quality good in Donostia/San Sebastián?
The annual PM2.5 mean is 7.2 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA City Trend — Spain 2024 PM2.5 provenance repair6
Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
hours
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
San Sebastián 7.2
Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| NO₂ — annual mean | 22 µg/m³ | 31 Dec 2024 | EEA air quality statistics — ES NO2 annual mean 2024 (station EASO)4Official · nearest-station reading |
| PM10 — annual mean | 17 µg/m³ | 31 Dec 2024 | EEA air quality statistics — ES PM10 annual mean 2024 (station EASO)5Official · nearest-station reading |
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 7.2 µg/m³country median 8.7 | 31 Dec 2024 | EEA City Trend — Spain 2024 PM2.5 provenance repair6Official |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan 11.2 · Feb 11.6 · Mar 13.7 · Apr 15.1 · May 18 · Jun 20.3 · Jul 22 · Aug 22.9 · Sep 21.2 · Oct 18.6 · Nov 14.1 · Dec 12 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | AEMET climate normal — mean monthly maximum air temperature, DONOSTIA / SAN SEBASTIÁN, IGELDO, 1991-20201Official |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan 6.1 · Feb 5.8 · Mar 7.5 · Apr 8.7 · May 11.3 · Jun 14.1 · Jul 16.2 · Aug 16.8 · Sep 14.8 · Oct 12.5 · Nov 8.8 · Dec 6.9 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | AEMET climate normal — mean monthly minimum air temperature, DONOSTIA / SAN SEBASTIÁN, IGELDO, 1991-20201Official |
| Average temperature by month | Jan 8.6 · Feb 8.8 · Mar 10.6 · Apr 11.9 · May 14.7 · Jun 17.2 · Jul 19.1 · Aug 19.9 · Sep 18 · Oct 15.6 · Nov 11.5 · Dec 9.4 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | AEMET climate normal — mean monthly air temperature, DONOSTIA / SAN SEBASTIÁN, IGELDO, 1991-20201Official |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 150.6 · Feb 124.5 · Mar 119.4 · Apr 126.1 · May 122.1 · Jun 95.9 · Jul 91.5 · Aug 109 · Sep 117.3 · Oct 155.1 · Nov 202.3 · Dec 152.7 mm | 31 Dec 2020 | AEMET climate normal — mean monthly total precipitation, DONOSTIA / SAN SEBASTIÁN, IGELDO, 1991-20201Official |
| Average sunshine by month | Jan 3.1 · Feb 4 · Mar 4.9 · Apr 5.5 · May 6.2 · Jun 6.5 · Jul 6.6 · Aug 6.5 · Sep 6.2 · Oct 4.7 · Nov 3.4 · Dec 3.1 hours | 31 Dec 2020 | AEMET climate normal — mean monthly sunshine duration, DONOSTIA / SAN SEBASTIÁN, IGELDO, 1991-20201Official |
Population and city profile
How many people live in Donostia/San Sebastián?
The published population was 189,866 people in January 2025. Source: Donostia/San Sebastián - official stats3
By nationality
National passport90.2%
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| City area | 60.89 km² | 20 Oct 2025 | www.ign.es24Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 10.43 % | 31 Dec 2025 | Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE España)11Official |
| Foreign residents | 18,657 people | 1 Jan 2024 | Official INE municipal population by country of nationality; foreign total derived as Total nationality minus España.19Official |
| Female residents | 99,591 people | 31 Dec 2023 | Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)13Official |
| Male residents | 89,152 people | 31 Dec 2023 | Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)13Official |
| Population | 189,866 people | 1 Jan 2025 | Donostia/San Sebastián - official stats3Official |
Population rose 6.4% between 2001 and 2025, from 178,377 to 189,866.
Foreign residents rose 60.0% between 2010 and 2025, from 12,352 to 19,769.
International community in San Sebastián
Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.
Country of birth
Population resident in Spain; both sexes; official INE Census 2021 municipal table · 2021 Census
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 187,892 | 100.0% |
| Spain | 164,919 | 87.8% |
| South America | 7,531 | 4.0% |
| Central America and Caribbean | 5,923 | 3.2% |
| European Union (without Spain) | 3,280 | 1.7% |
| Africa | 2,133 | 1.1% |
| Rent of Europe | 1,685 | 0.9% |
| Asia | 1,500 | 0.8% |
| North America | 865 | 0.5% |
| Oceania | 56 | 0.0% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source14
Citizenship
Population resident in Spain; both sexes; official INE Census 2021 municipal table · 2021 Census
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 187,892 | 100.0% |
| Spanish | 172,257 | 91.7% |
| Central America and Caribbean | 4,568 | 2.4% |
| South America | 3,068 | 1.6% |
| European Union (without Spain) | 3,030 | 1.6% |
| Africa | 1,778 | 0.9% |
| Asia | 1,384 | 0.7% |
| Rent of Europe | 1,266 | 0.7% |
| North America | 498 | 0.3% |
| Oceania | 29 | 0.0% |
| Statelens | 14 | 0.0% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source15
Additional context
Alternatives for people set on San Sebastián
Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.
Errenteria as a San Sebastián alternative in the same region
7 km away, better on 3 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.
- Rent: €11.20/m² Errenteria vs €14.50/m² San Sebastián−23%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 4,442 Errenteria vs 5,842 San Sebastián−24%
- Residents: 39,363 Errenteria vs 189,866 San Sebastián−79%
- Nearest airport: 10.0 km Errenteria vs 15.8 km San Sebastián−37%
- Foreign residents: 10.1% Errenteria vs 10.4% San Sebastián−4%
- Median gross pay, region: €2,659 Errenteria vs €2,659 San Sebastiánsame level
Tallinn as a San Sebastián alternative in another country
A move, not a commute, at 2546 km, better on 3 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Rent and median gross pay, region cannot be compared like for like.
- Basic utilities, 85 m²: €280 Tallinn vs €119 San Sebastián+136%
- Annual PM2.5: 3.0 µg/m³ Tallinn vs 7.2 µg/m³ San Sebastián−58%
- Rent: €7.33/m² (2008) Tallinn vs €14.50/m² (2024) San Sebastiánno percentage
- Nearest airport: 5.6 km Tallinn vs 15.8 km San Sebastián−65%
- Median gross pay, region: €2,068 (2025) Tallinn vs €2,659 (2024) San Sebastiánno percentage
- A meal out: €15 Tallinn vs €19 San Sebastián−19%
Cities near San Sebastián
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
- Rent
- 11.2 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2024-12-31
- Rent
- 11.6 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2024-12-31
- Rent
- 10 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2024-12-31
- Rent
- 10.4 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2024-12-31
- Rent
- 11.2 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2024-12-31
- Rent
- 11 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2024-12-31
- Rent
- 9.8 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2024-12-31
- Rent
- 10.2 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2024-12-31
Alternative cities in Spain
Other cities in Spain to compare with San Sebastián, nearest in population first.
How does San Sebastián compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays San Sebastián's.
School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 6 to 16. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: Regional reception programmes (aulas de enlace Madrid / aules d acollida Catalonia etc). How to enrol a child (educacionfpydeportes.gob.es).
A country-wide rule for Spain; San Sebastián's school authority applies it locally.
Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
How many people live in Donostia/San Sebastián?
The published population was 189,866 people in January 2025. Source: Donostia/San Sebastián - official stats.
How much does it cost to rent in Donostia/San Sebastián?
Average net cold rent is 14.5 EUR/m² per month (2024), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 1,015 EUR a month before utilities. Source: es.eustat.eus.
Is the air quality good in Donostia/San Sebastián?
The annual PM2.5 mean is 7.2 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA City Trend — Spain 2024 PM2.5 provenance repair.
How safe is Donostia/San Sebastián?
Police recorded about 5,842 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: MIR 2024 Q4 exact III. TOTAL INFRACCIONES PENALES, enero-diciembre 2024; INE 29005 denominator..
What is the unemployment rate in Donostia/San Sebastián?
The unemployment rate is 5.5 % (2024). Source: INE Urban Indicators — unemployment rate by city.
What is the typical salary around San Sebastián?
The median gross salary is 2,659 EUR/month. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE).
Is San Sebastián a good place to live?
San Sebastián may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.
Which cities are near San Sebastián?
Pasaia, Astigarraga, Hernani, Lezo, Errenteria are near San Sebastián. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
How many people born in Spain live in San Sebastián?
The official country of birth distribution records 164,919 people (87.8%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.
Cite this page
Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.
APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). San Sebastián, Spain: population, rent, salary, jobs, safety [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 0dc94524276ba01f558e284adb4413ed]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/es/donostia-san-sebastian/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_san-sebastian-spain-population-rent-salary-jobs-safety_e49a2b05eb6c,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {San Sebastián, Spain: population, rent, salary, jobs, safety},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-16},
version = {0dc94524276ba01f558e284adb4413ed},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/es/donostia-san-sebastian/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[San Sebastián, Spain: population, rent, salary, jobs, safety](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/es/donostia-san-sebastian/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 0dc94524276ba01f558e284adb4413ed; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.
Sources
- AEMET climate normal — mean monthly maximum air temperature, DONOSTIA / SAN SEBASTIÁN, IGELDO, 1991-2020 AEMET climate normal · aemet.es · checked 2026-07-27
- Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales 2025 sanidad.gob.es · checked 2026-07-16
- Donostia/San Sebastián - official stats ine.es · checked 2026-07-14
- EEA air quality statistics — ES NO2 annual mean 2024 (station EASO) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
- EEA air quality statistics — ES PM10 annual mean 2024 (station EASO) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
- EEA City Trend — Spain 2024 PM2.5 provenance repair EEA City Trend · eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-29
- ES-MinInterior-1509012-2025Q4 estadisticasdecriminalidad.ses.mir.es · checked 2026-09-15
- es.eustat.eus es.eustat.eus · checked 2026-08-26
- GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
- INE Urban Indicators — unemployment rate by city INE Urban Indicators · servicios.ine.es · checked 2026-07-26
Show 24 more sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE España) ine.es · checked 2026-08-03
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) servicios.ine.es · checked 2026-08-06
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) ine.es · checked 2026-08-07
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Spain servicios.ine.es · checked 2026-08-30
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE), Spain servicios.ine.es · checked 2026-08-30
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Spain ine.es · checked 2026-08-07
- Ministerio de Sanidad – Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales 2025 sanidad.gob.es · checked 2026-08-03
- MIR 2024 Q4 exact III. TOTAL INFRACCIONES PENALES, enero-diciembre 2024; INE 29005 denominator. estadisticasdecriminalidad.ses.mir.es · checked 2026-07-16
- Official INE municipal population by country of nationality; foreign total derived as Total nationality minus España. ine.es · checked 2024-01-01
- OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
- OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
- SERPAVI — VDP001_01 — rental price and surface indicators by municipality SERPAVI · cdn.mivau.gob.es · checked 2026-09-12
- SETELECO Cobertura Banda Ancha España 2021-2025 digital.gob.es · checked 2025-06-30
- www.ign.es ign.es · checked 2026-08-30
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Cost of Living in San Sebastian. Jun 2026. Prices in San Sebastian numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.