Living in Tarragona: a complete guide

Living in Tarragona means enjoying a calm daily life with every service close at hand, an affordable cost of living and property prices, and the countless pleasures of a rich culture.

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Tarragona: history and geography of a Catalan beauty

Geography of Tarragona

Tarragona is the capital of the province of the same name and of the Tarragonès district. It is a port city in Catalonia, in north-eastern Spain, on the Costa Daurada. Its clear-water beaches, Mediterranean climate and history make it one of the country's major tourist attractions. A real advantage: it is only an hour's drive from Barcelona, the country's second-largest city.

Key dates in Tarragona's history

Founded by the Romans as Tarraco, the city was one of the capitals of Roman Hispania. Its strategic and commercial importance made it a nerve centre of the Empire. Here are the key dates:

 
• 218 BC: the Romans found Tarraco, the start of an era of prosperity;
 
• 1118: Christians retake Tarragona during the Reconquista, a decisive event that transformed the city's social and urban structure;
 
• 2000: Tarragona's archaeological remains are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, raising the city's profile in Spain and abroad.

More recently, Tarragona has also become a major draw for foreigners who want to settle in Spain.

Living in Tarragona: a pleasant daily life

Living in Tarragona means enjoying an idyllic setting on the Mediterranean coast. The city is beautiful, the climate is mild, and its historic heritage delights thousands of tourists (and not only them!) every weekend, as do its beaches, sunny all year round.

With a total population of just over 132,000, Tarragona is a mid-sized city with a full network of public and private services and good connections to neighbouring towns. It offers all the advantages of a provincial capital without the overcrowding of other Catalan cities, starting with Barcelona. As we said, Gaudí's city is only an hour away, a little further north, which does a lot for Tarragona's vitality.

Just over 139,000 foreign nationals have chosen to live in Tarragona province, according to the latest census figures on the website of Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE). This small seaside city also wins them over with its affordable cost of living, much lower than in the big cities, as we will see.

Quality of life in Tarragona: the figures

Tarragona is known for its excellent quality of life. There is plenty to do: days at the beach, museums, walks along the Rambla Nova, visits to the Roman ruins and tastings of delicious local specialities ( calçotada, a kind of onion barbecue, escalivada, a tapa of grilled vegetables, or fideuà, a kind of noodle paella, etc.), but it has other strengths too.

The Numbeo barometer, which tracks quality of life in thousands of places around the world, gives Tarragona an index of just over 184. To put this in context, the highest index on this crowd-sourced platform is 222, held by The Hague.

So the Catalan city ranks very well. Here is what to remember about quality of life if you want to live in Tarragona with your family or in retirement:

 
• Purchasing power index: 108;
 
• Safety index: close to 70;
 
• Health index: 74.5;
 
• Climate index: 93;
 
• Cost of living index: 48;
 
• Commute time index: 12.5;
 
• Pollution index: 58.

Living in Tarragona also means leaving behind the stress, traffic jams and pollution of big cities, which is no small thing.

Living in Tarragona: how much does it cost?

As for the budget you need to live in Tarragona, here are some useful figures from the specialist website Numbeo:

 
• A restaurant meal costs €13.50 on average;
 
• A kilo of potatoes costs €1.20;
 
• A one-litre bottle of water costs 64 cents on average;
 
• A transport ticket costs €1.50, and a monthly pass €25;
 
• You will pay just under €130/month in basic bills for an 85 m² flat;
 
• Allow just under €1,000/month in rent for a large 100 m² flat.

On €1,500/month, you can live quite comfortably in Tarragona, without restrictions.

Main infrastructure

 
• The port of Tarragona is one of the largest in Catalonia: 33 million tonnes of goods passed through it in 2023.
 
• The city has the largest petrochemical complex in Spain.
 
• The Rovira i Virgili University is recognised as the International Campus of Excellence of Southern Catalonia (CEICS) by Spain's Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport.
 
• The city's transport system is fairly complete. It has more than 15 daytime bus lines and four night lines, a RENFE station, a high-speed station served by AVE and Trenhotel trains, and an airport with domestic and international flights: Reus-Tarragona airport.
 
• The Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII is a public hospital that treats residents and foreigners alike. To find out more about healthcare, read our guide: “Healthcare in Spain: how the system works for expats”.
 
• International schools: this is a strong point, as Tarragona is well served. There is a well-regarded British school.”.

What is there to see and do in Tarragona?

In 2023, Tarragona welcomed 510,000 tourists, most of them lovers of history and beaches, of course.

Unmissable sights

 
• The Tarraco archaeological ensemble: UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 2000.
 
• Tarragona Cathedral: this splendid Gothic cathedral was built on the ruins of a Roman temple. A must for lovers of architecture and history.
 
• The Roman circus: another impressive relic of Roman times. Tarragona's Roman circus once hosted chariot races, and you can still admire part of its structure and its underground passages today.
 
• The Balcón del Mediterráneo: at the end of Tarragona's Rambla Nova, this viewpoint offers a stunning view of the Mediterranean and the surrounding beaches.
 
• Tarragona's amphitheatre: it is spectacular! Built in the 2nd century, it hosted gladiator fights and could hold up to 15,000 spectators. It faces the sea in a breathtaking setting.
 
• The Roman walls: part of the original Roman fortifications still stands today, a fascinating glimpse of Roman engineering in antiquity.

 Caption: Tarragona amphitheatre  

Source: Unsplash

For more information on Tarragona's must-see sights, visit the official website of the Tarragona Tourist Office.

Tarragona's beaches

The Costa Daurada is a spectacular 92-kilometre coastline that alternates long beaches of pale sand with beautiful coves of crystal-clear water. The Alveo Search team shares its top 5 beaches around Tarragona:

 
• Playa del Miracle: close to the city centre, this beach is ideal for a morning jog or an evening stroll. Its facilities are perfect for children;
 
• Playa de la Arrabassada: 550 metres long with a relaxed feel, perfect for families and water sports fans;
 
• Playa de la Savinosa: a hidden gem with unspoilt natural scenery and a peaceful atmosphere;
 
• Cala Forn: the Balearics 40 minutes' drive from Tarragona! Not to be missed;
 
• El Vendrell: a vast stretch of sand that received its Blue Flag in 1988.

Living in Tarragona: how much does property cost?

If you are looking for a flat or a house to live in Tarragona, the local property market is attractive, with opportunities for every budget. The average price per square metre is €2,030, but there are opportunities at lower prices. Bear in mind that in this Mediterranean city, the property price-to-income ratio is very low: 4.70.

According to Idealista, Spain's leading property portal, the cheapest neighbourhood to buy in is Barris Marítims, the beach area (€1,730/m²). The most expensive is Urbanitzacions de Llevant, at just over €2,300/m² (it covers most of the east of the city).

If you are curious about life in Tarragona, you may also like these articles:

 
• Living in Barcelona: the complete guide;
 
• Living in Valencia: the complete guide;
 
• Living in Alicante: the complete guide;
 
• Living on the Costa del Sol: the complete guide.

All these areas are on the Mediterranean coast and offer a very pleasant quality of life, so read these articles carefully before you choose. And to know what to expect if you are about to change your life and settle in Spain, we have written a guide covering all the key points: “Moving to Spain from the UK or US: the complete guide”.

As you will have gathered, choosing to live in Tarragona is about more than a peaceful, sunny life. The city has a lot to offer: a journey through history, a very good quality of life, good infrastructure and an attractive property market for anyone who wants to settle in Spain, invest there or buy a second home in Tarragona. So why not make Tarragona your next home?