Poverty and living standards in Catalonia, Spain: official figures
Disposable household income was 22,100 PPS per person in 2023; 4th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain.
How many people in Catalonia are at risk of poverty?
The share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 21.3% in 2025, against 25.7% for Spain; 13th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Catalonia cannot afford an unexpected expense?
34.2% of households in Catalonia could not meet an unexpected expense from their own resources in 2025, compared with 35.7% across Spain (9th highest of 19); in 2021 the figure was 32.5%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyWhat percentage of people in Catalonia cannot afford a holiday?
In 2025, 28.2% of households in Catalonia could not afford a week's holiday away from home once a year (Spain 31.5%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many homes in Catalonia cannot keep warm?
16.3% of households in Catalonia could not keep their home adequately warm in 2025, ranking 9th highest of 19 communities and cities (national 16.1%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many households in Catalonia are behind on rent or mortgage payments?
11.2% of households in Catalonia had fallen behind on mortgage, rent or utility payments for their main home in the 12 months before the 2025 survey, against 9.8% nationally.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many families in Catalonia cannot afford to eat meat or fish?
5.7% of households in Catalonia could not afford a meal with meat, chicken or fish every second day in 2025; 6.9% could not afford a car and 5.5% a computer.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyWhat is the standard of living in Catalonia?
26.0% of households in Catalonia could not replace worn-out furniture in 2025 (Spain 26.3%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Catalonia?
The at-risk-of-poverty rate was 14.3% in 2025, measured against 60% of median income in Spain, against 19.5% for Spain as a whole; 7th lowest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 13.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Catalonia cannot afford basic necessities?
8.9% of people suffered severe material and social deprivation in 2025, meaning they could not afford at least 7 of 13 basic items such as heating, a week away or replacing worn-out furniture, against 8.1% for Spain as a whole; 7th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 6.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many households in Catalonia have nobody in work?
5.9% of people under 65 lived in households where adults worked less than a fifth of their potential in 2025, against 8.0% for Spain as a whole; 4th lowest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 9.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average income in Catalonia?
Disposable household income averaged €19,900 per person in 2023, against €18,300 for Spain as a whole and €21,000 across the EU; 4th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2013 it was €15,400.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Catalonia use the internet?
96.8% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025, against 95.4% for Spain as a whole; 4th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 79.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 97% of households had broadband in 2021. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
How Catalonia compares with other autonomous communities
Social services spending, share of the 2026 regional budget (2026)
Catalonia ranks 13 of 17, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Social services spending, share of the 2026 regional budget |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Murcia | 8.5% |
| 11 | Castilla-La Mancha | 8.3% |
| 12 | Andalusia | 8.2% |
| 13 | Catalonia | 7.2% |
| 14 | Basque Country | 6.7% |
| 15 | Canary Islands | 6.5% |
| 16 | Aragón | 6.5% |
Households unable to meet an unexpected expense, 2025 (2025)
Catalonia ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Households unable to meet an unexpected expense, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Castilla-La Mancha | 40.9% |
| 7 | Extremadura | 38.9% |
| 8 | Valencian Community | 36.6% |
| 9 | Catalonia | 34.2% |
| 10 | Galicia | 31.1% |
| 11 | Asturias | 30.8% |
| 12 | Madrid | 30.1% |
Households unable to afford a week of holiday, 2025 (2025)
Catalonia ranks 12 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Households unable to afford a week of holiday, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Valencian Community | 33.3% |
| 10 | Cantabria | 32.8% |
| 11 | Castilla y León | 28.7% |
| 12 | Catalonia | 28.2% |
| 13 | Ciudad de Ceuta | 26.3% |
| 14 | Balearic Islands | 24.7% |
| 15 | Aragón | 24.5% |
Households unable to keep the home adequately warm, 2025 (2025)
Catalonia ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Households unable to keep the home adequately warm, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Canary Islands | 18.2% |
| 7 | Galicia | 17.9% |
| 8 | Ciudad de Melilla | 17.6% |
| 9 | Catalonia | 16.3% |
| 10 | Asturias | 16.2% |
| 11 | Madrid | 15.3% |
| 12 | Valencian Community | 14.8% |
Households in arrears on housing payments, 2025 (2025)
Catalonia ranks 6 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Households in arrears on housing payments, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Murcia | 13.8% |
| 4 | Canary Islands | 12.6% |
| 5 | Andalusia | 12.1% |
| 6 | Catalonia | 11.2% |
| 7 | Balearic Islands | 11.0% |
| 8 | Castilla-La Mancha | 10.8% |
| 9 | Extremadura | 9.1% |
At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) (2025)
Catalonia ranks 13 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | At-risk-of-poverty rate (after social transfers) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | La Rioja | 18.4% |
| 11 | Asturias | 17.2% |
| 12 | Galicia | 16.0% |
| 13 | Catalonia | 14.3% |
| 14 | Cantabria | 13.9% |
| 15 | Aragón | 13.6% |
| 16 | Madrid | 12.7% |
Severe material and social deprivation rate (2025)
Catalonia ranks 7 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Severe material and social deprivation rate |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Castilla-La Mancha | 9.8% |
| 5 | Murcia | 9.6% |
| 6 | Canary Islands | 9.3% |
| 7 | Catalonia | 8.9% |
| 8 | Madrid | 8.4% |
| 9 | Galicia | 7.1% |
| 10 | Valencian Community | 6.9% |
People in households with very low work intensity (2025)
Catalonia ranks 16 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in households with very low work intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Navarre | 7.4% |
| 14 | La Rioja | 7.4% |
| 15 | Basque Country | 7.3% |
| 16 | Catalonia | 5.9% |
| 17 | Aragón | 4.9% |
| 18 | Balearic Islands | 4.6% |
| 19 | Madrid | 3.5% |
Disposable household income per person (euros) (2023)
Catalonia ranks 4 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Disposable household income per person (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basque Country | €24,200 |
| 2 | Madrid | €22,600 |
| 3 | Navarre | €21,400 |
| 4 | Catalonia | €19,900 |
| 5 | Aragón | €19,900 |
| 6 | Asturias | €19,500 |
| 7 | Balearic Islands | €19,100 |
People who use the internet regularly (2025)
Catalonia ranks 4 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People who use the internet regularly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ciudad de Melilla | 98.4% |
| 2 | Madrid | 97.5% |
| 3 | Balearic Islands | 97.0% |
| 4 | Catalonia | 96.8% |
| 5 | Navarre | 96.8% |
| 6 | Aragón | 96.7% |
| 7 | Valencian Community | 96.3% |
More on Catalonia: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Spain
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Disposable household income per person (PPS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd6019768e9f…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_peps11n: At risk of poverty or social exclusion, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 94dcf245d20e…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_broad_h: Households with broadband, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b02c9a1ef222…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_iuse_i: Individuals regularly using the internet by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb4ff8800853…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_li41: At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27849ad61b9a…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Encuesta de Condiciones de Vida: hogares con carencia material por comunidades autónomas (table 9975), 2021-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 02b05141cf11…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_mdsd18: Severe material and social deprivation rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62e6e6fba571…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_lvhl21n: People living in households with very low work intensity by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8b5e993ae943…)
- Ministerio de Hacienda: Presupuestos Generales de las Comunidades Autónomas, año 2026 (resumen ejecutivo, published 31 March 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81db80f35219…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Income of households by NUTS 2 region (euros per inhabitant), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7441dafca51…)
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