Quality of Life In the most recent Cushman and Wakefield European Cities Monitor report  (September 2006), Barcelona has overtaken Brussels in fourth place of best European cities to locate a business today., the other three being London, Paris, and Frankfurt. In the same survey, Barcelona clearly ranks number 1 in terms of quality of life for employees, ahead of Zurich, Madrid and Paris. This survey commenced in 1990 and is based on interviews with Senior Executives from 507 of European companies.

Spain ranks 19th in the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) in terms of achieving the best standard of living, considering wealth, educational systems, and life expectancy.  One look at life-expectancy figures shows that Spaniards are among the longest-living people in the world. Their secret is a combination of good environmental conditions, a healthy diet, good social services and a lifestyle with the right balance between hard work and leisure.

Rich Cultural Heritage 
Catalonia has an extensive historical heritage ranging from major Greek and Roman ruins to Modernism and the architecture of Gaudí.

A Renowned Healthcare System
The Spanish healthcare system is on par with the most advanced systems in the world. Barcelona has stood out for many years due to the prestige of its medical experts, many of whom are renowned within the international medical community.

Leisure
Catalonia's geography is rich and varied: the sea coast and the valleys and mountains in the interior offer many recreational opportunities all year round:
• Hundreds of kilometers of sunny beaches all along the Mediterranean coast
• 53 golf courses
• 11 downhill-skiing resorts and 11 cross-country-
skiing resorts
• 29 marinas
• 14 spas
• 7 water parks
• several natural parks

Warm Mediterranean Climate
The warm Mediterranean climate on the Catalan coast and the nearness of the Pyrenees allow for a wide range of outdoor activities:
• 17°C Average temperature
• 21°C Average maximum temperature
• 12°C Average minimum temperature
• 72% Relative humidity
• 450 mm Annual rainfall
• 67 days No. of days with rainfall
• 2,590 Annual hours of sun

Competitive Cost of Living
Barcelona is among the European Union cities with one of the lowest cost-of-living standards

Housing
Catalonia allows for different housing possibilities on individual preferences: from a villa with a garden, a house in a quiet city, or even an apartment in an international, cosmopolitan city such as Barcelona. All these housing options are characterized by high quality standards and very competitive prices.

Examples of monthly accommodation rental prices in Barcelona city and the Greater Barcelona area:

• Monthly rental price for a young expatriate (average price of an individual apartment in Barcelona city): 720 Euros

• Monthly rental price for families in top quality/prime areas in Barcelona and Greater Barcelona (average prices in Euros):

Source: CIDEM based on data provided by Executive Relocations