Nestled between Galicia and Cantabria along Iberian Peninsula’s northwestern coast, the Principality of Asturias – the only part of Spain to avoid Moorish conquest – is something special.

It has a population of just over 1 million inhabitants in its 10,604 km2 territory and includes three main cities – Oviedo (the majestic, traditional capital), Gijón (the bigger and fun city on the coast) and Avilés (the up-and-coming one).

Asturias is off the tourist trail even though it’s being increasingly referred to in the foreign press as a ‘hidden gem’. 

If moving to Spain is part of your plans and you’re looking for some inspiration, this overview of what to expect from life in Asturias will help you decide.

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PROS OF LIVING IN ASTURIAS

Natural beauty

For many foreigners and Spaniards alike one of the big attractions of Asturias are its landscapes and variety of nature offerings. It’s green everywhere, and doesn’t resemble the stereotypical view of Spain as a sun-drenched, dry land.

Asturias is home to mountains, beaches, forests and natural parks within its relatively small territory, which means you could even enjoy hiking, surfing or cycling in the same day.

There are glacial lakes to explore in the Picos de Europa, otherworldly caves such as La Cuevona de Ardines and unique beaches such as landlocked playa de Gulpiyuri.

In 2024, Oviedo topped the ranking of Spanish cities with the best air quality in the entire country, meaning the region is not only natural and greener than elsewhere but healthier than most places too.

Affordable cost of living 

Compared to other regions such as Madrid, Barcelona or the Basque Country, Asturias offers a lower cost of living.

It’s not as cheap as say Extremadura or Castilla-La Mancha, but it’s more mid-table in the regional cost of living rankings.

The average monthly rent is around €10/m² in Oviedo compared to €17/m² in Madrid, for example.

According to Fotocasa, the average price of a home in Gijón (Asturias’s most expensive city) in July 2025 is €254,000, whereas in Barcelona it’s €508,000.

Basic services, food and leisure are also cheaper, allowing many families and retirees to improve their quality of life without needing a large budget.

The greenery reaches right down to the sea at Asturias’ beaches. Photo: Paolo Chiabrando/Unsplash

Safety

Asturias is also one of the safest regions in Spain. The crime rate is low and the cities and towns offer a peaceful environment, again ideal for families with children and retirees and older people.

Local Asturian media reports that Asturias, along with Galicia, Navarre, the Canary Islands and Madrid, are the safest regions in Spain, with the lowest number of break-ins per capita and a sustained trend of improving crime rates, according to the latest Securitas Direct Observatory report.

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Milder climate 

In that vein, Asturias has a moderate climate that doesn’t experience the extreme temperatures common around the rest of Spain.

Winters are not extremely cold and summers are not excessively hot, making the region ideal for those who prefer mild temperatures all year round.

A summer’s day can be 15C or 20C cooler than it is in Andalusia for example, making it far more bearable weather.

However, as we’ll see below, weather and climate is always subjective and depends on your opinion. This could be a pro or con depending on what you’re looking for and where you’re coming from.

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Food and culture

Asturias is known for having one of the richest cuisines in the country, with high-quality products such as its famous cider, cheeses, fabada asturiana (a traditional bean stew) and cachopo (two large veal fillets with serrano ham and cheese breaded with eggs and breadcrumbs).

Folklore, traditional music and local festivities such as Gijón’s Semana Grande are part of the essence of Asturian identity and locals are only too keen to share it with outsiders. The musical instrument of choice in Asturias is the bagpipe.

That the region is so proud of and preserves many traditions, festivals and its strong cultural identity makes it unique and pretty distinct from the rest of Spain. Asturias is certainly not the sea, sun and sand of southern Spain.

READ MORE: Why do they pour cider like that in Asturias?

Cider pouring in Asturias is a sight to behold. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP)

Schools and universities

For those readers with school-age children, it is important to consider the educational options available. Asturias has a wide variety of high-quality schools, regularly scoring among the regions in Spain with the best educational levels in PISA studies.

It also has well respected universities, such as the University of Oviedo and the University of Gijón, which offer a wide variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

In addition, there are several vocational training centres that offer training programmes for those seeking technical or professional education.

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CONS OF LIVING IN ASTURIAS

Rainy

Although temperatures are milder in the summer, Asturias is also one of the rainiest regions in Spain. It’s famous for it, in fact, and local have a word to describe its trademark fine rain – orvallo (orbayu in Asturian). 

Rainfall is frequent throughout most of the year, which can be a drawback for those who prefer drier, sunnier climates. 

In winter, days in Asturias can feel shorter and the sky is often overcast, meaning sometimes the northern region doesn’t exactly feel like the Spain of many foreigners’ imaginations.

Fewer job opportunities but not bad salaries

Asturias’ job market is not as dynamic as in other regions, especially in sectors such as tech marketing and finance.

Industry and tourism remain key drivers of the economy, but many young people from Asturias do have to move to other regions to find better job opportunities and kick-start their careers.

Keep this in mind if you don’t have a remote working job or experience in Asturias’ traditionally strong sectors.

However, according to Spain’s national stats institute, gross wages in Asturias in 2025 are the fifth highest of all regions at around €28,916 a year. This is important given the lower cost of living.

The astounding Niemeyer Centre in Avilés offers a touch of modernity to a historic small city. Photo: VJX Media/Unsplash

Worse travel links

Although Asturias has good roads and trains, travelling to other parts of the country usually involves a car.

New low-cost operators Iryo, Avlo and Ouigo don’t have rail links to Asturias yet, meaning Renfe’s high-speed Ave is the only direct train connection to Madrid.

Getting by bus to the Spanish capital on an Alsa takes at least five hours, and to Barcelona it’s more than double that.

Asturias airport has both national and international connections, but the range of flights is more limited compared to other major airports in Spain.

There are however occasional flights to Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands. Driving to Bilbao or Santander can be a way to access more flight routes.

Fewer leisure and cultural activities 

Although Asturias offers an active cultural life with concerts, festivals and traditional events, it doesn’t quite have the same range of cultural clout of cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or even nearby Bilbao or San Sebastián.

For those looking for an active nightlife or a wide variety of cultural activities on a regular basis, Asturias’ traditional, slower pace of life might not be a good match.

CONCLUSION

Gentrification, overtourism, spiralling housing prices – these are problems that Spain’s most popular cities and regions are facing but Asturias isn’t (yet?).

There are still plenty of family-run businesses on the high street, locals are friendly and welcoming to foreigners and living a decent life with an average income is still possible. In many ways, it feels like what much of Spain was like a decade or so ago.

This coupled with the immense natural beauty of the region, its three pleasant main cities and relaxed pace of life make it a great choice for those not looking to move to sunny, busy Spain.  

However, if what you want is better weather than in your home country, you have big career and cultural aspirations or want to fly internationally regularly, Asturias may not necessarily be the best choice for you.