49% of Barcelona residents work far from their neighbourhood: how the city is changing

Labour mobility in Barcelona is reaching record levels. Nearly half of metropolitan residents work outside their municipality. The neighbourhood remains key to daily life. Housing prices shape the city’s future.

Everyday life in Barcelona and its metropolitan area is marked by unprecedented labour mobility. Today, nearly half of those living in the city and its surroundings have to travel outside their municipality to work. This trend, which affects thousands of families, redefines people’s relationship with their own neighbourhood and transforms the routine of those seeking to reconcile employment and personal life.

The latest report on urban cohesion reveals that 49.2% of the metropolitan population works in another locality. In addition, one third of residents also leave their municipality to enjoy cultural activities. However, people’s own neighbourhood remains the epicentre for daily shopping, medical care and banking, consolidating its role as a refuge and point of reference amid constant mobility.

The phenomenon is not limited to work. Moving home has reached historic levels: nearly one in four people has changed home in the past five years. Most choose to stay in the same municipality, although economic reasons and housing pressure weigh increasingly heavily. In 2025, nearly a quarter of moves were due to economic reasons or the need to find more affordable housing.

Despite these changes, satisfaction with the neighbourhood remains high. More than 85% of metropolitan residents say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their surroundings, with particularly high levels in the city of Barcelona. However, the difficulty of finding flats at reasonable prices is a widespread concern: eight out of ten Barcelona residents consider it difficult to access affordable housing in their area.

Looking ahead, three out of ten people expect to move in the next five years, especially in the capital and the second metropolitan ring. Most do so in the hope of improving their home or surroundings, a trend that continues to grow and anticipates new challenges for the city and its neighbourhoods.

The Institut Metrópoli, responsible for this analysis, has become a point of reference in the study of urban life in Barcelona. Its regular research makes it possible to understand how the habits, needs and expectations of those living in the metropolis evolve. Thanks to its multidisciplinary approach, the institution helps public administrations and citizens anticipate the major changes affecting the city and its surroundings.