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Neither Barcelona nor the coast: this is the Catalan municipality where the highest salaries are earned
That living in Barcelona is expensive is part of the collective imagination. What is less obvious is that the municipality where people earn the most in Catalonia is neither the capital nor a coastal town.
According to a recent Idescat study, Sant Cugat del Vallès has consolidated its position as the area with the highest average salaries among cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, with an annual average gross salary of €54,549.
The figure puts Sant Cugat a considerable distance ahead of the rest. Castelldefels is second with €38,570, while Barcelona is third with €36,466. The gap between first and third place is close to €18,000 a year, a margin that explains why Vallès has become one of the metropolitan area’s most powerful economic hubs.
The contrast becomes even clearer at the other end of the ranking. Santa Coloma de Gramenet records the lowest average salary, at €26,003, followed by L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Reus. In practice, this means that, without leaving the metropolitan area, income can vary by more than double depending on the postcode.
The report also offers a positive reading: 2024 closed with salary increases in almost every large municipality. Sant Cugat not only leads in income, but also in growth, with an increase of 5.9%. Mollet del Vallès and Granollers are moving in the same direction, while Manresa is the only city where salaries remained stable.
By sector, the highest salaries remain concentrated in finance, communications and real estate, although industry continues to be key in some municipalities. The study also again points to a persistent gap between men and women, even in cities with the highest income levels.