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Life on the Costa Blanca gets top marks in Spain happiness study 2026
The new Happy Index 2026 ranks thousands of towns across Spain based on climate, lifestyle and services
A new study has ranked some of the Costa Blanca’s most popular towns among the happiest places to live in Spain, with coastal lifestyle, sunshine and access to services all playing a big part.
According to the Spain Happy Index 2026, compiled by Sonneil Homes, the province of Alicante stands out as one of the best places in the country for overall well-being, with several municipalities scoring very highly.
In the Vega Baja area, a number of familiar names feature in the rankings. Guardamar del Segura scores 87.55 points, closely followed by Torrevieja on 87.19. Orihuela also makes the list with 85.15 points, along with Los Montesinos, Catral, San Fulgencio, Dolores and San Miguel de Salinas, all achieving solid results.
It’s a similar story further up the coast in the Marina Baixa area, where Benidorm, Villajoyosa, l’Alfàs del Pi, Finestrat and Altea all appear among the best rated towns, combining tourism, infrastructure and that all-important seaside setting.
Around Alicante city itself, places like El Campello, San Vicente del Raspeig, San Juan and Mutxamel also perform well, offering a mix of residential living with easy access to services and transport links.
Even inland areas are getting a look in, with towns such as Crevillent, Monforte del Cid and Aspe making the rankings thanks to a balance of industry, nature and connectivity.
Looking at the province as a whole, Santa Pola takes the top position with an impressive 90.62 points. Its coastal location, relaxed lifestyle and proximity to Alicante Airport all help boost its score.
Alicante city itself comes in second with 89.99 points, followed by Elche on 89.40, rounding out a strong top three.
How the rest of Spain compares
Overall, Málaga tops the list as Spain’s happiest city, helped by around 310 days of sunshine a year and mild temperatures. Almería and Ibiza follow closely behind, both benefiting from similar weather and coastal appeal.
Alicante also ranks highly at national level, thanks to its 299 days of sunshine a year, average temperatures of around 20°C and relatively low rainfall.
Other well-known cities like Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Granada and Madrid also feature in the rankings, although generally scoring slightly lower than their southern and coastal counterparts.
What actually makes a place ‘happy’?
The Spain Happy Index looks at more than 8,000 municipalities across the country and scores them out of 100 based on a range of factors.
These include sunshine hours, rainfall, average temperatures and wind levels, as well as practical things like proximity to hospitals and airports, access to schools and whether the location is coastal or inland.
According to Sonneil Homes CEO Andrés Pedrera, it’s this mix of climate, environment and services that really shapes quality of life, and Alicante province is a clear example of how those elements can come together in a winning formula.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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