Good to know
Good to Know
- Girona's foreign-born population (30.8%) is far more diverse and internationalized than typical Spanish provincial cities—this reflects strong attraction of digital nomads, EU expat professionals, and Central/South American long-term residents.
- Neighborhood choice matters enormously: Santa Eugènia and Barri Vell are majority foreign-born and highly international; Montilivi and Palau remain primarily Spanish. The compact city means all neighborhoods remain accessible.
- Catalan is the primary local language, though Spanish and English are widely spoken among younger residents and in expat-heavy areas. Integration into local culture is easier with effort to learn Catalan basics.
- University of Girona brings ~2,100 international students annually, creating a younger, transient international layer distinct from permanent expat/nomad residents.
- Tech/startup sector is growing (14th in Spain) but remains smaller than Barcelona or Madrid; most tech employment is in established companies or remote work rather than local startups. University-spinoff biotech and health-tech are stronger than software.
Neighborhood Diversity
- Note
- Extreme variation across neighborhoods—from 9% foreign-born (Montilivi/Palau) to over 50% (Santa Eugènia, Barri Vell).
Examples
Santa Eugènia De Ter
- Foreign Born Percentage
- 50.54
- Count
- 5424
- Total Registered
- 10732
- Note
- First neighborhood with 10,000+ inhabitants where foreign-born exceed 50%
Barri Vell (Old Town)
- Foreign Born Percentage
- 52.5
- Note
- 1,933 foreign-born vs 1,748 native-born; also center of digital nomad/cycling expat scene
Can Gibert Del Pla
- Foreign Born Percentage
- 44.9
- Count
- 3768
- Total Registered
- 8392
Montilivi
- Foreign Born Percentage
- 9
- Note
- University/stadium area; primarily residential Spanish-speaking families
Major Tech Companies
Fundcraft
- Sector
- FinTech/Alternative Investment Operations
- Status
- Established central Girona office (2025) with commitment to 100 employees via five-year agreement; main HQ in Luxembourg; serves as anchor tenant at Girona Hub
Leading Startups By Investment
FITPLANET
- Focus
- Uses recycled plastic/fishing nets
- Sector
- Sustainable Sportswear
TECNIC Bioprocess Solutions
- Focus
- Lab-to-production biotechnology solutions
- Sector
- Biopharmaceutical/Biotech
FUNDCRAFT
- Focus
- Fund operations & digital transformation
- Sector
- FinTech
Notable Nationalities And Origins
- Provincial Level Note
- At province level, notable origins include Morocco (non-EU agricultural labor), Romania (post-2007 EU accession), and substantial UK and Germany populations. In Girona city proper, Central/South American migration predominates (especially among long-term community populations), while EU expats (UK, Germany, France) concentrate more in digital nomad/cycling scene and neighborhood-level relocation patterns.
By Region
Central/South America
- Percentage
- 49.7
- Count
- 16854
- Note
- Largest foreign-born group by origin
Maghreb
- Percentage
- 17.7
- Count
- 6008
European Union
- Percentage
- 10.4
- Count
- 3515
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Percentage
- 7.7
- Count
- 2597
Asia
- Percentage
- 6.4
- Count
- 2171
Rest of Europe (non-EU)
- Percentage
- 5.1
- Count
- 1737
Foreign Born Percentage
- City
- 30.8
- Source Note
- Of 109,293 registered residents, 33,907 born abroad
Sector Focus
Sector Focus
- Biotechnology & health tech (MJN Neuroservices—epilepsy sensors, Xkelet—3D printing orthopedics, GoodGut—microbiota diagnostics)
- Software & SaaS (Additio—school management, SignOnTheGo—blockchain document signing)
- Industrial/Manufacturing (CLAITEC—occupational safety, 3S'TECH—structural health monitoring, Dualtech—business automation)
- Gaming & interactive media (Yuuko Games Studio)
- Sustainable/CleanTech (Fitplanet, Orpheus, Clean Tech Dolo Group)
Startup Ecosystem
- Ranking
- 14th in Spain, #428 globally
- Total Startups Tracked
- 78
- Note
- Girona startup ecosystem is growing but mid-tier by Spanish standards
Hub Infrastructure
- Girona Hub
- Coworking space and business incubator in city center; hosts startups and tech professionals; positioned 2 minutes from AVE train station
University Connection
- University Of Girona
- Re-established 1991, ~15,000 students; hosts approximately 2,100 international students annually; tech/biotech startups often emerge from university spinoffs (3S'TECH example cited)
Official Registered Population
- Year
- 2025
- Figure
- 109293
- Source Note
- Municipal census as of January 1, 2025
Expat And Digital Nomad Character
- Source Basis
- Expat Exchange, Digital Nomad Exchange forums document active expat community; multiple relocation-focused sources confirm thriving nomad scene
- Documented Presence
- Girona has established itself as digital nomad and expat destination, particularly in Old Town (Barri Vell) where foreign-born residents approach/exceed 50%. Community centered on cycling, remote work, lifestyle nomadism.
- Employment Patterns
- Education (English language teaching), tech sector (software developers, IT specialists), healthcare (doctors, nurses), freelance/remote work for international companies
Expanded Foreign Long Term Resident Estimate
Broader Estimate
- Note
- Registered foreign-born figure of 30.8% (33,907 residents) represents those officially on municipal census. Actual foreign/long-term resident population including unregistered digital nomads, visa-free tourists, and unregistered stay-longer residents likely substantially higher, given strong digital nomad/expat community presence documented in relocation/expat-community sources. However, no credible single broader figure exists to quantify the fully undocumented segment.
Registered Foreign Born
- Percentage
- 30.8
- Count
- 33907
- Note
- Registered foreign-born residents in Girona city
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Girona
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.