Living in Tres Cantos

What Tres Cantos is like

Tres Cantos is the youngest municipality in the Madrid region: it split from Colmenar Viejo in 1991, although the town began to be built in the 1970s as a public new-town project. Today about fifty thousand people live there, in an orderly layout of blocks, avenues and green space about twenty kilometres north of Madrid.

For a family moving from abroad its appeal is very specific: it is quiet, designed for walking between parks, and King's College Soto de Viñuelas is less than five kilometres away by road. For the adults, the C4 reaches Chamartín, Nuevos Ministerios and Sol with no changes, and the technology park provides jobs within the town itself.

According to SERPAVI, rent per square metre is clearly cheaper than in Madrid, although the typical monthly rent is slightly above average because flats are large. The trade-off is relying on a single train line: if your job is in the south or west of Madrid, the commute gets much longer.

What works in its favor

A town made of parks

Tres Cantos was planned to balance buildings and open space: green areas between the blocks, pedestrian paths and large urban parks. You notice it every day with children.

Its own jobs

The Madrid Technology Park, opened in 1992, is inside the municipality and houses technology companies. Many residents work without leaving town.

The C4, direct

According to official timetables, the C4 reaches Sol in about thirty minutes with no changes, via Chamartín and Nuevos Ministerios. The Cuatro Torres are half an hour away with Metro line 10.

What to know before moving

• There is a single Cercanías station and no Metro: from the neighborhoods furthest from the station, buses or the car become part of the routine.
• Rent per square metre is 18% below the Madrid average according to SERPAVI, but the typical monthly rent is 9% higher: most flats are large and there is little small stock.

Does Tres Cantos make sense for you?

It depends on where you need to be each week and how often. Tres Cantos can be an excellent decision or an expensive mistake; your routine makes the difference.

Test it in the explorer in about two minutes. Add your budget and regular destinations to see whether Tres Cantos reaches your shortlist and which other areas compete with it.