Palma is the most cosmopolitan city in the Balearics, with a diverse international community and a well-developed range of English-speaking professional services to match. Whether you need a lawyer for a property purchase or residency matter, an English-speaking doctor, a dentist, or a gestor to handle the administrative side of island life, the directory covers Palma and the wider Mallorca area. Browse by service below.
Professional Services
Personal Services
Yes, more so than most of mainland Spain. Mallorca in general, and Palma in particular, has seen consistent price increases over the past decade as demand from international buyers and residents has outpaced supply. Property prices in Palma are among the highest in Spain outside Madrid and Barcelona. Rental costs have risen sharply.
That said, context matters. Compared to London, Dublin, or any major Northern European city, Palma remains meaningfully more affordable. The cost of living day-to-day, including food, restaurants and utilities, is lower than equivalent UK costs even as rents have climbed. Many expats find they live better in Palma for less money than they spent at home, even accounting for the island premium.
A one-bedroom rental in central Palma typically runs €1,200 to €2,000 per month. Outside the city, in smaller towns like Sóller, Pollença, or inland villages, costs drop considerably. Many people live rurally and come into Palma when they need to.
The seasonal nature of the island affects prices too. Summer sees higher costs across the board; year-round residents benefit from the quieter, more affordable winter economy.
People who only know Mallorca as a holiday destination are often surprised by what it is like as a place to actually live. The tourist economy and the resident community coexist, but they occupy different parts of the island at different times of year.
The summer, June to September, is loud, busy, and expensive. The winter is quiet, local, and genuinely pleasant. Palma city in January is a different place to Palma in August, and most year-round residents prefer the former.
The island has a large and long-established international community, with significant British, German, and Scandinavian populations alongside a smaller but growing number of people from further afield. English-speaking professional services, including legal, financial, medical and dental, are well developed across the island.
The food is excellent, the beaches are world-class, and the interior of the island — a side most visitors never see — has a quietly beautiful landscape and a pace of life that is hard to find elsewhere in Western Europe.
Palma city has the most comprehensive professional services, the best restaurant and cultural scene, and the most urban feel. It is the obvious choice for people who want city conveniences. The old town is one of the most beautiful in Spain.
The southwest (Andratx, Port Andratx, Camp de Mar) is the premium end of the island — expensive, stunning, and popular with high-net-worth international residents. English-speaking lawyers, accountants, and healthcare professionals are well represented here.
The north (Pollença, Alcúdia, Artà) is popular with families and those who want a more authentically Spanish experience. Good international schools in the area. Less service infrastructure than Palma but improving.
The interior, including Randa, Sineu, Felanitx and the surrounding villages, is the most affordable and the most traditionally Mallorcan. Right for people who want to be genuinely embedded in island life rather than in an expat enclave.
Post-Brexit, British nationals moving to Mallorca follow the same residency process as moving anywhere in Spain. That means a visa application before you travel (if you are not working for a Spanish employer, the Non-Lucrative Visa is the most common route), followed by an NIE application, empadronamiento, and a TIE card application within 30 days of arrival.
Mallorca has a well-established network of English-speaking gestors and immigration lawyers who handle this process regularly. Given the specific document requirements and the variation in how different offices apply the rules, most people find professional help worth having.
