Catalonia's economy closed 2025 with a GDP of €319.985 billion, compared to €337.216 billion for Madrid, leaving a difference of €17.231 billion. In three years, the gap has widened by €4.731 billion.
The economy of Catalonia finished 2025 with a gross domestic product of €319.985 billion, while that of the Community of Madrid reached €337.216 billion. The difference between the two now stands at €17.231 billion, a figure that has been steadily increasing for almost a decade, according to data published by eldebate.com.
The advance of Madrid over Catalonia in the last fiscal year was €1.456 billion. The Madrid economy rose from €318.672 billion in 2024 to the current €337.216 billion, an increase of €18.540 billion, while the Catalan economy grew from €302.897 billion to €319.985 billion, €17.088 billion more.
The gap has continued to widen since 2017. That year, Madrid surpassed Catalonia for the first time, with a lead of €1.244 billion. Since then, the distance has been increasing: €12.500 billion in 2023, €15.600 billion in 2024, and €17.231 billion at the close of 2025. In just three years, the difference has widened by €4.731 billion.
The last fiscal year in which Catalonia led the regional ranking was 2016, when it surpassed Madrid by just €33 million. The following year, the illegal independence referendum precipitated the departure of companies and capital to other territories in search of legal security, and since then the trend has not reversed.
“The reasons are not only related to legal insecurity but also fiscal and regulatory”
This is noted by Josep Bou, president of Empresaris de Cataluña, who attributes the economic decline of the community to a combination of factors that go beyond the legal framework.
In terms of growth, the Spanish economy advanced by 2.6% in 2025. Madrid performed a tenth above the national average, while Catalonia fell a tenth below. The third largest economy in the country is Andalusia, with €222.356 billion, which grew more than Madrid and Catalonia. Following it is the Community of Valencia, with €157.055 billion and a growth of 2.3%. No other autonomous community reaches €100.000 billion; the closest is the Basque Country, with €95.508 billion and an increase of 1.9%. Murcia led the growth with 3.8%, while Cantabria recorded the lowest, at 1.7%.
In percentage of national GDP, Madrid now represents 19.95%, compared to 18.9% for Catalonia. The difference is 1.05 points, when in 2016 both communities contributed exactly the same, 19% each.
Business relocation movements also do not inspire optimism in Barcelona. Although the trade balance has favoured Catalonia so far this year due to the re-entry of some large companies, more companies continue to leave than arrive.
In GDP per capita, Madrid leads with €47.220, nearly €13.000 above the national average. Catalonia ranks fourth, behind Madrid, the Basque Country, and Navarra, with €39.199, which is €4.936 more than the Spanish average.
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