Where to live in Andorra: the seven parishes

Seven parishes, seven comuns: what difference does it make?

The Constitution divides Andorra into seven parishes (parròquies). Each is run by a comú, an elected council with administrative and financial autonomy. The comú keeps the population census, manages the land register, town planning, roads and local public services, and levies its own taxes.

Your choice of parish therefore has practical consequences. It is with the comú that you register, within the 3 months following the grant of a residence and work permit (Llei 9/2012, Article 22 bis). It is the comú that sets your foc i lloc, and the comú that registers your lease.

How many inhabitants does each parish have?

Andorra la Vella, the capital, is the most populous, with 24,884 inhabitants at 31 July 2026; Ordino, the least populous, has 5,816.

Sources: Departament d’Estadística, bulletins A001 (July 2026) and A013 (second quarter of 2026). The comuns’ censuses total 94,596 people: the Departament d’Estadística cross-checks the registers so as to count only the population actually resident.

Canillo is the parish that grew the most over the year (+5.0%) and the one with the highest proportion of foreign nationals (72.1%). Sant Julià de Lòria, by contrast, is the only one where Andorrans are in the majority (55.7%). Ordino has the highest proportion of children: 13.3% under 15, against a national average of 10.6%. The profile of the country’s population, by nationality and by age, is presented on our page on the population of Andorra in 2026.

The urban core: Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany

inhabitantsAndorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany

41,234

of the country’s populationindicative calculation

45.8%

affordable reference priceLlei 11/2026, the highest in the country

€10.70/m²

The capital, Andorra la Vella, and its neighbour Escaldes-Engordany form a continuous built-up area on the floor of the main valley. Together they have 41,234 inhabitants, nearly half the population (indicative calculation: 45.8%), and a large share of the shops, services and jobs. Andorra la Vella is home to the Estació Nacional d’Autobusos, the departure point for the country’s bus lines and for those going abroad.

This is where life is most urban, with its advantages (nearby services, frequent buses) and its constraints (traffic, housing in high demand). The affordable reference price set by Llei 11/2026 for public housing is, moreover, the highest in the country here: €10.70/m² in both parishes. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural landscape, extends across Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, Encamp and Sant Julià de Lòria.

In the south, towards Spain: Sant Julià de Lòria

inhabitants

10,318

Andorran nationalsthe highest share in the country

55.7%

affordable reference priceLlei 11/2026

€9.22/m²

Sant Julià de Lòria is the southernmost parish, on the road to La Seu d’Urgell and Spain. It has 10,318 inhabitants and is home to the campus of the University of Andorra, the country’s public university, located in the town centre since 2004. It is the parish with the highest share of Andorran nationals (55.7%). The affordable reference price under Llei 11/2026 is €9.22/m² there.

Towards France: Encamp and Canillo

inhabitants in Encampincluding Pas de la Casa

13,710

inhabitants in CanilloSoldeu, El Tarter

6,593

affordable reference pricesCanillo, then Encamp

€7.95 to €9.47/m²

Heading up the valley towards France, you pass through Encamp and then Canillo. Encamp (13,710 inhabitants) extends to Pas de la Casa, on the French border, which is part of the parish. Canillo (6,593 inhabitants), less populous, takes in mountain villages such as Soldeu and El Tarter, served by bus lines L3 and L4.

These two parishes offer a more mountainous setting, at the cost of longer journeys to the centre and winter driving that has to be planned for: special equipment is compulsory from 1 November to 15 May on all the country’s roads. Affordable reference prices under Llei 11/2026: €9.47/m² in Encamp and €7.95/m² in Canillo, the lowest in the country.

In the north: La Massana and Ordino

inhabitants in La Massanahouseholds: +5.6% in one year

12,350

inhabitants in Ordinothe least populous parish

5,816

affordable reference pricesOrdino, then La Massana

€8.81 to €9.56/m²

North of the central built-up area, two predominantly residential parishes share a mountain valley. La Massana (12,350 inhabitants) saw the largest increase in the number of households over one year (+5.6%). It includes in particular the village of Arinsal and the Valls del Comapedrosa nature park, where the country’s highest point (2,942 m) is located.

Ordino (5,816 inhabitants), the least populous parish, is home to the Vall de Sorteny nature park; according to Andorra Turisme, the national tourist office, the parish was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2020. Bus lines L5, L6 and L7 connect these two parishes to the centre. Affordable reference prices under Llei 11/2026: €9.56/m² in La Massana, €8.81/m² in Ordino.

Rents and prices by parish: what the listings say

No official statistic publishes rents by parish: the official average rent, €9.5/m² per month in 2024, exists only at national level. Two benchmarks nevertheless make it possible to compare the parishes: the affordable reference price set by Llei 11/2026 for the public housing stock, and the asking prices in listings.

Rents per m² per month; sale prices per m². Reference: affordable price for public housing set by Llei 11/2026. Listings: Pisos.ad, second quarter of 2026, number of listings in brackets; these are asking prices, not rents paid or completed sales. Rents not shown for Sant Julià de Lòria (1 listing) and Ordino (4 listings), as the samples are too small.

In the listings, Escaldes-Engordany and Canillo show the highest asking rents, and La Massana, Andorra la Vella and Encamp the lowest; for sales, Escaldes-Engordany remains the most expensive and Encamp the cheapest. The official average rent, and how to read it, are presented in our guide to the average rent in Andorra.

Parish taxes: each comú sets its own

Llei 10/2003 on the finances of the comuns sets ranges; each comú chooses its amounts by ordinance. Here are the main parish taxes:

Sources: Llei 10/2003 on the finances of the comuns and the law on ITP. The actual amounts vary from one parish to another.

The difference can be significant. On a €500,000 purchase, the gap between a comú share of ITP of 0.5% and a share of 3% reaches €12,500 (indicative calculation: 2.5% of €500,000).

We have not checked the tax ordinances of the seven comuns one by one. Before choosing, ask the comú for the amounts in force, particularly for the foc i lloc and, if you are buying, for the property tax and the comú share of property transfer tax: see our guide to buying a flat in Andorra.

What is the best place to live in Andorra? Choosing according to your profile

There is no best place to live in Andorra in absolute terms: the right choice depends on where you work, your children, your budget and whether you prefer town or mountain life. Six criteria distinguish the parishes:

• Journeys to work and school: seven national bus lines, free for residents thanks to the monthly pass;
• School: the French system has schools in every parish; see the French schools by parish;
• Health: at least one primary care centre (CAP) per parish;
• Winter: mountain roads and compulsory equipment from 1 November to 15 May;
• Budget: rent, foc i lloc and other parish taxes; see the prices by parish;
• Catalan: five public learning centres, spread across four parishes.

Local public services, parish by parish

¹ In Encamp and in Pas de la Casa. ² Including Santa Coloma. From Andorra la Vella, the nearest Catalan centre is in Escaldes-Engordany. The French system also has an upper secondary school, the Lycée Comte de Foix. Sources: SAAS, centres d’atenció primària; Govern d’Andorra, French schools and Catalan centres, consulted on 10 October 2026.

For housing itself, read our guide to renting a long-term home in Andorra; for getting about, the one that explains how to get to Andorra and travel around it.