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THREE in 10 people in Spain interviewed realised during lockdown that they would actually be happier living somewhere other than their current location.

Those living in a big city – 56% of the total - said they would now prefer to be in a small town, village or urbanisation (36%) or out in the countryside (26%).

Of those living in a suburb or wider metropolitan area, most of those asked who said they would like to be somewhere else said they would prefer to be in a small town or village (41%), although one in five would like to be in a completely rural environment (19%).

But those interviewed who already live in a rural or semi-rural environment – defined as an out-of-town urbanisation, a very small town or a village – had gone completely the other way: Lockdown made them realise just how much they did, in fact, enjoy living where they are currently based.

To this end, people not in a suburb or city largely said they would not want to move from their town or, if they did, would want to go somewhere even more rural.

The survey, conducted by leading consumer organisation OCU and interviewing a stratified sample of 1,024 residents aged 25 to 74 inclusive, concluded that 56% lived in a big city (urban), 20% lived in a suburb or the outer part of a major metropolitan area (semi-urban), 18% lived in a small town, village or out-of-town urbanisation (semi-rural) and 6% lived in the countryside, mountains, or some distance from their nearest built-up area (rural).