OBJECTIVES: Analyze differences in Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (DP). METHODS: This multicentric study is from 14 dialysis units in our country of a randomized sample of 221 patients, 152 in HD and 69 in DP. HRQoL was evaluated using EuroQoL-5D scale: 5 dimensions (Mobility-M, Self-Care-SC, Usual Activities-UA, Pain-P, Anxiety/ Depression-AD) and their Tariff (T), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Patients also answered the KDQOL–SF which includes the SF-36 with the physical and the mental component summary (PCS, MCS) and specific questions about kidney disease. Sociodemographic and clinical data, the Karnofsky Scale and a comorbidity index were also collected. SF-36 scores were standardized using the Spanish general population norms. RESULTS: Patients undergoing DP were more frequently in employment, had a higher level of education, lower age (54.4 vs.63.2), less time on dialysis (33.6 vs.48.9 months), were less often diabetic(10.5%vs.23.3%). However, comorbidity (6.5 vs. 5.6), Karnofsky score (82.2 vs.84.1), Sf-36 scores (PCS: 40.9 vs. 40.4; MCS: 47.9 vs. 47.3) and Tariff of EuroQoL-5D (0.74 vs.0.70) were similar. Statistically significant differences were found in the VAS (64.7 vs.55.9; p<0.001) and in several specific dimensions of the KDQOL–SF in which patients in DP scored higher (better HRQoL): symptoms/problems of kidney disease (79.7 vs. 75.8; p=0.05), effects of the renal disease (72.2 vs.62.6; p=0.005), social support (84.8 vs. 78.6; p=0.013) and support of the dialysis staff (94.4 vs. 85.03; p=0.001), although these scores are not standardized for age and sex in the absence of Spanish population norms for patients in dialysis. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing DP show similar status of general health as those of HD, but seem to have a better perceived health in several specific problems related with renal disease. Results emphasize the importance of using, in comparative studies, specific scales for patients on dialysis.