City profile
What this city tends to offer Erasmus students — not a ranking, just its character.
Typical all-in cost for an Erasmus student in Rome, including rent, food, transport and going out.
Overview
Rome offers a powerful Erasmus experience as Italy's largest capital, with extraordinary history, prestigious universities and a busy international scene. The flip side is a complex housing market, slow bureaucracy and the polarising nature of a major tourist capital.
Perfect For
- Students who want a major European capital
- Those passionate about history and classical culture
- People looking for top-tier universities
- Students who want to travel widely around Italy and Europe
- Those who value cultural offer above all
Not Ideal For
- Students with very tight budgets
- Those who prefer compact, easy-to-navigate cities
- People sensitive to slow bureaucracy
- Students looking for a small university-town vibe
- Those who want cheap, easy housing
- Extraordinary historical and cultural heritage
- Prestigious universities with many international programmes
- Excellent rail and flight connections
- Vibrant food and aperitivo culture
- Pleasant Mediterranean climate most of the year
- Very competitive and expensive housing
- Public transport can be slow and crowded
- Notoriously slow administrative processes
- Massive tourist crowds in central areas
- Erasmus community feels fragmented across the city
Student Vibe
Rome hosts tens of thousands of international students every year across La Sapienza, Roma Tre and many private universities. The Erasmus community is large but fragmented across neighbourhoods, so building a tight friend group takes effort — but the city's history, food and travel opportunities make up for it.
What Students Say
"Rome is overwhelming at first, then you fall in love."
"Every street has 2000 years of history under it."
"Tough to find a flat but worth the effort."
"The cultural offer is impossible to exhaust."
Compare Rome with another city
See how Rome stacks up against other Erasmus destinations side by side.
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