🇳🇱
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Canals, bikes and one of Europe's most international cities.
🇸🇮
Ljubljana
Slovenia
Green, walkable European capital between Alps and Adriatic.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
€1,300–1,700 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇸🇮 Ljubljana
€750–1,050 / month
Best for
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
- Students who want a deeply international experience
- Those interested in top-tier universities
- People who plan to travel across Europe constantly
Best for
🇸🇮 Ljubljana
- Students who love nature and outdoor activities
- Those looking for a small, walkable capital
- People who want a quieter, slower Erasmus
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
🇸🇮 Ljubljana
Very Expensive
Cost of Living
Moderate
Very High
Nightlife
Moderate
Fair
Weather
Good
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
High
Very Active
Student Life
Very Active
Very Tight
Housing
Comfortable
Top-Tier
University Reputation
Well-Regarded
Student insights
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
- Extremely international and English-friendly
- World-class universities
- Iconic, beautiful city to live in
Student insights
🇸🇮 Ljubljana
- Very walkable, green capital
- Excellent access to mountains, lakes and the Adriatic
- Friendly atmosphere, easy integration
Student voice — 🇳🇱 Amsterdam
“Amsterdam is magical — just lock in housing months early.”
Student voice — 🇸🇮 Ljubljana
“Ljubljana feels like a calm village that happens to be a capital.”
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
Pros
- Extremely international and English-friendly
- World-class universities
- Iconic, beautiful city to live in
- Excellent flight and rail connections
- Wide cultural and nightlife offer
Cons
- Notoriously difficult housing market
- Very high cost of living
- Grey, rainy climate much of the year
- Tourist saturation in central areas
- Expectations often exceed the day-to-day reality
🇸🇮 Ljubljana
Pros
- Very walkable, green capital
- Excellent access to mountains, lakes and the Adriatic
- Friendly atmosphere, easy integration
- Reasonable cost of living
- Strong outdoor and café culture
Cons
- Small Erasmus community
- Limited nightlife compared to bigger capitals
- Cold winters
- Slovenian language harder to pick up
- Fewer international career opportunities
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.