🇳🇱
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Canals, bikes and one of Europe's most international cities.
🇪🇸
Valencia
Spain
Beach, paella and a relaxed Mediterranean pace.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
€1,300–1,700 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Valencia
€850–1,100 / 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
🇪🇸 Valencia
- Students who want to live near the sea
- Those looking for balance between studies and social life
- People who enjoy outdoor activities
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
🇪🇸 Valencia
Very Expensive
Cost of Living
Moderate
Very High
Nightlife
High
Fair
Weather
Very Good
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
High
Very Active
Student Life
Very Active
Very Tight
Housing
Manageable
Top-Tier
University Reputation
Strong
Student insights
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
- Extremely international and English-friendly
- World-class universities
- Iconic, beautiful city to live in
Student insights
🇪🇸 Valencia
- Excellent balance between leisure, studies and quality of life
- Access to an urban beach
- Good climate during most of the year
Student voice — 🇳🇱 Amsterdam
“Amsterdam is magical — just lock in housing months early.”
Student voice — 🇪🇸 Valencia
“Living and studying here has been great. I wouldn't choose any other city.”
🇳🇱 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
🇪🇸 Valencia
Pros
- Excellent balance between leisure, studies and quality of life
- Access to an urban beach
- Good climate during most of the year
- Large international community
- Good national and international connections
Cons
- Increasingly high rental prices
- Less intense Erasmus vibe than Seville or Granada
- Some areas can feel quite touristy
- Cost of living higher than many Spanish student destinations
- Less sense of a traditional university city
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.