🇪🇸
Barcelona
Spain
Architecture, beaches and an international vibe.
🇩🇪
Berlin
Germany
Counter-culture capital with legendary nightlife and history.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Barcelona
€1,100–1,500 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇩🇪 Berlin
€1,050–1,350 / month
Best for
🇪🇸 Barcelona
- Students looking for an international and multicultural city
- Those who want to travel frequently around Europe
- People interested in highly prestigious universities
Best for
🇩🇪 Berlin
- Students looking for a creative, alternative city
- Those who want legendary nightlife
- People interested in modern history
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
Expensive
Cost of Living
Moderate
Very High
Nightlife
Very High
Very Good
Weather
Fair
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Very Active
Student Life
Iconic
Very Tight
Housing
Tight
Top-Tier
University Reputation
Top-Tier
Student insights
🇪🇸 Barcelona
- Excellent nightlife
- Top-tier international connections
- Highly recognised universities
Student insights
🇩🇪 Berlin
- World-famous nightlife and music scene
- Very international and multicultural
- Strong universities and English-taught programmes
Student voice — 🇪🇸 Barcelona
“Barcelona was the greatest experience of my life.”
Student voice — 🇩🇪 Berlin
“There's no city like Berlin for nightlife.”
🇪🇸 Barcelona
Pros
- Excellent nightlife
- Top-tier international connections
- Highly recognised universities
- Large international community
- Unique combination of beach, culture and urban life
Cons
- Extremely expensive accommodation
- High cost of living
- Mass tourism in some areas
- Strong competition for rooms and residences
- Less sense of student community than in smaller cities
🇩🇪 Berlin
Pros
- World-famous nightlife and music scene
- Very international and multicultural
- Strong universities and English-taught programmes
- Rich modern history and cultural offer
- Excellent rail and flight connections
Cons
- Housing market is increasingly difficult
- Long, grey winters
- Big-city logistics — long commutes possible
- Cost of living has risen sharply
- Iconic image creates high expectations
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.