🇪🇸
Barcelona
Spain
Architecture, beaches and an international vibe.
🇵🇱
Krakow
Poland
Medieval old town with a thriving young population.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Barcelona
€1,100–1,500 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇵🇱 Krakow
€750–1,000 / 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
🇵🇱 Krakow
- Students with a tight budget
- Those who want to save without giving up a good Erasmus experience
- People interested in Central and Eastern Europe
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
Expensive
Cost of Living
Very Affordable
Very High
Nightlife
High
Very Good
Weather
Fair
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
High
Very Active
Student Life
Active
Very Tight
Housing
Comfortable
Top-Tier
University Reputation
Strong
Student insights
🇪🇸 Barcelona
- Excellent nightlife
- Top-tier international connections
- Highly recognised universities
Student insights
🇵🇱 Krakow
- Very low cost of living
- Excellent value for money
- Historic and culturally very rich city
Student voice — 🇪🇸 Barcelona
“Barcelona was the greatest experience of my life.”
Student voice — 🇵🇱 Krakow
“Krakow is cheap, student-oriented and right in the center of Europe.”
🇪🇸 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
🇵🇱 Krakow
Pros
- Very low cost of living
- Excellent value for money
- Historic and culturally very rich city
- Great travel opportunities around Central Europe
- Relatively accessible accommodation
Cons
- Long, cold winters
- Smaller Erasmus community than Budapest or Prague
- Fewer international connections than major European capitals
- Local language difficult for many students
- Less international visibility than some leading destinations
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.