🇪🇸
Barcelona
Spain
Architecture, beaches and an international vibe.
🇪🇸
Valencia
Spain
Beach, paella and a relaxed Mediterranean pace.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Barcelona
€1,100–1,500 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Valencia
€850–1,100 / 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
🇪🇸 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.
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇪🇸 Valencia
Expensive
Cost of Living
Moderate
Very High
Nightlife
High
Very Good
Weather
Very Good
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
High
Very Active
Student Life
Very Active
Very Tight
Housing
Manageable
Top-Tier
University Reputation
Strong
Student insights
🇪🇸 Barcelona
- Excellent nightlife
- Top-tier international connections
- Highly recognised universities
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 — 🇪🇸 Barcelona
“Barcelona was the greatest experience of my life.”
Student voice — 🇪🇸 Valencia
“Living and studying here has been great. I wouldn't choose any other city.”
🇪🇸 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
🇪🇸 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.