🇩🇪
Berlin
Germany
Counter-culture capital with legendary nightlife and history.
🇫🇷
Toulouse
France
The pink city — French southwest with a major student population.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇩🇪 Berlin
€1,050–1,350 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇫🇷 Toulouse
€900–1,200 / month
Best for
🇩🇪 Berlin
- Students looking for a creative, alternative city
- Those who want legendary nightlife
- People interested in modern history
Best for
🇫🇷 Toulouse
- Students who want to improve their French
- Those looking for a warm southern French city
- People interested in aerospace or engineering
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
Moderate
Cost of Living
Moderate
Very High
Nightlife
High
Fair
Weather
Very Good
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
High
Iconic
Student Life
Iconic
Tight
Housing
Manageable
Top-Tier
University Reputation
Strong
Student insights
🇩🇪 Berlin
- World-famous nightlife and music scene
- Very international and multicultural
- Strong universities and English-taught programmes
Student insights
🇫🇷 Toulouse
- Warm southern French climate
- Huge student population
- Strong universities, especially in engineering
Student voice — 🇩🇪 Berlin
“There's no city like Berlin for nightlife.”
Student voice — 🇫🇷 Toulouse
“Toulouse made me actually use my French.”
🇩🇪 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
🇫🇷 Toulouse
Pros
- Warm southern French climate
- Huge student population
- Strong universities, especially in engineering
- Lively bar and music scene
- Beautiful pink-brick architecture
Cons
- French language barrier in daily life
- Housing tightens at the start of the year
- Hot summers
- Smaller international community than Paris
- Public transport less extensive than larger metros
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.