🇨🇿
Brno
Czech Republic
Affordable Czech student capital with a strong community.
🇧🇪
Ghent
Belgium
Medieval canals and a vibrant Flemish student city.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇨🇿 Brno
€650–950 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇧🇪 Ghent
€850–1,150 / month
Best for
🇨🇿 Brno
- Students with a tight budget
- Those who want a strong student community
- People who enjoy travelling around Central Europe
Best for
🇧🇪 Ghent
- Students who want a true university city
- Those looking for a strong Erasmus community
- People who enjoy beer and bar culture
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
Very Affordable
Cost of Living
Moderate
High
Nightlife
High
Fair
Weather
Fair
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Iconic
Student Life
Iconic
Comfortable
Housing
Comfortable
Strong
University Reputation
Strong
Student insights
🇨🇿 Brno
- Very low cost of living
- Strong, tightly-knit Erasmus community
- Multiple universities concentrated in one city
Student insights
🇧🇪 Ghent
- Beautiful medieval centre
- Respected university
- Strong, tightly-connected student community
Student voice — 🇨🇿 Brno
“Brno is Prague's chill little sibling.”
Student voice — 🇧🇪 Ghent
“Ghent is Belgium's best-kept Erasmus secret.”
🇨🇿 Brno
Pros
- Very low cost of living
- Strong, tightly-knit Erasmus community
- Multiple universities concentrated in one city
- Great Central European travel base
- Friendly, welcoming atmosphere
Cons
- Cold winters
- Smaller than Prague — fewer flights and tourists
- Czech language barrier outside university
- Less famous globally as an Erasmus destination
- Limited beach or Mediterranean lifestyle
🇧🇪 Ghent
Pros
- Beautiful medieval centre
- Respected university
- Strong, tightly-connected student community
- Excellent rail connections across Europe
- Lively, affordable bar scene
Cons
- Grey, rainy climate most of the year
- Less famous than Bruges or Brussels
- Some courses in Dutch only
- Cold winters
- Smaller international airport nearby
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.