🇭🇺
Budapest
Hungary
Thermal baths, ruin bars and the Danube at sunset.
🇧🇪
Ghent
Belgium
Medieval canals and a vibrant Flemish student city.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇭🇺 Budapest
€800–1,050 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇧🇪 Ghent
€850–1,150 / month
Best for
🇭🇺 Budapest
- Students with a tight or mid-range budget
- Those looking for a very active social life
- People who want to travel frequently around 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.
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇧🇪 Ghent
Very Affordable
Cost of Living
Moderate
Very High
Nightlife
High
Fair
Weather
Fair
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Outstanding
Student Life
Outstanding
Plentiful
Housing
Comfortable
Well-Regarded
University Reputation
Strong
Student insights
🇭🇺 Budapest
- Excellent value for money
- One of the best nightlife scenes in Europe
- Large Erasmus community
Student insights
🇧🇪 Ghent
- Beautiful medieval centre
- Respected university
- Strong, tightly-connected student community
Student voice — 🇭🇺 Budapest
“Budapest is a brilliant city for Erasmus.”
Student voice — 🇧🇪 Ghent
“Ghent is Belgium's best-kept Erasmus secret.”
🇭🇺 Budapest
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- One of the best nightlife scenes in Europe
- Large Erasmus community
- Ideal location for travelling
- Relatively accessible accommodation
Cons
- Long, cold winters
- University prestige lower than major Western capitals
- Local language difficult for many students
- Fewer international professional opportunities
- Some infrastructure can feel less modern than Western Europe
🇧🇪 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.