🇩🇰
Copenhagen
Denmark
Scandinavian design, bikes and one of Europe's best quality of life.
🇵🇹
Lisbon
Portugal
Hills, ocean views and a buzzing creative capital.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇩🇰 Copenhagen
€1,400–1,800 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇵🇹 Lisbon
€950–1,250 / month
Best for
🇩🇰 Copenhagen
- Students who value high quality of life
- Those interested in design and sustainability
- People looking for top-tier universities
Best for
🇵🇹 Lisbon
- Students looking for a very active social life
- Those who value good weather all year round
- People who want to travel frequently around Europe
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
Very Expensive
Cost of Living
Moderate
High
Nightlife
Very High
Fair
Weather
Excellent
High
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Very Active
Student Life
Iconic
Very Tight
Housing
Tight
Top-Tier
University Reputation
Strong
Student insights
🇩🇰 Copenhagen
- Excellent quality of life
- World-class universities
- Very bike-friendly and well-organised
Student insights
🇵🇹 Lisbon
- One of the best nightlife scenes in Europe
- Exceptional climate most of the year
- Excellent international connectivity
Student voice — 🇩🇰 Copenhagen
“Best quality of life I've ever experienced.”
Student voice — 🇵🇹 Lisbon
“I will always say Lisbon.”
🇩🇰 Copenhagen
Pros
- Excellent quality of life
- World-class universities
- Very bike-friendly and well-organised
- Strong design and sustainability culture
- English universally spoken
Cons
- Very high cost of living
- Extremely competitive housing market
- Long, dark winters
- Locals can feel reserved
- Less spontaneous nightlife than southern Europe
🇵🇹 Lisbon
Pros
- One of the best nightlife scenes in Europe
- Exceptional climate most of the year
- Excellent international connectivity
- Large Erasmus and international community
- Great balance between studies, leisure and quality of life
Cons
- Difficult and expensive rental market
- Cost of living higher than many southern European destinations
- Strong tourist pressure in some areas
- City with many hills and demanding commutes
- Less feeling of a traditional university city than Granada or Bologna
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.