🇧🇪
Ghent
Belgium
Medieval canals and a vibrant Flemish student city.
🇪🇸
Madrid
Spain
Spain's capital — museums, parks and endless nights.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇧🇪 Ghent
€850–1,150 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Madrid
€1,050–1,400 / month
Best for
🇧🇪 Ghent
- Students who want a true university city
- Those looking for a strong Erasmus community
- People who enjoy beer and bar culture
Best for
🇪🇸 Madrid
- Students looking for a large international city
- Those who want to travel frequently around Europe
- People interested in academic and professional opportunities
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
Moderate
Cost of Living
Expensive
High
Nightlife
Very High
Fair
Weather
Very Good
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Iconic
Student Life
Very Active
Comfortable
Housing
Tight
Strong
University Reputation
Top-Tier
Student insights
🇧🇪 Ghent
- Beautiful medieval centre
- Respected university
- Strong, tightly-connected student community
Student insights
🇪🇸 Madrid
- Exceptional nightlife
- Outstanding national and international connections
- Highly prestigious universities
Student voice — 🇧🇪 Ghent
“Ghent is Belgium's best-kept Erasmus secret.”
Student voice — 🇪🇸 Madrid
“Madrid is a city that never sleeps.”
🇧🇪 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
🇪🇸 Madrid
Pros
- Exceptional nightlife
- Outstanding national and international connections
- Highly prestigious universities
- Wide cultural and leisure offer
- Great networking and career opportunities
Cons
- Very expensive rent
- High cost of living by Spanish standards
- Large, sometimes overwhelming city
- Longer daily commutes than in mid-sized cities
- Less sense of student community than in more compact destinations
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.