🇧🇪
Ghent
Belgium
Medieval canals and a vibrant Flemish student city.
🇮🇹
Rome
Italy
Ancient ruins, dolce vita and Italy's biggest capital.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇧🇪 Ghent
€850–1,150 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇮🇹 Rome
€1,050–1,350 / 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
🇮🇹 Rome
- Students who want a major European capital
- Those passionate about history and classical culture
- People looking for top-tier universities
Category profile
How each city tends to feel across the things students care about — different, not better or worse.
🇧🇪 Ghent
🇮🇹 Rome
Moderate
Cost of Living
Expensive
High
Nightlife
High
Fair
Weather
Very Good
Excellent
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Outstanding
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
🇮🇹 Rome
- Extraordinary historical and cultural heritage
- Prestigious universities with many international programmes
- Excellent rail and flight connections
Student voice — 🇧🇪 Ghent
“Ghent is Belgium's best-kept Erasmus secret.”
Student voice — 🇮🇹 Rome
“Rome is overwhelming at first, then you fall in love.”
🇧🇪 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
🇮🇹 Rome
Pros
- Extraordinary historical and cultural heritage
- Prestigious universities with many international programmes
- Excellent rail and flight connections
- Vibrant food and aperitivo culture
- Pleasant Mediterranean climate most of the year
Cons
- Very competitive and expensive housing
- Public transport can be slow and crowded
- Notoriously slow administrative processes
- Massive tourist crowds in central areas
- Erasmus community feels fragmented across the city
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.