🇪🇸
Granada
Spain
Free tapas, Alhambra views and a true student town.
🇮🇹
Padova
Italy
Historic university town, just 30 minutes from Venice.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Granada
€700–950 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇮🇹 Padova
€800–1,100 / month
Best for
🇪🇸 Granada
- Students with a tight budget
- Those looking for a very social Erasmus experience
- People who want to meet international students easily
Best for
🇮🇹 Padova
- Students who want a real university-town atmosphere
- Those who plan to travel around northern Italy frequently
- People who value academic prestige
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
Very High
Nightlife
Moderate
Very Good
Weather
Good
Moderate
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Iconic
Student Life
Iconic
Comfortable
Housing
Manageable
Strong
University Reputation
Top-Tier
Student insights
🇪🇸 Granada
- One of the lowest costs of living in Spain
- Exceptional Erasmus atmosphere
- Very easy to make international friends
Student insights
🇮🇹 Padova
- One of Italy's oldest and most prestigious universities
- Just 30 minutes by train to Venice
- Strong sense of student community
Student voice — 🇪🇸 Granada
“I did Erasmus in Granada and it was the best experience of my life.”
Student voice — 🇮🇹 Padova
“Padova surprised me — I'd choose it again over Milan.”
🇪🇸 Granada
Pros
- One of the lowest costs of living in Spain
- Exceptional Erasmus atmosphere
- Very easy to make international friends
- Excellent value for money in accommodation
- Strong university identity
Cons
- Fewer international connections than other major cities
- More limited job market for students
- No beach within the city
- Winters can be colder than expected
- Less cultural and professional offer than Madrid or Barcelona
🇮🇹 Padova
Pros
- One of Italy's oldest and most prestigious universities
- Just 30 minutes by train to Venice
- Strong sense of student community
- Compact, walkable historic centre
- Reasonable cost of living for northern Italy
Cons
- Smaller international community than Bologna
- Less famous than Florence or Rome
- Cold and foggy winters
- Limited big-city nightlife
- Housing tightens up at the start of the academic year
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.