🇪🇸
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.
🇪🇸 Granada
🇮🇹 Padova
Very Affordable
Cost of Living
Moderate
Very High
Nightlife
Moderate
Very Good
Weather
Good
Moderate
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Outstanding
Student Life
Outstanding
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.