🇪🇸
Valencia
Spain
Beach, paella and a relaxed Mediterranean pace.
🇪🇸
Barcelona
Spain
Architecture, beaches and an international vibe.
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Valencia
€850–1,100 / month
Estimated monthly student budget
🇪🇸 Barcelona
€1,100–1,500 / month
Best for
🇪🇸 Valencia
- Students who want to live near the sea
- Those looking for balance between studies and social life
- People who enjoy outdoor activities
Best for
🇪🇸 Barcelona
- Students looking for an international and multicultural city
- Those who want to travel frequently around Europe
- People interested in highly prestigious universities
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
Very Good
Weather
Very Good
High
Travel Opportunities
Excellent
Very Active
Student Life
Very Active
Manageable
Housing
Very Tight
Strong
University Reputation
Top-Tier
Student insights
🇪🇸 Valencia
- Excellent balance between leisure, studies and quality of life
- Access to an urban beach
- Good climate during most of the year
Student insights
🇪🇸 Barcelona
- Excellent nightlife
- Top-tier international connections
- Highly recognised universities
Student voice — 🇪🇸 Valencia
“Living and studying here has been great. I wouldn't choose any other city.”
Student voice — 🇪🇸 Barcelona
“Barcelona was the greatest experience of my life.”
🇪🇸 Valencia
Pros
- Excellent balance between leisure, studies and quality of life
- Access to an urban beach
- Good climate during most of the year
- Large international community
- Good national and international connections
Cons
- Increasingly high rental prices
- Less intense Erasmus vibe than Seville or Granada
- Some areas can feel quite touristy
- Cost of living higher than many Spanish student destinations
- Less sense of a traditional university city
🇪🇸 Barcelona
Pros
- Excellent nightlife
- Top-tier international connections
- Highly recognised universities
- Large international community
- Unique combination of beach, culture and urban life
Cons
- Extremely expensive accommodation
- High cost of living
- Mass tourism in some areas
- Strong competition for rooms and residences
- Less sense of student community than in smaller cities
Have you studied in one of these cities?
Share your experience and help future students make better Erasmus decisions.