The 8 best Spanish cities for your Erasmus, honestly compared
There's no single "best" Erasmus city in Spain — there's the one that fits you. Eight honest portraits of the cities that take in the most international students, from people who actually lived there.
There's a Reddit thread asked twice a week: "What's the best city for Erasmus in Spain?" The honest answer is that it depends entirely on you — your budget, your tolerance for heat, whether you came to study or to party, and whether you want to learn Spanish or just use English.
We've broken down the eight cities that take in the most international students. No tourist-board fluff.
Madrid — the capital that never sleeps
Best for: big-city lovers, nightlife maximalists, anyone studying business, politics or media.
The fastest city, the loudest city, the one with the most. Madrid has the largest international student population in Spain, the densest cultural calendar, and a metro that takes you anywhere for €20/month if you're under 26.
- Room: €500–€750/month
- Weather: brutal summer (40°C+), cold winter for Spain (0°C nights)
- Student vibe: spread across districts — Moncloa, Argüelles, Malasaña, Lavapiés
- Trade-off: you'll spend more on rent and transport than in any other Spanish city
Barcelona — beach, mountains, and a Catalan identity
Best for: design and architecture students, surfers, anyone who values being somewhere aesthetically.
The other obvious choice. Barcelona is two cities at once: a Mediterranean tourist capital and a deeply Catalan city with its own language. The university scene is split across UB, UPF, UAB, ESADE — each with a different vibe.
- Room: €500–€800/month
- Weather: mild and humid; rare proper winter
- Student vibe: Gràcia (alternative), Sants (cheaper), Eixample (central, pricey)
- Trade-off: Spanish-only Erasmus might feel like they're missing half the conversation. Catalan is everywhere socially.
Valencia — the under-rated star
Best for: people who want the Barcelona lifestyle at half the cost.
If you didn't know about Valencia, this is your tip. Beach + paella + 320 days of sun + a vibrant student population + rents under €450 for a great room. It's smaller than Madrid or Barcelona, but the centre is endlessly walkable and the bike infrastructure is the best in Spain.
- Room: €350–€480/month
- Weather: Mediterranean perfect, hot July/August
- Student vibe: Russafa (cool, walkable), Benimaclet (cheap, very student), Ciutat Vella (central)
- Trade-off: less international density than Madrid/Barcelona, so you'll integrate more with Spanish students (this is good for some, bad for others)
Granada — the cheap and beautiful one
Best for: budget-conscious students, hikers, anyone who wants to actually learn Spanish.
Granada is the bohemian heart of Erasmus in Spain. Cheap, gorgeous, surrounded by the Sierra Nevada (you can ski and beach on the same day in March), and home to the only city in Spain where ordering a beer still gets you a free tapa.
- Room: €280–€400/month
- Weather: colder than people expect (it's at altitude); proper winter, mild summer
- Student vibe: Realejo, Albaicín if you want the postcard
- Trade-off: smaller city — you'll bump into everyone you know constantly. For some that's heaven, for others it's claustrophobic.
Sevilla — heat, flamenco, and a tighter knit scene
Best for: Spanish-language students, anyone obsessed with culture, summer-tolerant humans.
Sevilla is intense — the heat, the accents, the flamenco bars, the religious processions, the orange trees on every corner. The Erasmus community here is smaller and more cohesive than in the big cities, which means deeper friendships and worse English options.
- Room: €330–€450/month
- Weather: the hottest of the major Spanish cities (45°C peaks)
- Student vibe: Triana (across the river, classic), Macarena, Alameda
- Trade-off: the Andalusian accent will destroy your Spanish for the first two months, then you'll wear it like a badge.
Salamanca — a city built for students
Best for: language learners, history students, anyone who wants the European-college-town fantasy.
Salamanca has been a student city for 800 years. Half the population is here for the university. The buildings are sandstone, the bars are crammed, and the locals speak the clearest Spanish in the country (which is why it's the #1 destination for serious Spanish-language study).
- Room: €300–€420/month
- Weather: cold winter (it snows), mild summer
- Student vibe: the entire centre is the student vibe — you don't have to pick a neighbourhood
- Trade-off: small city. By month four you'll have walked every street twice.
Bilbao — green, gastronomic and slightly different
Best for: food lovers, design students, people who want a Spain that doesn't look like the postcard.
The Basque Country is its own thing — rainier, cooler, with its own language and a famous food culture (the pintxos in Bilbao's Casco Viejo are a religion). The Guggenheim transformed the city, but the student life centres around the University of Deusto and UPV.
- Room: €380–€520/month
- Weather: northern Spain — rain, grey, mild temperatures year-round
- Student vibe: Indautxu, Casco Viejo, Deusto
- Trade-off: if you came to Spain for beach weather, this isn't it. If you came for food, you'll never leave.
Málaga — beach city with a twist
Best for: beach lovers, digital-nomad-curious students, anyone who wants Andalusian warmth without Sevilla heat.
Málaga has reinvented itself. It used to be a place tourists flew through to reach the Costa del Sol; now it's a thriving cultural city with a big student population and a permanent "warm winter" reputation. The University of Málaga campus is by the beach, which is either a constant blessing or a constant academic distraction.
- Room: €380–€520/month
- Weather: the mildest in mainland Spain — 18°C winters, 30°C summers
- Student vibe: El Palo, Pedregalejo (beach barrios), Soho (central)
- Trade-off: the tourism wave means parts of the centre feel less local than they used to.
The right Erasmus city is the one that matches what you actually came for. If you came to learn Spanish, don't pick Barcelona. If you came for nightlife, don't pick Salamanca. If you came for sun, skip Bilbao.
When you've picked yours, find a verified room in that city on GoMate — we cover all eight, with real photos and student-rated landlords.
Frequently asked questions
Which Spanish city is the cheapest for Erasmus students?
Granada is the cheapest of the main Erasmus destinations — expect €280–€400 for a room and very low daily costs (free tapas with drinks still exists). Salamanca, Sevilla and Valencia follow closely behind.
Is Barcelona too expensive for Erasmus students?
Barcelona is the most expensive Erasmus city in Spain alongside Madrid — rooms run €500–€800. If budget is tight, look at Sabadell or Terrassa with a Rodalies pass, or consider Valencia instead for similar Mediterranean vibe at half the rent.
Which city has the best nightlife for Erasmus students?
Madrid wins on sheer scale — clubs open until 6 AM seven days a week. Valencia and Sevilla compete on quality, with a tighter student scene. Salamanca and Granada feel less like clubs and more like a constant tapas crawl.
Which Spanish city is best to learn Spanish during Erasmus?
Salamanca and Granada are the best for immersion — small enough that you'll be forced to use Spanish daily, and locals speak a clear neutral accent. Avoid Barcelona for pure Spanish (Catalan is everywhere) and watch out for Sevilla's strong Andalusian accent if you're a beginner.
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