The European continent is undoubtedly one of the richest in the world culturally. The different countries there carry different traditions, different languages and different ways of thinking. In order not to escape the rule, the cost of living in Europe also varies widely. To explain these differences, we have prepared an infographic (click on it to enlarge) comparing some aspects that directly impact the expenses of an exchange student in some capitals of the continent.
Public universities
The number of public universities clearly varies according to the area of each city. London stands out with its 36 public universities, which is not surprising considering its metropolitan area of 8,382 square kilometers. The British capital is followed by Paris and Berlin, each with 17 institutions.
Number of students
Paris clearly leads on this point: the City of Light is home to 600,000 students. London continues with 400 thousand students and, proving to be an increasingly popular city, Warsaw is in fourth place, with about 255 thousand students, behind Madrid.
Average rental price
It is no surprise that London is the most expensive city to live in: monthly rent on shared accommodation there costs an average of £ 680. The farther south and east you go, the cheaper the rental prices are. Budapest and Warsaw are excellent and very different options if you are looking for a cheap place to stay.
Tuition
There is a country that you should automatically consider if you do not want to pay any tuition at the university: Germany. Berlin has free classes, as does Warsaw. If you combine these figures with rental prices, Berlin and Warsaw are two of the most affordable cities in Europe! By far, the most expensive is London, with an average annual cost of £ 10,500.
Average beer price
Now let’s get to what really matters: average beer prices! If you want to have a great – and cheap – time with your friends, and have a few beers for less than 2 euros, go to Prague, Budapest or Lisbon. If you want to try some of the best beers in the world, Belgium and Germany happily keep the price of the mug below 4 euros.
Transport
Transport prices are very reasonable and do not impact the cost of living in Europe as much – they are around € 10 or € 30 for a monthly student pass. Leading the most expensive numbers is, once again, London, followed by Amsterdam. For a Western European country, Brussels is surprisingly cheap – transport there costs almost nothing!
Average meal price
There is no doubt: if you want to fill your stomach with good food, but without emptying your wallet, go to southern Europe, where you can buy a full meal for less than 10 euros. As a general rule, the further north you are on the continent, the more expensive the food will be. In these bands expect to spend around 17 euros on a simple dish (which may not always be that good).
