Erasmus budget: what a semester abroad actually costs
From the upfront costs paid before you leave to recurring monthly living expenses, a realistic Erasmus budget with country-by-country figures.
The most common way to get an Erasmus budget wrong is to reduce it to a single monthly figure. Spending actually comes in two separate blocks: setup costs paid before you leave, most of which you never get back, and recurring monthly living expenses once you are there. The grant partially covers the second. It barely touches the first.
This article separates the two, with real numbers.
Block 1: What you pay before leaving
These leave your account before the semester starts, and the first grant instalment often arrives after them. In other words, you need starting capital.
- Visa fee. Around €75 in consular fees for a Schengen student visa. Going through an agency can push the total past €200; filing yourself avoids that difference.
- Health insurance. A policy covering the entire Erasmus period and valid for Schengen is mandatory. Cost varies with duration and coverage.
- Flights. Start and end of term are peak periods; booking two months ahead makes a substantial difference.
- Deposit. The most irritating line item: usually one to two months' rent, paid upfront. In theory you get it back — but at the end of the stay, meaning that money is unavailable to you for six months.
Going to Germany: the blocked account
Germany sits apart on this list. The visa requires €11,904 held in a blocked account, released to you at a maximum of €992 per month. This is not an expense — it is your money. But it must be in the account when you apply, so you need access to that amount.
The real cost is the provider's fee: €119–159 setup plus €9–9.90 per month, which lands in the €220–280 range over a year.
See the Germany preparation guide for the full sequence.
Block 2: Monthly living costs
This is where countries diverge sharply. The same grant is comfortable in Poland and tight in the Netherlands.
Rent — the deciding factor
| Location | Single room (monthly) |
|---|---|
| Krakow | 1,800–2,300 zł (~€420–540) |
| Germany (varies by city) | €400–800 |
| Netherlands | €600–800 |
University halls are clearly below market everywhere, but places are limited and applications open months before term. Missing student housing is the single decision that can double your budget.
Always check whether bills are included — in Poland they usually are not.
Other recurring costs
- Transport. A student card halves fares in most cities; in Krakow it is issued in ten minutes at the transport office with proof of enrolment and a passport. In the Netherlands the real vehicle is a bicycle: €80–150 second-hand, paid once and used all term.
- Food. One meal out per day with the rest from supermarkets keeps you in the €150–250 range. Eating out every meal roughly doubles it.
- Phone. An eSIM lets you activate a line before landing, which avoids both a disconnected first day and a roaming bill.
How far does the grant go?
The Erasmus grant is set by country group and is not designed to cover living costs in full — it is a contribution. In practice:
- In Poland, Czechia or Hungary it can cover most of the rent.
- In the Netherlands, Germany or France it struggles to cover half.
Get your own figure from the list published by your university's Erasmus office; it varies by country group and academic year. How and when it is paid is a separate matter — see the grant payment article.
A realistic planning method
- Add up the setup costs. Visa, insurance, flights, deposit, and the blocked account fee if applicable. You need access to this whole amount before you leave.
- Estimate the monthly figure. Rent plus bills plus €250 (food, transport, phone) is a sound starting estimate.
- Subtract the grant and multiply the gap by the number of months. That result is what has to come from savings or family.
- Keep travel money separate. The most common Erasmus regret is having nothing left to travel with at the end. A ten-day Central Europe trip runs €450–700; the routes pages carry full budget breakdowns.
- Leave one month of buffer. Deposits come back late and the second grant instalment can arrive after the semester ends.
The most common budgeting mistakes
- Leaving the deposit out because "I'll get it back". That money is unavailable for six months.
- Treating the blocked account as an expense and panicking — or ignoring the setup fee entirely.
- Missing the student housing deadline and being forced onto the private market.
- Assuming the first grant instalment lands before you leave.
- Leaving the return flight until later.
The fastest way to learn the current rent range in your specific city is to ask in that city's room — find it on the rooms page.