Cheapest countries to study in Europe
Living costs differ up to threefold across Europe. All 34 countries with cost data, cheapest first — with what tuition adds on top.
| Country | Living costs/mo | Typical EU tuition/yr | Non-EU per year | Universities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Macedonia | €460 | €400 | €800 | 2 | Full costs |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | €496 | €600 | €1,500 | 1 | Full costs |
| Bulgaria | €514 | €800 | €3,500 | 1 | Full costs |
| Romania | €545 | €1,300 | €3,500 | 16 | Full costs |
| Serbia | €570 | €1,200 | €2,500 | 4 | Full costs |
| Poland | €615 | Free | €3,000 | 51 | Full costs |
| Hungary | €632 | €1,500 | €5,500 | 11 | Full costs |
| Croatia | €651 | €950 | €1,500 | 4 | Full costs |
| Lithuania | €694 | €2,000 | €4,500 | 5 | Full costs |
| Latvia | €703 | €2,500 | €5,000 | 5 | Full costs |
| Slovakia | €719 | Free | €5,000 | 6 | Full costs |
| Greece | €735 | Free | €1,500 | 11 | Full costs |
| Portugal | €737 | €700 | €4,000 | 15 | Full costs |
| Czechia | €752 | Free | €4,000 | 16 | Full costs |
| Slovenia | €761 | Free | €3,000 | 3 | Full costs |
| Malta | €770 | Free | €11,000 | 1 | Full costs |
| Spain | €776 | €1,500 | €1,500–€25,000 | 55 | Full costs |
| Cyprus | €779 | €3,417 | €6,800 | 2 | Full costs |
| Italy | €824 | €1,500 | €1,500–€17,000 | 61 | Full costs |
| Estonia | €852 | Free | €4,500 | 3 | Full costs |
| Germany | €925 | Free | Free–€12,000 | 74 | Full costs |
| France | €945 | €175 | €2,850–€14,900 | 81 | Full costs |
| Austria | €949 | €726 | €1,454 | 16 | Full costs |
| Netherlands | €978 | €2,694 | €13,000 | 14 | Full costs |
| Sweden | €989 | Free | €14,000 | 14 | Full costs |
| Belgium | €992 | €950 | €4,500 | 10 | Full costs |
| Finland | €1,040 | Free | €12,000 | 9 | Full costs |
| Norway | €1,081 | Free | €13,000 | 8 | Full costs |
| United Kingdom | €1,091 | €11,650 | €30,000 | 100 | Full costs |
| Luxembourg | €1,114 | €400 | €400 | 1 | Full costs |
| Ireland | €1,163 | €2,500 | €18,000 | 9 | Full costs |
| Denmark | €1,196 | Free | €13,500 | 7 | Full costs |
| Iceland | €1,378 | €600 | €600 | 1 | Full costs |
| Switzerland | €1,470 | €1,500 | €1,500–€8,400 | 12 | Full costs |
Ranked by Eurostat-based monthly student living costs (rent, food, transport). Tuition shown is the typical (median) yearly fee across indexed universities.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cheapest country to study in Europe?
- North Macedonia — about €460 a month in living costs. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria follow close behind.
Last updated 2026-08-13.