Where to live in Barcelona as a student: Neighbourhood guide

Explore student neighbourhoods in Barcelona that have a vibrant nightlife, cheap rent, nearby public transport and universities.

Angelina

8 minute read

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Updated on 21 May 2024

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Living

It’s easy to get carried away by the popularity of the city centre when deciding on where to live in Barcelona as a student. But there're neighbourhoods offering a better quality of life and more affordable housing, all the while ensuring that your university and the vibrant nightlife of Barcelona are around the corner.

So, to escape tourist traps and unsafe areas of Barcelona, we advise you to stay in neighbourhoods such as:

• Gracia,
• L'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample,
• El Poblenou,
• La Maternitat i Sant Ramon.

Let’s see what they have in store for you!

Did you know that every year more than 20,000 international students choose to continue their studies in Barcelona? Discover why so many internationals want to study in Barcelona.

Quality of life

Gracia is one of the favourite Barcelona neighbourhoods to live in for people of all walks of life. Due to its history as a separate town in the past, the neighbourhood still stands out for its balanced quality of life and communal feel. That’s probably why

locals still call it a ‘village within the city,’ describing it as a lively district and quiet at the same time.

You’ll find peace as you walk along the little backstreets lined with independent art galleries and small shops. But as you reach one of its animated plazas — Gracia's meeting points — you’ll witness its neighbourhood spirit in full swing. Young and old, locals and foreigners, families and students enjoy a peaceful moment on terraces in Gracia.

This neighbourhood is a great fit if you’d like to immerse yourself in the Catalan culture and have places to go to at the same time!

Things to do

The Gracia neighbourhood is very well connected to the rest of the city with public transport. Green and yellow metro lines cross the district - you can be in the city centre or at Barceloneta beach in mere 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a bus or bike which won't take you much longer!

This neighbourhood has a great atmosphere for students. Carrer de Verdi street is one of the locals' favourites. At the top, it’s very residential and offers a beautiful view of the cityscape. As you walk down the street, you'll come across some shops, and a variety of bars and restaurants.

The highlight is Cine Verdi - a quirky cinema, showing everything from independent art-house films to blockbusters in their original language with Spanish subtitles. You'll also find a variety of entertainment options on Plaça del Sol.

Of course, when talking about Gracia, Güell Park cannot go unmentioned. The Gaudi creation is easily the most visited place in this district. A great place to unwind after a long day of lectures!

Another idyllic nature spot is Parc de la Creueta del Coll — a park with a public bathing pool, ping-pong tables and picnic areas. Normally it’s a quieter place hidden from the crowds. But beware, it can still get a bit noisy on warm summer days when neighbourhood kids gather to play in the pool.

Universities and libraries

Gracia is home to 2 universities:

• IED Barcelona
• INSA Business, Marketing & Communication School

Here you’ll also find Vila de Gracia and Jaume Fuster libraries - two of the best ones in town!

Internationality

Gracia's a district with a deeply rooted Catalan character - many of its residents are lifelong neighbours. That’s probably why it’s lately becoming more popular among internationals who want to escape tourist crowds and get a taste of local life. In the end, you get the best of both worlds!

Rental prices

You can expect to pay around €400-€550 for a private room in a shared student residence in Gracia.

Quality of life

l’Eixample or “Extension” in Catalan is a lively district in the heart of Barcelona that’s often overlooked by tourists. As the name suggests, it was designed to be an extension of the old town of Barcelona, connecting it to the then-independent villages Sarrià and Gràcia.

The signature grid pattern of l’Eixample is meant to facilitate traffic, sunlight and ventilation, making it one of the most organised and spacious districts in Barcelona today!

And even though it’s located right next to the city centre, the area is relatively calm compared to its neighbouring districts. And yet there’s a vibrant nightlife and cafe culture to be found too!

L'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample or ‘Old Left of the Eixample’ neighbourhood is the area we’d like to highlight in particular. Do you know why it’s often referred to as Gaixample? Indeed, it’s where you’ll find Barcelona’s thriving gay scene in full swing!

Things to do

l’Eixample is one of the most comfortable places to live in Barcelona. The residents praise it for being efficient and well-connected. All you need can be found within a short walk!

At the same time, you can get to any point of Barcelona easily as the district lies at the intersection of blue, purple, red, yellow and green metro lines.

L'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample is a historic college and residential area. The upper part of it is very quiet but the neighbourhood gets more vibrant around the del Ninot market. There you’ll find numerous gay bars, clubs and saunas as well as some of the best places in Barcelona for tapas and authentic food.

There’re also multiple cinemas including an old-school movie house Boliche Cinemes showing new and old international films in their original language.

In Ferran Soldevila Gardens, in front of the University of Barcelona, you can often catch an outdoor live concert or a multidisciplinary performance. And if you’re in the mood for some art, visit Fundació Antoni Tàpies Foundation which is home to one of the finest collections of contemporary art in Barcelona.

Universities and libraries

l’Eixample is home to numerous public and private universities including:

• the University of Barcelona
• Barcelona Business School (UIBS)
• EAE Business School
• EADA Business School
• TBS Education in Barcelona
• University Pompeu Fabra – Balmes Campus
• European College for Liberal Studies (ECLS)
• Idep Barcelona

Of course, this student neighbourhood offers plenty of study places to choose from too! Regardless of where in l’Eixample you’re, there’s a library within a short walk. You’ll find municipal libraries such as Biblioteca Pública Arús, Sofia Barat Public Library, Biblioteca Pública Episcopal de Barcelona, and several university libraries located in this area.

Internationality

l’Eixample is youthful and international. Since everything you need can be found within the district, it managed to preserve a very communal feel.

Rental prices

One of the best things about living in l’Eixample is that the buildings are relatively new and are likely to have better facilities than the ones in older parts of the city. However, that also means that there’s less of a unique Catalan character to it too.

The average rental prices for student housing in Barcelona’s L'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample are €500-€600.

Quality of life

El Poblenou is one of the most affordable up-and-coming neighbourhoods in the Sant Martí district of Barcelona. Just like the above-mentioned neighbourhoods, it’s centrally located and surprisingly is way more tranquil compared to the buzzing Ciutat Vella (city centre).

El Poblenou used to be an industrial district that experienced dramatic changes to become one of the coolest neighbourhoods of Barcelona.

One of the main gentrification projects is 22@Barcelona which aims to establish Poblenou as a high-tech centre of the Catalan capital. This initiative gave new life to old warehouses transforming them into lofts, start-up offices, galleries, co-working spaces, and creative hubs.

Thanks to low rental prices, proximity to the beach and thriving cultural scene, it’s one of the best places to live in Barcelona as a student.

Things to do

El Poblenou is located very conveniently on the yellow metro line. But depending on where you’re in the neighbourhood, you can walk to the purple line in El Clot or the red one in the nearby El Parc i la Llacuna del Poblenou. The latter is the developing area of Sant Marti where you’ll find some of Barcelona’s most famous modern architecture, the must-see Design museum, and one of Barcelona’s finest clubs Razzmatazz.

Travellers often overlook this neighbourhood due to the lack of touristy places to visit. And yet everything you need as a student is within arms reach, including less crowded public beaches, including Platja de la Mar Bella nude beach if that’s your jam!

When not relaxing at the beach on a weekend, you can visit digital art centre IDEAL, attend a workshop in the Poblenou Urban District or explore local concept stores and speciality coffee bars. And later, after grabbing a bowl of delicious ramen around the corner, you can catch a movie at the huge Glòries Multiplex.

Finally, while living in El Poblenou, you don’t want to miss the monthly Palo Alto market that brings the whole neighbourhood together for a unique mix of street food, live music, and stalls featuring designs of local artisans and independent designers. It’s a great place for students to score special items for an affordable price!

Even though Spain's cost of living is one of the lowest in Europe, Barcelona is known for being one of the most expensive cities in the country. It’s a good idea to estimate your living costs for Barcelona in advance.

Universities and libraries

In El Poblenou you’ll be close to

• Pompeu Fabra University - Faculty of Political and Social Sciences
• BAU · College of Arts & Design Barcelona
• Open University of Catalonia
• Barcelona East School of Engineering
• Eneb School of Business

When exams creep in, you can head to one of the university libraries or visit a public one like Ramon d'Alòs-Moner Library, Poblenou-Manuel Arranz Library or Sant Martí de Provençals Library.

Internationality

Due to the relatively low rental prices and gentrification process in El Poblenou, it’s recently been attracting more residents from different backgrounds, giving the neighbourhood a multicultural character. The area is especially popular among young families and creatives.

At the same time, in other parts of Sant Martí, the majority of people are Barcelona born and bred. So if that’s what you’re seeking, you can also consider the nearby residential neighbourhoods such as El Clot.

Rental prices

Due to its past, El Poblenou is a great neighbourhood to look for a spacious shared apartment with an industrial touch. You can expect a price tag of €430-€520 for a private room. But if you’re lucky you might even score yourself an independent studio at about €800!

Quality of life

Les Corts is one of the most popular neighbourhoods to live in as a student in Barcelona. After all, living near Zona Universitària means waking up half an hour before the lecture and still being there on time!

Generally, it’s a working-class district, known pretty much only for its football stadium and Polytechnic University. But it’s worth mentioning that despite the high presence of young people in the area,

this district might not be the right choice for you if you’re a social butterfly looking for trendy hangout spots.

Things to do

You won’t find a particularly exciting nightlife or hip restaurant scene around here. But the good public transport connection makes a fun night out a metro ride away. With the blue or green metro line, you can be in the bustling centre within 10 minutes.

Maybe you’d rather spend your weekend playing soccer or skateboarding? Well, then you’ll find your heaven in one of the local sports complexes or popular skatepark — Les Corts.

But the main hang out spot of this neighbourhood is probably the massive L’illa Diagonal shopping centre and the green area surrounding it. It’s a good place to get a bite or refresh your wardrobe!

Universities and libraries

In La Maternitat i Sant Ramon of Les Corts, you’ll be living close to:

• ESADE
• EU Business School
• IESE Business School
• The Technical University of Catalonia
• the University of Barcelona
• Dexeus University Hospital

Internationality

This part of Les Courts is a relatively new neighbourhood that accommodates a growing community of students who’ve decided to settle down near their university. It’s also popular among young expat professionals due to its affordability compared to the rest of the neighbourhoods of Les Corts which are pretty upmarket.

Rental prices

It’s the most affordable neighbourhood on our list with many private rooms falling into the range of €350-€440!

Now that you’ve found the perfect location for your stay in Barcelona, you’re all set for the adventure that is student life in Spain. We wish you good luck in your search for student accommodation in Barcelona!