Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Malta
56
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,090
Salary/mo
$2,180
Argentina
53
GoScore
Budget/mo
$580
Salary/mo
$650
AI insights unavailable
Study Abroad GoScore Ranking
GoScore 0-100 · Weights: affordability, PR pathway, safety, career & quality of life
Key Comparison Metrics
Public university tuition / year
Monthly student budget
Part-time wage / hour
Student visa fee
Post-study work visa
IELTS band required
Safety index
Quick Verdict — 2026
Malta wins for students (GoScore 56 vs 53). A 2-year master's costs $13,920 in Argentina — 59% less than Malta, saving $19,870.
Malta wins for working professionals (GoScore 54 vs 47). Professionals in Malta retain $648/month after expenses — $698/month more than in Argentina.
Malta is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 66 vs 63). PR takes ~2 years in Argentina vs ~5 years in Malta.
Total cost of attendance in Argentina — tuition ($0) plus living ($13,920) — is $13,920. In Malta: $33,790 ($7,630 tuition + $26,160 living).Argentina is 59% cheaper, saving $19,870 over the degree.
In Argentina, 20 hrs/week at $3/hr earns $240/month — covering 86% of outside-city rent. In Malta, the same hours earn $785/month — covering 103% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Argentina retains $0/month from $650. In Malta: $648/month from $2,180. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $41,880. Tech salaries: $2,200/mo (Argentina) vs $3,270/mo (Malta).
Argentina: PR pathway ~2 years. Malta: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (Argentina) and 12 months (Malta). Student visa fee: $100 vs $305.
Minimum IELTS band: 5.5 (Argentina) and 6.0 (Malta). Argentina has a lower threshold — beneficial for applicants close to their target band. Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 🇲🇹 Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 53 | 56 |
| Work GoScore | 47 | 54 |
| Settle GoScore | 63 | 66 |
| Public university tuition / yr | N/A | $3,815 |
| Monthly student budget | $580 | $1,090 |
| Avg net salary / month | $650 | $2,180 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $420/mo | $1,090/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 2 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 43 / 100 | 71 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇦🇷 Argentina
Argentina has the world's 2nd largest shale oil and gas reserves (Vaca Muerta) — creating permanent demand for petroleum engineers and geologists.
Source: EIA 2024
Argentina produces more Nobel laureates per capita than any other Latin American country — 5 in science fields.
Buenos Aires has the world's highest concentration of psychoanalysts per capita — a cultural quirk reflecting the city's European intellectual heritage.
Argentina's weakened peso makes it one of the world's cheapest destinations for remote workers earning in USD or EUR — costs are 80% below European equivalents.
🇲🇹 Malta
Malta is the EU's smallest and sunniest member state — with 300 days of sunshine per year and English as an official language.
Malta's Individual Investor Programme grants EU citizenship in 12–14 months for qualifying investors — the fastest EU citizenship pathway.
Source: Identity Malta 2024
Malta's iGaming and fintech sectors employ 10% of the country's entire workforce — creating significant tech and compliance job opportunities.
Source: MGA Malta 2024
The cost of a master's degree at the University of Malta is €5,200–9,000 total — among the cheapest EU English-medium postgraduate programmes.
Source: University of Malta 2024
Popular Comparisons
Ready to take the next step?
You'll need IELTS to study in any of these countries. Take a free full-length mock test to know exactly where you stand.
Data Sources
Editorial
Compiled by mockDe Editorial Team
Verified by IELTS-certified advisors with study-abroad counselling experience.
Freshness
Data reflects 2026 benchmarks.
Last reviewed June 2026.
AI verdict cached permanently; regenerated on data change.
All figures in USD. AI insights by Gemini Pro. Values are indicative — verify official sources before making relocation decisions.