Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Australia
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,503
Salary/mo
$3,268
Lithuania
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$750
Salary/mo
$1,400
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
Lithuania wins for students (GoScore 58 vs 58). A 2-year master's costs $26,000 in Lithuania — 68% less than Australia, saving $55,824.
Australia wins for working professionals (GoScore 65 vs 52). Professionals in Australia retain $1,320/month after expenses — $862/month more than in Lithuania.
Australia is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 72 vs 65). PR takes ~4 years in Australia vs ~5 years in Lithuania.
Total cost of attendance in Australia — tuition ($45,752) plus living ($36,072) — is $81,824. In Lithuania: $26,000 ($8,000 tuition + $18,000 living).Lithuania is 68% cheaper, saving $55,824 over the degree.
In Australia, 20 hrs/week at $15/hr earns $1,214/month — covering 109% of outside-city rent. In Lithuania, the same hours earn $400/month — covering 105% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Australia retains $1,320/month from $3,268. In Lithuania: $458/month from $1,400. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $51,720. Tech salaries: $5,556/mo (Australia) vs $2,500/mo (Lithuania).
Australia: PR pathway ~4 years. Lithuania: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 24 months (Australia) and 12 months (Lithuania). Student visa fee: $464 vs $80.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Australia) and 6.0 (Lithuania).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇦🇺 Australia | 🇱🇹 Lithuania |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 58 | 58 |
| Work GoScore | 65 | 52 |
| Settle GoScore | 72 | 65 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $22,876 | $4,000 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,503 | $750 |
| Avg net salary / month | $3,268 | $1,400 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,438/mo | $600/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 24 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 4 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 63 / 100 | 65 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇦🇺 Australia
Australia's national minimum wage of AUD $23.23/hour is the highest in the world for a major economy.
Source: Fair Work Commission 2024
International students can work unlimited hours in Australia — a rule made permanent in 2023 after a post-COVID pilot.
Source: Department of Home Affairs 2023
8 Australian universities rank in the global top 100, including ANU (#30), Melbourne (#33), and Sydney (#42).
Source: QS World Rankings 2025
The Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) allows graduates to stay 2–5 years to gain skilled work experience before applying for PR.
Source: Department of Home Affairs 2024
Over 800,000 Indians live in Australia — the fastest-growing migrant community, doubling in size between 2011 and 2021.
Source: ABS Census 2021
🇱🇹 Lithuania
Lithuania attracted over €1 billion in fintech investment in 2023 — Vilnius is now Europe's 3rd largest fintech hub after London and Stockholm.
Source: Invest Lithuania 2024
Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to declare independence (1990) — a political fact that reflects the country's notably strong democratic institutions.
Vilnius' old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring the world's highest concentration of Baroque architecture per square kilometre.
Source: UNESCO
Lithuanian universities charge €2,000–5,500/year for English-taught programmes — among the best value EU degrees available.
Popular Comparisons
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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.