Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Australia
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,503
Salary/mo
$3,268
Poland
55
GoScore
Budget/mo
$633
Salary/mo
$1,645
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
Australia wins for students (GoScore 58 vs 55). A 2-year master's costs $22,782 in Poland — 72% less than Australia, saving $59,042.
Australia wins for working professionals (GoScore 65 vs 51). Professionals in Australia retain $1,320/month after expenses — $890/month more than in Poland.
Australia is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 72 vs 58). PR takes ~4 years in Australia vs ~5 years in Poland.
Total cost of attendance in Australia — tuition ($45,752) plus living ($36,072) — is $81,824. In Poland: $22,782 ($7,590 tuition + $15,192 living).Poland is 72% cheaper, saving $59,042 over the degree.
In Australia, 20 hrs/week at $15/hr earns $1,214/month — covering 109% of outside-city rent. In Poland, the same hours earn $607/month — covering 96% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Australia retains $1,320/month from $3,268. In Poland: $430/month from $1,645. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $53,400. Tech salaries: $5,556/mo (Australia) vs $3,795/mo (Poland).
Australia: PR pathway ~4 years. Poland: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 24 months (Australia) and 12 months (Poland). Student visa fee: $464 vs $127.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Australia) and 6.0 (Poland).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇦🇺 Australia | 🇵🇱 Poland |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 58 | 55 |
| Work GoScore | 65 | 51 |
| Settle GoScore | 72 | 58 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $22,876 | $3,795 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,503 | $633 |
| Avg net salary / month | $3,268 | $1,645 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,438/mo | $886/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 24 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 4 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 63 / 100 | 61 / 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
🇵🇱 Poland
Warsaw's tech sector grew 40% between 2019 and 2023 — Poland is now home to the EU's 5th largest startup ecosystem.
Source: Startup Poland 2024
Poland issued more work visas to non-EU nationals than any other EU country in 2023 — reflecting one of Europe's most open labour markets.
Source: Eurostat 2023
Polish university fees for international students are €2,000–4,000/year — up to 10× cheaper than UK fees for comparable engineering and IT degrees.
Poland's GDP grew at an average of 4.5% per year from 2000 to 2023 — the fastest sustained growth of any EU member state.
Source: World Bank 2024
Copernicus, Marie Curie (born Maria Skłodowska), and John Paul II were all Polish — reflecting a deep culture of scientific and intellectual achievement.
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.