AustriavsNorway
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Norway
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,302
Salary/mo
$4,185
Austria
56
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,250
Salary/mo
$2,800
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
Norway wins for students (GoScore 58 vs 56). A 2-year master's costs $47,400 in Austria — 14% less than Norway, saving $8,028.
Norway wins for working professionals (GoScore 65 vs 56). Professionals in Norway retain $2,186/month after expenses — $994/month more than in Austria.
Norway is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 66 vs 64). PR takes ~6 years in Austria vs ~7 years in Norway.
Austria vs Norway: Complete Cost & Immigration Analysis 2026
Total Cost of a 2-Year Master's Degree
Total cost of attendance in Austria — tuition ($17,400) plus living ($30,000) — is $47,400. In Norway: $55,428 ($24,180 tuition + $31,248 living).Austria is 14% cheaper, saving $8,028 over the degree.
Can Students Cover Rent With Part-Time Work?
In Austria, 20 hrs/week at $11/hr earns $880/month — covering 107% of outside-city rent. In Norway, the same hours earn $1,339/month — covering 131% of rent.
Real Monthly Savings After Living Expenses
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Austria retains $1,192/month from $2,800. In Norway: $2,186/month from $4,185. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $59,640. Tech salaries: $4,200/mo (Austria) vs $6,510/mo (Norway).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Austria: PR pathway ~6 years. Norway: ~7 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Austria) and 12 months (Norway). Student visa fee: $160 vs $56.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Austria) and 6.0 (Norway).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇦🇹 Austria | 🇳🇴 Norway |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 56 | 58 |
| Work GoScore | 56 | 65 |
| Settle GoScore | 64 | 66 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $8,700 | $12,090 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,250 | $1,302 |
| Avg net salary / month | $2,800 | $4,185 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,100/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 6 years | 7 years |
| Safety index | 72 / 100 | 79 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Austria & Norway
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇦🇹 Austria
- 1.
Austrian public universities charge just €726.72/semester (~€1,450/year) for non-EU students — some of the lowest fees in German-speaking Europe.
Source: BMBWF Austria 2024
- 2.
Vienna has been ranked the world's most liveable city by the Economist Intelligence Unit for 5 consecutive years.
Source: EIU 2024
- 3.
Austria's Red-White-Red Card fast-tracks skilled professionals to permanent residency — processing takes just 6–8 weeks.
Source: AMS Austria 2024
- 4.
Austria ranks 3rd globally for classical music institutions — Vienna's Musikverein and Vienna Philharmonic are considered the world's finest.
- 5.
The Austrian startup ecosystem produced 3 unicorns between 2021 and 2024 — BitPanda, Jentis, and Prewave — signaling a growing tech economy.
🇳🇴 Norway
- 1.
Norway has zero tuition fees at all public universities for ALL nationalities — including non-EU/EEA students.
Source: NOKUT 2024
- 2.
Norway ranks 1st on the UN Human Development Index for the 8th consecutive year.
Source: UNDP HDR 2023
- 3.
Norway's Government Pension Fund is the world's largest sovereign wealth fund at $1.7 trillion — funding exceptional public services including healthcare and education.
Source: Norges Bank 2024
- 4.
The Norwegian skilled worker visa has no quota system and processes applications in as little as 2 weeks.
Source: UDI Norway 2024
- 5.
Norway's oil and gas industry pays engineers NOK 900,000–1,400,000/year ($85,000–$130,000) — some of the world's highest engineering salaries.
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.