AustriavsSpain
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Austria
56
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,250
Salary/mo
$2,800
Spain
53
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,036
Salary/mo
$1,962
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
Austria wins for students (GoScore 56 vs 53). A 2-year master's costs $30,314 in Spain — 36% less than Austria, saving $17,086.
Austria wins for working professionals (GoScore 56 vs 53). Professionals in Austria retain $1,192/month after expenses — $805/month more than in Spain.
Austria is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 64 vs 63). PR takes ~5 years in Spain vs ~6 years in Austria.
Austria vs Spain: 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 Spain: $30,314 ($5,450 tuition + $24,864 living).Spain is 36% cheaper, saving $17,086 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 Spain, the same hours earn $715/month — covering 94% 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 Spain: $387/month from $1,962. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $48,300. Tech salaries: $4,200/mo (Austria) vs $3,488/mo (Spain).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Austria: PR pathway ~6 years. Spain: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Austria) and 12 months (Spain). Student visa fee: $160 vs $87.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Austria) and 6.0 (Spain).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇦🇹 Austria | 🇪🇸 Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 56 | 53 |
| Work GoScore | 56 | 53 |
| Settle GoScore | 64 | 63 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $8,700 | $2,725 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,250 | $1,036 |
| Avg net salary / month | $2,800 | $1,962 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,100/mo | $1,090/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 6 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 72 / 100 | 62 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Austria & Spain
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.
🇪🇸 Spain
- 1.
Spain has the world's 2nd longest healthy life expectancy at 73.8 years, behind only Japan.
Source: WHO 2023
- 2.
Spain's 2023 Startup Law (Ley de Startups) created a special visa and flat 15% tax rate for entrepreneurs and remote workers for 4 years.
Source: ENISA Spain 2023
- 3.
Barcelona and Madrid rank in Europe's top 5 startup ecosystems, hosting European HQs for Uber, Amazon Web Services, and Zoom.
Source: Startup Genome 2024
- 4.
Spanish is the world's 2nd most spoken native language — learning it unlocks career markets across 21 countries and 600 million speakers.
- 5.
Spain's unemployment rate for under-35s with STEM degrees is just 6% — among the lowest in Southern Europe.
Source: Eurostat 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.