Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Israel
50
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,600
Salary/mo
$3,200
China
47
GoScore
Budget/mo
$750
Salary/mo
$1,200
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
Israel wins for students (GoScore 50 vs 47). A 2-year master's costs $27,000 in China — 57% less than Israel, saving $35,400.
Israel wins for working professionals (GoScore 51 vs 42). Professionals in Israel retain $1,220/month after expenses — $818/month more than in China.
Israel is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 57 vs 55). PR takes ~10 years in Israel vs ~10 years in China.
Total cost of attendance in China — tuition ($9,000) plus living ($18,000) — is $27,000. In Israel: $62,400 ($24,000 tuition + $38,400 living).China is 57% cheaper, saving $35,400 over the degree.
In China, 20 hrs/week at $4/hr earns $320/month — covering 97% of outside-city rent. In Israel, the same hours earn $960/month — covering 96% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in China retains $402/month from $1,200. In Israel: $1,220/month from $3,200. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $49,080. Tech salaries: $2,500/mo (China) vs $6,000/mo (Israel).
China: PR pathway ~10 years. Israel: ~10 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (China) and 12 months (Israel). Student visa fee: $140 vs $110.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (China) and 6.0 (Israel).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇨🇳 China | 🇮🇱 Israel |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 47 | 50 |
| Work GoScore | 42 | 51 |
| Settle GoScore | 55 | 57 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $4,500 | $12,000 |
| Monthly student budget | $750 | $1,600 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,200 | $3,200 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $520/mo | $1,500/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 10 years | 10 years |
| Safety index | 70 / 100 | 64 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇨🇳 China
China files more international patents than any country in the world — surpassing the US in 2019 and growing every year since.
Source: WIPO 2024
Shanghai has the world's largest metro network by route length at 831 km — larger than London, New York, and Tokyo combined.
Source: UITP 2024
China's Belt and Road Initiative spans 149 countries — creating infrastructure and finance careers with genuinely global reach.
Source: AEI 2023
Mandarin Chinese is the world's most spoken native language — learning it to HSK 5 unlocks business opportunities in East Asia's $26 trillion combined economy.
🇮🇱 Israel
Israel has the world's 3rd largest number of Nasdaq-listed companies after the US and China — earning it the nickname 'Startup Nation'.
Source: Start-Up Nation Central 2024
Israel spends 5.44% of GDP on R&D — the highest ratio in the world — making it a global centre for cybersecurity, medtech, and agritech.
Source: OECD 2023
Tel Aviv ranks among the top 5 global startup ecosystems, generating over $25 billion in venture funding annually.
Source: Startup Genome 2024
Israel's universal military service creates a unique professional culture — Unit 8200 alumni have founded over 1,000 tech companies.
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.