ChinavsItaly
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Italy
51
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,090
Salary/mo
$1,962
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
Italy wins for students (GoScore 51 vs 47). A 2-year master's costs $27,000 in China — 17% less than Italy, saving $5,700.
Italy wins for working professionals (GoScore 51 vs 42). Professionals in China retain $402/month after expenses — $151/month more than in Italy.
Italy is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 57 vs 55). PR takes ~5 years in Italy vs ~10 years in China.
China vs Italy: Complete Cost & Immigration Analysis 2026
Total Cost of a 2-Year Master's Degree
Total cost of attendance in China — tuition ($9,000) plus living ($18,000) — is $27,000. In Italy: $32,700 ($6,540 tuition + $26,160 living).China is 17% cheaper, saving $5,700 over the degree.
Can Students Cover Rent With Part-Time Work?
In China, 20 hrs/week at $4/hr earns $320/month — covering 97% of outside-city rent. In Italy, the same hours earn $654/month — covering 75% of rent.
Real Monthly Savings After Living Expenses
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in China retains $402/month from $1,200. In Italy: $251/month from $1,962. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $9,060. Tech salaries: $2,500/mo (China) vs $3,815/mo (Italy).
Permanent Residency Timeline
China: PR pathway ~10 years. Italy: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (China) and 12 months (Italy). Student visa fee: $140 vs $55.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (China) and 6.0 (Italy).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇨🇳 China | 🇮🇹 Italy |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 47 | 51 |
| Work GoScore | 42 | 51 |
| Settle GoScore | 55 | 57 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $4,500 | $3,270 |
| Monthly student budget | $750 | $1,090 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,200 | $1,962 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $520/mo | $1,199/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 10 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 70 / 100 | 55 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: China & Italy
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇨🇳 China
- 1.
China files more international patents than any country in the world — surpassing the US in 2019 and growing every year since.
Source: WIPO 2024
- 2.
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
- 3.
China's Belt and Road Initiative spans 149 countries — creating infrastructure and finance careers with genuinely global reach.
Source: AEI 2023
- 4.
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.
🇮🇹 Italy
- 1.
Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites (58) than any country in the world — uniquely valuable for students in architecture, art history, and design.
Source: UNESCO 2024
- 2.
The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is the world's oldest continuously operating university.
- 3.
Italy's fashion, luxury, and automotive industries (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Gucci, Prada, Armani) collectively employ over 1.5 million people, creating unique career paths unavailable elsewhere.
- 4.
Italy introduced the Digital Nomad Visa in 2024, targeting remote workers earning €28,000+/year with a straightforward application process.
Source: Italian Ministry of Interior 2024
- 5.
Italian public universities charge €0–4,000/year for non-EU students — with some of the world's cheapest engineering and medical degrees.
Source: MIUR Italy 2024
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.