Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Hong Kong
49
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,800
Salary/mo
$3,800
Philippines
44
GoScore
Budget/mo
$400
Salary/mo
$500
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
Hong Kong wins for students (GoScore 49 vs 44). A 2-year master's costs $12,600 in Philippines — 84% less than Hong Kong, saving $64,600.
Hong Kong wins for working professionals (GoScore 48 vs 33). Professionals in Hong Kong retain $725/month after expenses — $925/month more than in Philippines.
Hong Kong is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 51 vs 46). PR takes ~7 years in Hong Kong vs ~10 years in Philippines.
Total cost of attendance in Hong Kong — tuition ($34,000) plus living ($43,200) — is $77,200. In Philippines: $12,600 ($3,000 tuition + $9,600 living).Philippines is 84% cheaper, saving $64,600 over the degree.
In Hong Kong, 20 hrs/week at $7/hr earns $560/month — covering 33% of outside-city rent. In Philippines, the same hours earn $160/month — covering 59% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Hong Kong retains $725/month from $3,800. In Philippines: $0/month from $500. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $55,500. Tech salaries: $5,000/mo (Hong Kong) vs $900/mo (Philippines).
Hong Kong: PR pathway ~7 years. Philippines: ~10 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Hong Kong) and 0 months (Philippines). Student visa fee: $40 vs $70.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.5 (Hong Kong) and 5.5 (Philippines). Philippines has a lower threshold — beneficial for applicants close to their target band. Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | 🇵🇭 Philippines |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 49 | 44 |
| Work GoScore | 48 | 33 |
| Settle GoScore | 51 | 46 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $17,000 | $1,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,800 | $400 |
| Avg net salary / month | $3,800 | $500 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $2,500/mo | $450/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 7 years | 10 years |
| Safety index | 84 / 100 | 40 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
Hong Kong is the world's 3rd largest financial centre after New York and London — with one of the world's most concentrated high-net-worth populations.
Source: GFCI 2024
Hong Kong levies a maximum personal income tax (salaries tax) of just 15% — one of the lowest in any developed economy.
Source: IRD Hong Kong 2024
4 Hong Kong universities appear in the global top 100 — HKU, HKUST, CUHK, and CityU all rank among the world's elite.
Source: QS 2025
Hong Kong's airport handles 70 million passengers annually — the world's 3rd busiest cargo hub — creating permanent demand in logistics and trade finance.
🇵🇭 Philippines
The Philippines is the world's 3rd largest source of English-speaking professionals — over 100 million people speak English as a working language.
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) generates $30 billion/year in the Philippines — it's the world's largest offshore service delivery hub.
Source: IBPAP 2024
Filipino nurses and doctors work in over 40 countries — healthcare training here is internationally recognised across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
The Philippines became a lower-middle-income country in 2010 and is projected to join the upper-middle-income tier by 2026.
Source: World Bank 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.