Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Hungary
48
GoScore
Budget/mo
$605
Salary/mo
$1,100
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
Hungary wins for students (GoScore 48 vs 44). A 2-year master's costs $12,600 in Philippines — 40% less than Hungary, saving $8,520.
Hungary wins for working professionals (GoScore 43 vs 33). Professionals in Hungary retain $111/month after expenses — $311/month more than in Philippines.
Hungary is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 54 vs 46). PR takes ~8 years in Hungary vs ~10 years in Philippines.
Total cost of attendance in Hungary — tuition ($6,600) plus living ($14,520) — is $21,120. In Philippines: $12,600 ($3,000 tuition + $9,600 living).Philippines is 40% cheaper, saving $8,520 over the degree.
In Hungary, 20 hrs/week at $3/hr earns $253/month — covering 57% 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 Hungary retains $111/month from $1,100. In Philippines: $0/month from $500. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $18,660. Tech salaries: $2,200/mo (Hungary) vs $900/mo (Philippines).
Hungary: PR pathway ~8 years. Philippines: ~10 years. Post-study work visas: 6 months (Hungary) and 0 months (Philippines). Student visa fee: $110 vs $70.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Hungary) 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 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 🇵🇭 Philippines |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 48 | 44 |
| Work GoScore | 43 | 33 |
| Settle GoScore | 54 | 46 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,300 | $1,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $605 | $400 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,100 | $500 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $605/mo | $450/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 6 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 8 years | 10 years |
| Safety index | 65 / 100 | 40 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇭🇺 Hungary
Hungary has the EU's most competitive R&D tax credit — companies get 200% deduction on qualifying research expenditure — driving strong demand for engineers and scientists.
Source: HIPA 2024
Budapest's thermal bath culture and UNESCO World Heritage city centre make it Europe's most affordable capital city with Western infrastructure.
Hungary's White Card Digital Nomad Visa (2024) allows remote workers to live in Hungary for 1 year, renewable, with minimal income requirements.
Source: OIF Hungary 2024
Hungarian and Transylvanian mathematicians have disproportionately shaped modern computer science — John von Neumann, born in Budapest, invented the computer architecture used in all modern computers.
🇵🇭 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.