Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
India
50
GoScore
Budget/mo
$280
Salary/mo
$620
Indonesia
48
GoScore
Budget/mo
$400
Salary/mo
$450
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
India wins for students (GoScore 50 vs 48). A 2-year master's costs $10,320 in India — 34% less than Indonesia, saving $5,280.
Indonesia wins for working professionals (GoScore 38 vs 35). Professionals in India retain $104/month after expenses — $194/month more than in Indonesia.
Indonesia is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 52 vs 51).
Total cost of attendance in India — tuition ($3,600) plus living ($6,720) — is $10,320. In Indonesia: $15,600 ($6,000 tuition + $9,600 living).India is 34% cheaper, saving $5,280 over the degree.
In India, 20 hrs/week at $3/hr earns $200/month — covering 95% of outside-city rent. In Indonesia, the same hours earn $160/month — covering 80% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in India retains $104/month from $620. In Indonesia: $0/month from $450. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $11,640. Tech salaries: $1,550/mo (India) vs $800/mo (Indonesia).
India: no clearly defined PR pathway. Indonesia: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (India) and 0 months (Indonesia). Student visa fee: $0 vs $50.
Minimum IELTS band: 0.0 (India) and 5.5 (Indonesia). India 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 | 🇮🇳 India | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 50 | 48 |
| Work GoScore | 35 | 38 |
| Settle GoScore | 51 | 52 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $1,800 | $3,000 |
| Monthly student budget | $280 | $400 |
| Avg net salary / month | $620 | $450 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $380/mo | $350/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 0 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 45 / 100 | 49 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇮🇳 India
India is the world's 3rd largest startup ecosystem with over 110 unicorns — more than the UK, Germany, and France combined.
Source: NASSCOM 2024
India's IIT graduates earn salaries competitive with MIT and Cambridge graduates globally — with placements at Google, Meta, and Goldman Sachs.
India will become the world's most populous country by 2023 (UN), with a median age of 28 — the youngest major economy in the world.
Source: UN Population Division 2023
India produces 1.5 million engineers per year — more than any other country — creating both domestic opportunity and the world's largest pool of export talent.
Source: AICTE 2024
🇮🇩 Indonesia
This country has a growing international professional community with increasing support infrastructure for newcomers.
The local economy is experiencing above-average demand for skilled workers in technology, healthcare, and engineering.
English-medium professional environments are increasingly available, particularly in major cities and tech sectors.
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.