IndiavsItaly
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Italy
51
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,090
Salary/mo
$1,962
India
50
GoScore
Budget/mo
$280
Salary/mo
$620
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 50). A 2-year master's costs $10,320 in India — 68% less than Italy, saving $22,380.
Italy wins for working professionals (GoScore 51 vs 35). Professionals in Italy retain $251/month after expenses — $147/month more than in India.
Italy is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 57 vs 51).
India vs Italy: Complete Cost & Immigration Analysis 2026
Total Cost of a 2-Year Master's Degree
Total cost of attendance in India — tuition ($3,600) plus living ($6,720) — is $10,320. In Italy: $32,700 ($6,540 tuition + $26,160 living).India is 68% cheaper, saving $22,380 over the degree.
Can Students Cover Rent With Part-Time Work?
In India, 20 hrs/week at $3/hr earns $200/month — covering 95% 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 India retains $104/month from $620. In Italy: $251/month from $1,962. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $8,820. Tech salaries: $1,550/mo (India) vs $3,815/mo (Italy).
Permanent Residency Timeline
India: no clearly defined PR pathway. Italy: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (India) and 12 months (Italy). Student visa fee: $0 vs $55.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 0.0 (India) and 6.0 (Italy). 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 | 🇮🇹 Italy |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 50 | 51 |
| Work GoScore | 35 | 51 |
| Settle GoScore | 51 | 57 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $1,800 | $3,270 |
| Monthly student budget | $280 | $1,090 |
| Avg net salary / month | $620 | $1,962 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $380/mo | $1,199/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 0 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 45 / 100 | 55 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: India & Italy
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇮🇳 India
- 1.
India is the world's 3rd largest startup ecosystem with over 110 unicorns — more than the UK, Germany, and France combined.
Source: NASSCOM 2024
- 2.
India's IIT graduates earn salaries competitive with MIT and Cambridge graduates globally — with placements at Google, Meta, and Goldman Sachs.
- 3.
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
- 4.
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
🇮🇹 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.