Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Italy
51
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,090
Salary/mo
$1,962
Oman
51
GoScore
Budget/mo
$900
Salary/mo
$1,400
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
Oman wins for students (GoScore 51 vs 51). A 2-year master's costs $31,600 in Oman — 3% less than Italy, saving $1,100.
Italy wins for working professionals (GoScore 51 vs 48). Professionals in Oman retain $310/month after expenses — $59/month more than in Italy.
Oman is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 64 vs 57).
Total cost of attendance in Italy — tuition ($6,540) plus living ($26,160) — is $32,700. In Oman: $31,600 ($10,000 tuition + $21,600 living).Oman is 3% cheaper, saving $1,100 over the degree.
In Italy, 20 hrs/week at $8/hr earns $654/month — covering 75% of outside-city rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Italy retains $251/month from $1,962. In Oman: $310/month from $1,400. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $3,540. Tech salaries: $3,815/mo (Italy) vs $2,500/mo (Oman).
Italy: PR pathway ~5 years. Oman: no clearly defined pathway. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Italy) and 0 months (Oman). Student visa fee: $55 vs $130.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Italy) and 6.0 (Oman).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇴🇲 Oman |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 51 | 51 |
| Work GoScore | 51 | 48 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 64 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,270 | $5,000 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,090 | $900 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,962 | $1,400 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,199/mo | $700/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 0 years |
| Safety index | 55 / 100 | 77 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇮🇹 Italy
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
The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is the world's oldest continuously operating university.
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.
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
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
🇴🇲 Oman
Oman is consistently ranked the Arab world's most stable country (Global Peace Index 2023) — a key draw for risk-averse professionals.
Source: IEP 2023
Oman Vision 2040 is investing $100 billion in diversifying away from oil — creating massive demand for tech, tourism, and renewable energy professionals.
Source: NCSI Oman 2024
Oman levies 0% personal income tax — salaries are entirely take-home.
Muscat's cost of living is 30% below Dubai while offering comparable tax-free salaries — making it one of the Gulf's best-kept secrets for professionals.
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.