ItalyvsPoland
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Poland
55
GoScore
Budget/mo
$633
Salary/mo
$1,645
Italy
51
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,090
Salary/mo
$1,962
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
Poland wins for students (GoScore 55 vs 51). A 2-year master's costs $22,782 in Poland — 30% less than Italy, saving $9,918.
Poland wins for working professionals (GoScore 51 vs 51). Professionals in Poland retain $430/month after expenses — $179/month more than in Italy.
Poland is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 58 vs 57). PR takes ~5 years in Poland vs ~5 years in Italy.
Italy vs Poland: Complete Cost & Immigration Analysis 2026
Total Cost of a 2-Year Master's Degree
Total cost of attendance in Italy — tuition ($6,540) plus living ($26,160) — is $32,700. In Poland: $22,782 ($7,590 tuition + $15,192 living).Poland is 30% cheaper, saving $9,918 over the degree.
Can Students Cover Rent With Part-Time Work?
In Italy, 20 hrs/week at $8/hr earns $654/month — covering 75% of outside-city rent. In Poland, the same hours earn $607/month — covering 96% of rent.
Real Monthly Savings After Living Expenses
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Italy retains $251/month from $1,962. In Poland: $430/month from $1,645. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $10,740. Tech salaries: $3,815/mo (Italy) vs $3,795/mo (Poland).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Italy: PR pathway ~5 years. Poland: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Italy) and 12 months (Poland). Student visa fee: $55 vs $127.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Italy) and 6.0 (Poland).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇵🇱 Poland |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 51 | 55 |
| Work GoScore | 51 | 51 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 58 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,270 | $3,795 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,090 | $633 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,962 | $1,645 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,199/mo | $886/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 55 / 100 | 61 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Italy & Poland
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇮🇹 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
🇵🇱 Poland
- 1.
Warsaw's tech sector grew 40% between 2019 and 2023 — Poland is now home to the EU's 5th largest startup ecosystem.
Source: Startup Poland 2024
- 2.
Poland issued more work visas to non-EU nationals than any other EU country in 2023 — reflecting one of Europe's most open labour markets.
Source: Eurostat 2023
- 3.
Polish university fees for international students are €2,000–4,000/year — up to 10× cheaper than UK fees for comparable engineering and IT degrees.
- 4.
Poland's GDP grew at an average of 4.5% per year from 2000 to 2023 — the fastest sustained growth of any EU member state.
Source: World Bank 2024
- 5.
Copernicus, Marie Curie (born Maria Skłodowska), and John Paul II were all Polish — reflecting a deep culture of scientific and intellectual achievement.
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.