ItalyvsPortugal
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Portugal
54
GoScore
Budget/mo
$927
Salary/mo
$1,526
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
Portugal wins for students (GoScore 54 vs 51). A 2-year master's costs $27,698 in Portugal — 15% less than Italy, saving $5,002.
Portugal wins for working professionals (GoScore 52 vs 51). Professionals in Italy retain $251/month after expenses — $459/month more than in Portugal.
Portugal is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 63 vs 57). PR takes ~5 years in Portugal vs ~5 years in Italy.
Italy vs Portugal: 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 Portugal: $27,698 ($5,450 tuition + $22,248 living).Portugal is 15% cheaper, saving $5,002 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 Portugal, the same hours earn $610/month — covering 70% 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 Portugal: $0/month from $1,526. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $27,540. Tech salaries: $3,815/mo (Italy) vs $2,725/mo (Portugal).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Italy: PR pathway ~5 years. Portugal: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Italy) and 12 months (Portugal). Student visa fee: $55 vs $90.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Italy) and 6.0 (Portugal).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇵🇹 Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 51 | 54 |
| Work GoScore | 51 | 52 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 63 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,270 | $2,725 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,090 | $927 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,962 | $1,526 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,199/mo | $1,308/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 55 / 100 | 72 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Italy & Portugal
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
🇵🇹 Portugal
- 1.
Portugal's D8 Digital Nomad Visa allows remote workers earning €3,040+/month to live in Portugal, with a direct path to permanent residency after 5 years.
Source: AIMA Portugal 2024
- 2.
Lisbon was ranked Europe's #1 city for quality of life for international professionals (InterNations Expat Insider 2023).
Source: InterNations 2023
- 3.
Porto's rent is 60% cheaper than London for equivalent quality — making Portugal the best value destination in Western Europe for English-speakers.
- 4.
Portugal ranks in the top 5 globally for safety, healthcare, and passport strength (160 visa-free destinations).
Source: Global Peace Index 2023
- 5.
Portugal's Golden Visa has attracted €7 billion in foreign investment since 2012 — one of Europe's most established residency-by-investment programmes.
Source: SEF Portugal 2023
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.