ItalyvsSpain
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Spain
53
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,036
Salary/mo
$1,962
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
Spain wins for students (GoScore 53 vs 51). A 2-year master's costs $30,314 in Spain — 7% less than Italy, saving $2,386.
Spain wins for working professionals (GoScore 53 vs 51). Professionals in Spain retain $387/month after expenses — $136/month more than in Italy.
Spain is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 63 vs 57). PR takes ~5 years in Spain vs ~5 years in Italy.
Italy vs Spain: 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 Spain: $30,314 ($5,450 tuition + $24,864 living).Spain is 7% cheaper, saving $2,386 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 Spain, the same hours earn $715/month — covering 94% 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 Spain: $387/month from $1,962. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $8,160. Tech salaries: $3,815/mo (Italy) vs $3,488/mo (Spain).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Italy: PR pathway ~5 years. Spain: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Italy) and 12 months (Spain). Student visa fee: $55 vs $87.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Italy) and 6.0 (Spain).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇪🇸 Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 51 | 53 |
| Work GoScore | 51 | 53 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 63 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,270 | $2,725 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,090 | $1,036 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,962 | $1,962 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,199/mo | $1,090/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 55 / 100 | 62 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Italy & Spain
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
🇪🇸 Spain
- 1.
Spain has the world's 2nd longest healthy life expectancy at 73.8 years, behind only Japan.
Source: WHO 2023
- 2.
Spain's 2023 Startup Law (Ley de Startups) created a special visa and flat 15% tax rate for entrepreneurs and remote workers for 4 years.
Source: ENISA Spain 2023
- 3.
Barcelona and Madrid rank in Europe's top 5 startup ecosystems, hosting European HQs for Uber, Amazon Web Services, and Zoom.
Source: Startup Genome 2024
- 4.
Spanish is the world's 2nd most spoken native language — learning it unlocks career markets across 21 countries and 600 million speakers.
- 5.
Spain's unemployment rate for under-35s with STEM degrees is just 6% — among the lowest in Southern Europe.
Source: Eurostat 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.