Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Vietnam
46
GoScore
Budget/mo
$420
Salary/mo
$520
Philippines
44
GoScore
Budget/mo
$400
Salary/mo
$500
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
Vietnam wins for students (GoScore 46 vs 44). A 2-year master's costs $12,600 in Philippines — 16% less than Vietnam, saving $2,480.
Vietnam wins for working professionals (GoScore 35 vs 33). Professionals in Vietnam retain $-157/month after expenses — $43/month more than in Philippines.
Vietnam is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 48 vs 46).
Total cost of attendance in Philippines — tuition ($3,000) plus living ($9,600) — is $12,600. In Vietnam: $15,080 ($5,000 tuition + $10,080 living).Philippines is 16% cheaper, saving $2,480 over the degree.
In Philippines, 20 hrs/week at $2/hr earns $160/month — covering 59% of outside-city rent. In Vietnam, the same hours earn $224/month — covering 70% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Philippines retains $0/month from $500. In Vietnam: $0/month from $520. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $2,580. Tech salaries: $900/mo (Philippines) vs $1,100/mo (Vietnam).
Philippines: PR pathway ~10 years. Vietnam: no clearly defined pathway. Post-study work visas: 0 months (Philippines) and 0 months (Vietnam). Student visa fee: $70 vs $25.
Minimum IELTS band: 5.5 (Philippines) and 5.5 (Vietnam).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 44 | 46 |
| Work GoScore | 33 | 35 |
| Settle GoScore | 46 | 48 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $400 | $420 |
| Avg net salary / month | $500 | $520 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $450/mo | $520/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 10 years | 0 years |
| Safety index | 40 / 100 | 61 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇵🇭 Philippines
The Philippines is the world's 3rd largest source of English-speaking professionals — over 100 million people speak English as a working language.
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) generates $30 billion/year in the Philippines — it's the world's largest offshore service delivery hub.
Source: IBPAP 2024
Filipino nurses and doctors work in over 40 countries — healthcare training here is internationally recognised across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
The Philippines became a lower-middle-income country in 2010 and is projected to join the upper-middle-income tier by 2026.
Source: World Bank 2024
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Vietnam's economy grew at 7.1% in 2023 — the fastest in Southeast Asia — driven by electronics manufacturing (Samsung, Intel, LG all produce here).
Source: World Bank 2024
Ho Chi Minh City ranks in Asia's top 10 startup ecosystems, with particular strength in fintech and e-commerce.
Source: Startup Genome 2024
Vietnam produced 1.2 million university graduates per year in STEM fields as of 2023 — the fastest-growing STEM talent pipeline in Southeast Asia.
Source: MOET Vietnam 2023
Vietnam's coast stretches 3,260 km — making tourism, hospitality management, and marine engineering uniquely important industries.
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.