Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Taiwan
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$800
Salary/mo
$1,600
Serbia
54
GoScore
Budget/mo
$650
Salary/mo
$950
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
Taiwan wins for students (GoScore 58 vs 54). A 2-year master's costs $20,600 in Serbia — 34% less than Taiwan, saving $10,600.
Taiwan wins for working professionals (GoScore 55 vs 49). Professionals in Taiwan retain $635/month after expenses — $683/month more than in Serbia.
Taiwan is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 67 vs 63). PR takes ~5 years in Taiwan vs ~5 years in Serbia.
Total cost of attendance in Serbia — tuition ($5,000) plus living ($15,600) — is $20,600. In Taiwan: $31,200 ($12,000 tuition + $19,200 living).Serbia is 34% cheaper, saving $10,600 over the degree.
In Serbia, 20 hrs/week at $4/hr earns $320/month — covering 80% of outside-city rent. In Taiwan, the same hours earn $424/month — covering 112% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Serbia retains $0/month from $950. In Taiwan: $635/month from $1,600. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $40,980. Tech salaries: $2,800/mo (Serbia) vs $3,000/mo (Taiwan).
Serbia: PR pathway ~5 years. Taiwan: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (Serbia) and 12 months (Taiwan). Student visa fee: $80 vs $110.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Serbia) and 6.0 (Taiwan).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 54 | 58 |
| Work GoScore | 49 | 55 |
| Settle GoScore | 63 | 67 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $2,500 | $6,000 |
| Monthly student budget | $650 | $800 |
| Avg net salary / month | $950 | $1,600 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $620/mo | $650/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 63 / 100 | 77 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇷🇸 Serbia
Belgrade's tech scene grew 25% in 2023 — Serbia now has the highest concentration of STEM graduates per capita in Southeast Europe.
Source: ICT Hub Serbia 2024
Serbia allows digital nomad residency with low income requirements — popular for EU-adjacent living at Central Asian costs.
Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia (then part of the Austrian Empire) — reflecting a long national tradition of engineering excellence.
Serbia's flat 10% income tax rate is one of the lowest in Europe.
Source: Tax Administration Serbia 2024
🇹🇼 Taiwan
Taiwan produces 90% of the world's most advanced semiconductor chips (below 7nm) — TSMC's fab engineers are among the highest-paid in Asia.
Source: Semiconductor Industry Association 2024
Taiwan ranked #1 globally for ease of doing business in manufacturing for the 8th consecutive year.
Source: World Bank 2024
Taiwan's National Health Insurance covers all residents including foreign workers from day one — comprehensive healthcare with no private insurance needed.
Source: NHI Taiwan 2024
Taiwan's Gold Card programme offers a 3-year open work permit to skilled professionals earning $60,000+/year — processed in 30 days.
Source: NDC Taiwan 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.