Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Sweden
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,152
Salary/mo
$2,688
Vietnam
46
GoScore
Budget/mo
$420
Salary/mo
$520
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
Sweden wins for students (GoScore 58 vs 46). A 2-year master's costs $15,080 in Vietnam — 72% less than Sweden, saving $39,448.
Sweden wins for working professionals (GoScore 63 vs 35). Professionals in Sweden retain $1,009/month after expenses — $1,166/month more than in Vietnam.
Sweden is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 71 vs 48).
Total cost of attendance in Sweden — tuition ($26,880) plus living ($27,648) — is $54,528. In Vietnam: $15,080 ($5,000 tuition + $10,080 living).Vietnam is 72% cheaper, saving $39,448 over the degree.
In Sweden, 20 hrs/week at $12/hr earns $922/month — covering 120% 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 Sweden retains $1,009/month from $2,688. In Vietnam: $0/month from $520. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $69,960. Tech salaries: $5,280/mo (Sweden) vs $1,100/mo (Vietnam).
Sweden: PR pathway ~5 years. Vietnam: no clearly defined pathway. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Sweden) and 0 months (Vietnam). Student visa fee: $240 vs $25.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Sweden) and 5.5 (Vietnam). Vietnam has a lower threshold — beneficial for applicants close to their target band. Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 58 | 46 |
| Work GoScore | 63 | 35 |
| Settle GoScore | 71 | 48 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $13,440 | $2,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,152 | $420 |
| Avg net salary / month | $2,688 | $520 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,152/mo | $520/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 0 years |
| Safety index | 72 / 100 | 61 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇸🇪 Sweden
Spotify, Klarna, Mojang (Minecraft), and King (Candy Crush) were all founded in Stockholm — making Sweden the most prolific tech startup hub in Europe per capita.
Sweden's parental leave policy offers 480 days shared between parents — the world's most generous family leave entitlement.
Source: OECD 2023
Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm consistently ranks in the world's top 10 for medicine and life sciences.
Source: QS 2025
Sweden offers a Job Seeker Visa allowing international graduates to remain 6–18 months after graduation to find employment.
Source: Migrationsverket 2024
Swedish minimum wage negotiations result in wages of SEK 24,000–28,000/month ($2,200–$2,600) in most sectors — among Europe's highest.
🇻🇳 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.