AustriavsDenmark
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Austria
56
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,250
Salary/mo
$2,800
Denmark
51
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,885
Salary/mo
$4,350
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
Austria wins for students (GoScore 56 vs 51). A 2-year master's costs $47,400 in Austria — 36% less than Denmark, saving $26,840.
Denmark wins for working professionals (GoScore 64 vs 56). Professionals in Denmark retain $1,884/month after expenses — $692/month more than in Austria.
Denmark is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 67 vs 64). PR takes ~6 years in Austria vs ~8 years in Denmark.
Austria vs Denmark: Complete Cost & Immigration Analysis 2026
Total Cost of a 2-Year Master's Degree
Total cost of attendance in Austria — tuition ($17,400) plus living ($30,000) — is $47,400. In Denmark: $74,240 ($29,000 tuition + $45,240 living).Austria is 36% cheaper, saving $26,840 over the degree.
Can Students Cover Rent With Part-Time Work?
In Austria, 20 hrs/week at $11/hr earns $880/month — covering 107% of outside-city rent. In Denmark, the same hours earn $1,508/month — covering 122% of rent.
Real Monthly Savings After Living Expenses
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Austria retains $1,192/month from $2,800. In Denmark: $1,884/month from $4,350. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $41,520. Tech salaries: $4,200/mo (Austria) vs $7,975/mo (Denmark).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Austria: PR pathway ~6 years. Denmark: ~8 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Austria) and 6 months (Denmark). Student visa fee: $160 vs $276.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Austria) and 6.0 (Denmark).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇦🇹 Austria | 🇩🇰 Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 56 | 51 |
| Work GoScore | 56 | 64 |
| Settle GoScore | 64 | 67 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $8,700 | $14,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,250 | $1,885 |
| Avg net salary / month | $2,800 | $4,350 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,100/mo | $1,740/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 6 months |
| PR pathway | 6 years | 8 years |
| Safety index | 72 / 100 | 78 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Austria & Denmark
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇦🇹 Austria
- 1.
Austrian public universities charge just €726.72/semester (~€1,450/year) for non-EU students — some of the lowest fees in German-speaking Europe.
Source: BMBWF Austria 2024
- 2.
Vienna has been ranked the world's most liveable city by the Economist Intelligence Unit for 5 consecutive years.
Source: EIU 2024
- 3.
Austria's Red-White-Red Card fast-tracks skilled professionals to permanent residency — processing takes just 6–8 weeks.
Source: AMS Austria 2024
- 4.
Austria ranks 3rd globally for classical music institutions — Vienna's Musikverein and Vienna Philharmonic are considered the world's finest.
- 5.
The Austrian startup ecosystem produced 3 unicorns between 2021 and 2024 — BitPanda, Jentis, and Prewave — signaling a growing tech economy.
🇩🇰 Denmark
- 1.
Denmark is consistently ranked the world's least corrupt country by Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.
Source: Transparency International CPI 2023
- 2.
Copenhagen's average software engineer salary of DKK 650,000/year ($95,000) is the highest in Scandinavia.
- 3.
Denmark leads the world in wind energy — 53% of national electricity consumption came from wind power in 2023.
Source: Energistyrelsen 2023
- 4.
The Danish 'flexicurity' model — combining flexible hiring with generous 90% unemployment benefits — produces the EU's lowest long-term unemployment rate.
Source: Eurostat 2023
- 5.
Denmark's Work Permit scheme processes applications in 10 business days for candidates in the Positive List of occupations in shortage.
Source: SIRI Denmark 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.