Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Bulgaria
53
GoScore
Budget/mo
$480
Salary/mo
$900
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
Bulgaria wins for students (GoScore 53 vs 44). A 2-year master's costs $12,600 in Philippines — 32% less than Bulgaria, saving $5,920.
Bulgaria wins for working professionals (GoScore 45 vs 33). Professionals in Bulgaria retain $200/month after expenses — $400/month more than in Philippines.
Bulgaria is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 57 vs 46). PR takes ~5 years in Bulgaria vs ~10 years in Philippines.
Total cost of attendance in Bulgaria — tuition ($7,000) plus living ($11,520) — is $18,520. In Philippines: $12,600 ($3,000 tuition + $9,600 living).Philippines is 32% cheaper, saving $5,920 over the degree.
In Bulgaria, 20 hrs/week at $4/hr earns $320/month — covering 114% of outside-city rent. In Philippines, the same hours earn $160/month — covering 59% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Bulgaria retains $200/month from $900. In Philippines: $0/month from $500. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $24,000. Tech salaries: $2,000/mo (Bulgaria) vs $900/mo (Philippines).
Bulgaria: PR pathway ~5 years. Philippines: ~10 years. Post-study work visas: 9 months (Bulgaria) and 0 months (Philippines). Student visa fee: $100 vs $70.
Minimum IELTS band: 5.5 (Bulgaria) and 5.5 (Philippines).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 🇵🇭 Philippines |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 53 | 44 |
| Work GoScore | 45 | 33 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 46 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,500 | $1,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $480 | $400 |
| Avg net salary / month | $900 | $500 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $450/mo | $450/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 9 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 10 years |
| Safety index | 54 / 100 | 40 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
Bulgaria has the EU's lowest flat income tax rate at 10% — making it the most tax-efficient EU member state for individual earners.
Source: NRA Bulgaria 2024
Sofia's tech scene houses major outsourcing operations for SAP, VMware, and IBM — salaries for senior engineers are competitive while living costs remain low.
Bulgaria is Europe's largest lavender oil producer — a niche but globally traded agricultural product.
The Cyrillic alphabet was invented by Saints Cyril and Methodius from Bulgaria (then Bulgaria/Byzantium) in the 9th century.
🇵🇭 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
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.