Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Canada
64
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,618
Salary/mo
$2,941
Malta
56
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,090
Salary/mo
$2,180
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
Canada wins for students (GoScore 64 vs 56). A 2-year master's costs $33,790 in Malta — 59% less than Canada, saving $49,160.
Canada wins for working professionals (GoScore 68 vs 54). Professionals in Canada retain $786/month after expenses — $138/month more than in Malta.
Canada is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 73 vs 66). PR takes ~2 years in Canada vs ~5 years in Malta.
Total cost of attendance in Canada — tuition ($44,118) plus living ($38,832) — is $82,950. In Malta: $33,790 ($7,630 tuition + $26,160 living).Malta is 59% cheaper, saving $49,160 over the degree.
In Canada, 20 hrs/week at $12/hr earns $974/month — covering 78% of outside-city rent. In Malta, the same hours earn $785/month — covering 103% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Canada retains $786/month from $2,941. In Malta: $648/month from $2,180. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $8,280. Tech salaries: $5,515/mo (Canada) vs $3,270/mo (Malta).
Canada: PR pathway ~2 years. Malta: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 36 months (Canada) and 12 months (Malta). Student visa fee: $110 vs $305.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Canada) and 6.0 (Malta).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇨🇦 Canada | 🇲🇹 Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 64 | 56 |
| Work GoScore | 68 | 54 |
| Settle GoScore | 73 | 66 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $22,059 | $3,815 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,618 | $1,090 |
| Avg net salary / month | $2,941 | $2,180 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,618/mo | $1,090/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 36 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 2 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 62 / 100 | 71 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇨🇦 Canada
Canada accepts over 500,000 permanent residents per year — the highest per-capita immigration rate in the G7.
Source: IRCC 2023
The Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) can last up to 3 years for 2-year programme graduates — among the world's most generous post-study work rights.
Source: IRCC
Over 1.8 million people of Indian origin call Canada home, making it the largest South Asian diaspora hub after the UK.
Source: Statistics Canada 2021
Express Entry CRS draws regularly invite candidates scoring under 480 points — a 1-year Canadian work experience can make PR achievable in under 3 years.
Source: IRCC 2024
Canada has 26 universities in the global top 500, including Toronto, McGill, and UBC — all ranked in the world's top 50.
Source: QS 2025
🇲🇹 Malta
Malta is the EU's smallest and sunniest member state — with 300 days of sunshine per year and English as an official language.
Malta's Individual Investor Programme grants EU citizenship in 12–14 months for qualifying investors — the fastest EU citizenship pathway.
Source: Identity Malta 2024
Malta's iGaming and fintech sectors employ 10% of the country's entire workforce — creating significant tech and compliance job opportunities.
Source: MGA Malta 2024
The cost of a master's degree at the University of Malta is €5,200–9,000 total — among the cheapest EU English-medium postgraduate programmes.
Source: University of Malta 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.