ChilevsUnited Kingdom
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Chile
52
GoScore
Budget/mo
$850
Salary/mo
$1,250
United Kingdom
50
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,764
Salary/mo
$3,024
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
Chile wins for students (GoScore 52 vs 50). A 2-year master's costs $31,400 in Chile — 64% less than United Kingdom, saving $56,296.
United Kingdom wins for working professionals (GoScore 57 vs 48). Professionals in United Kingdom retain $441/month after expenses — $278/month more than in Chile.
United Kingdom is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 64 vs 60). PR takes ~5 years in United Kingdom vs ~5 years in Chile.
Chile vs United Kingdom: Complete Cost & Immigration Analysis 2026
Total Cost of a 2-Year Master's Degree
Total cost of attendance in Chile — tuition ($11,000) plus living ($20,400) — is $31,400. In United Kingdom: $87,696 ($45,360 tuition + $42,336 living).Chile is 64% cheaper, saving $56,296 over the degree.
Can Students Cover Rent With Part-Time Work?
In Chile, 20 hrs/week at $7/hr earns $520/month — covering 116% of outside-city rent. In United Kingdom, the same hours earn $1,154/month — covering 92% of rent.
Real Monthly Savings After Living Expenses
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Chile retains $163/month from $1,250. In United Kingdom: $441/month from $3,024. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $16,680. Tech salaries: $2,500/mo (Chile) vs $5,670/mo (United Kingdom).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Chile: PR pathway ~5 years. United Kingdom: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Chile) and 24 months (United Kingdom). Student visa fee: $100 vs $618.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 5.5 (Chile) and 6.0 (United Kingdom). Chile 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 | 🇨🇱 Chile | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 52 | 50 |
| Work GoScore | 48 | 57 |
| Settle GoScore | 60 | 64 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $5,500 | $22,680 |
| Monthly student budget | $850 | $1,764 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,250 | $3,024 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $680/mo | $1,890/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 24 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 45 / 100 | 54 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Chile & United Kingdom
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇨🇱 Chile
- 1.
Chile has the world's largest copper reserves — mining engineers and geologists are permanently in demand with top-tier salaries.
Source: USGS 2024
- 2.
Santiago's Startup Chile programme was one of the world's first government-funded startup accelerators, attracting 3,000+ startups from 85 countries.
Source: CORFO 2024
- 3.
Chile ranks 1st in Latin America for ease of doing business (World Bank 2023) and first for global competitiveness in the region.
Source: World Bank 2023
- 4.
The Atacama Desert in Chile contains the world's largest optical telescope (ELT) — astronomy and astrophysics research careers are uniquely available here.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 1.
The UK Graduate Route visa requires no employer sponsorship — graduates can work in any job for 2 years (3 years for PhD holders) after completing their degree.
Source: UK Visas and Immigration 2021
- 2.
Indian students surpassed Chinese students as the largest international student group in UK universities in 2022 — with 126,535 new visas issued.
Source: HESA 2022-23
- 3.
The NHS surcharge (£776/year) paid with a UK student visa grants full access to the National Health Service — comprehensive healthcare at minimal cost.
Source: UKVI 2024
- 4.
London has been ranked the world's top student city for 10 consecutive years by QS Best Student Cities.
Source: QS Best Student Cities 2024
- 5.
4 UK universities — Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, and UCL — appear in the global top 10 (QS 2025).
Source: QS 2025
Popular Comparisons
Ready to take the next step?
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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.