Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Poland
55
GoScore
Budget/mo
$633
Salary/mo
$1,645
Ecuador
48
GoScore
Budget/mo
$620
Salary/mo
$600
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
Poland wins for students (GoScore 55 vs 48). A 2-year master's costs $17,880 in Ecuador — 22% less than Poland, saving $4,902.
Poland wins for working professionals (GoScore 51 vs 40). Professionals in Poland retain $430/month after expenses — $490/month more than in Ecuador.
Poland is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 58 vs 57). PR takes ~3 years in Ecuador vs ~5 years in Poland.
Total cost of attendance in Ecuador — tuition ($3,000) plus living ($14,880) — is $17,880. In Poland: $22,782 ($7,590 tuition + $15,192 living).Ecuador is 22% cheaper, saving $4,902 over the degree.
In Ecuador, 20 hrs/week at $3/hr earns $240/month — covering 100% of outside-city rent. In Poland, the same hours earn $607/month — covering 96% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Ecuador retains $0/month from $600. In Poland: $430/month from $1,645. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $29,400. Tech salaries: $1,400/mo (Ecuador) vs $3,795/mo (Poland).
Ecuador: PR pathway ~3 years. Poland: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (Ecuador) and 12 months (Poland). Student visa fee: $50 vs $127.
Minimum IELTS band: 5.5 (Ecuador) and 6.0 (Poland). Ecuador 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 | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 🇵🇱 Poland |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 48 | 55 |
| Work GoScore | 40 | 51 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 58 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $1,500 | $3,795 |
| Monthly student budget | $620 | $633 |
| Avg net salary / month | $600 | $1,645 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $380/mo | $886/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 3 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 33 / 100 | 61 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇪🇨 Ecuador
Ecuador is one of only 2 countries in the world where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere simultaneously (at the Mitad del Mundo monument).
Ecuador uses the US Dollar as its official currency — meaning zero currency exchange risk for international professionals or remote workers.
The Galápagos Islands (Ecuador) are the inspiration for Darwin's theory of evolution — marine biology and conservation research careers are globally unique here.
Ecuador's Jubilee Visa (2024) offers low-cost residency to retirees and remote workers earning $800+/month — Latin America's most accessible immigration programme.
Source: Cancillería Ecuador 2024
🇵🇱 Poland
Warsaw's tech sector grew 40% between 2019 and 2023 — Poland is now home to the EU's 5th largest startup ecosystem.
Source: Startup Poland 2024
Poland issued more work visas to non-EU nationals than any other EU country in 2023 — reflecting one of Europe's most open labour markets.
Source: Eurostat 2023
Polish university fees for international students are €2,000–4,000/year — up to 10× cheaper than UK fees for comparable engineering and IT degrees.
Poland's GDP grew at an average of 4.5% per year from 2000 to 2023 — the fastest sustained growth of any EU member state.
Source: World Bank 2024
Copernicus, Marie Curie (born Maria Skłodowska), and John Paul II were all Polish — reflecting a deep culture of scientific and intellectual achievement.
Popular Comparisons
Ready to take the next step?
You'll need IELTS to study in any of these countries. Take a free full-length mock test to know exactly where you stand.
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.