Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Serbia
54
GoScore
Budget/mo
$650
Salary/mo
$950
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
Serbia wins for students (GoScore 54 vs 48). A 2-year master's costs $17,880 in Ecuador — 13% less than Serbia, saving $2,720.
Serbia wins for working professionals (GoScore 49 vs 40). Professionals in Serbia retain $-48/month after expenses — $12/month more than in Ecuador.
Serbia is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 63 vs 57). PR takes ~3 years in Ecuador vs ~5 years in Serbia.
Total cost of attendance in Ecuador — tuition ($3,000) plus living ($14,880) — is $17,880. In Serbia: $20,600 ($5,000 tuition + $15,600 living).Ecuador is 13% cheaper, saving $2,720 over the degree.
In Ecuador, 20 hrs/week at $3/hr earns $240/month — covering 100% of outside-city rent. In Serbia, the same hours earn $320/month — covering 80% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Ecuador retains $0/month from $600. In Serbia: $0/month from $950. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $720. Tech salaries: $1,400/mo (Ecuador) vs $2,800/mo (Serbia).
Ecuador: PR pathway ~3 years. Serbia: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (Ecuador) and 0 months (Serbia). Student visa fee: $50 vs $80.
Minimum IELTS band: 5.5 (Ecuador) and 6.0 (Serbia). 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 | 🇷🇸 Serbia |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 48 | 54 |
| Work GoScore | 40 | 49 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 63 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $620 | $650 |
| Avg net salary / month | $600 | $950 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $380/mo | $620/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 3 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 33 / 100 | 63 / 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
🇷🇸 Serbia
Belgrade's tech scene grew 25% in 2023 — Serbia now has the highest concentration of STEM graduates per capita in Southeast Europe.
Source: ICT Hub Serbia 2024
Serbia allows digital nomad residency with low income requirements — popular for EU-adjacent living at Central Asian costs.
Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia (then part of the Austrian Empire) — reflecting a long national tradition of engineering excellence.
Serbia's flat 10% income tax rate is one of the lowest in Europe.
Source: Tax Administration Serbia 2024
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.