ItalyvsNew Zealand
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
New Zealand
62
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,205
Salary/mo
$2,530
Italy
51
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,090
Salary/mo
$1,962
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
New Zealand wins for students (GoScore 62 vs 51). A 2-year master's costs $32,700 in Italy - 50% less than New Zealand, saving $32,364.
New Zealand wins for working professionals (GoScore 60 vs 51). Professionals in New Zealand retain $814/month after expenses - $563/month more than in Italy.
New Zealand is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 69 vs 57). PR takes ~5 years in New Zealand vs ~5 years in Italy.
Italy vs New Zealand: Complete Cost & Immigration Analysis 2026
Total Cost of a 2-Year Master's Degree
Total cost of attendance in Italy - tuition ($6,540) plus living ($26,160) - is $32,700. In New Zealand: $65,064 ($36,144 tuition + $28,920 living).Italy is 50% cheaper, saving $32,364 over the degree.
Can Students Cover Rent With Part-Time Work?
In Italy, 20 hrs/week at $8/hr earns $654/month - covering 75% of outside-city rent. In New Zealand, the same hours earn $1,022/month - covering 113% of rent.
Real Monthly Savings After Living Expenses
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Italy retains $251/month from $1,962. In New Zealand: $814/month from $2,530. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $33,780. Tech salaries: $3,815/mo (Italy) vs $4,217/mo (New Zealand).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Italy: PR pathway ~5 years. New Zealand: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Italy) and 36 months (New Zealand). Student visa fee: $55 vs $226.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Italy) and 6.0 (New Zealand).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 51 | 62 |
| Work GoScore | 51 | 60 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 69 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,270 | $18,072 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,090 | $1,205 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,962 | $2,530 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,199/mo | $1,205/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 36 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 55 / 100 | 67 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Italy & New Zealand
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets - unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇮🇹 Italy
- 1.
Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites (58) than any country in the world - uniquely valuable for students in architecture, art history, and design.
Source: UNESCO 2024
- 2.
The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is the world's oldest continuously operating university.
- 3.
Italy's fashion, luxury, and automotive industries (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Gucci, Prada, Armani) collectively employ over 1.5 million people, creating unique career paths unavailable elsewhere.
- 4.
Italy introduced the Digital Nomad Visa in 2024, targeting remote workers earning €28,000+/year with a straightforward application process.
Source: Italian Ministry of Interior 2024
- 5.
Italian public universities charge €0–4,000/year for non-EU students - with some of the world's cheapest engineering and medical degrees.
Source: MIUR Italy 2024
🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 1.
New Zealand ranked 1st on the Global Peace Index 2023 - the world's most peaceful country.
Source: Institute for Economics and Peace 2023
- 2.
The Post-Study Work Visa allows up to 3 years of open work rights in NZ after graduating from a level 7+ programme.
Source: Immigration New Zealand 2023
- 3.
Auckland consistently ranks in the world's top 5 most liveable cities - ahead of London and New York (Mercer 2023).
Source: Mercer Quality of Living 2023
- 4.
New Zealand's Skilled Migrant Category grants points for NZ job offers and qualifications - with PR processing times as short as 3 months for priority occupations.
Source: Immigration NZ 2024
- 5.
All 8 NZ universities appear in the QS World Top 500 - an unusually high ratio for a country of 5 million people.
Source: QS 2025
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.