Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Taiwan
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$800
Salary/mo
$1,600
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
Taiwan wins for students (GoScore 58 vs 51). A 2-year master's costs $31,200 in Taiwan — 5% less than Italy, saving $1,500.
Taiwan wins for working professionals (GoScore 55 vs 51). Professionals in Taiwan retain $635/month after expenses — $384/month more than in Italy.
Taiwan is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 67 vs 57). PR takes ~5 years in Taiwan vs ~5 years in Italy.
Total cost of attendance in Italy — tuition ($6,540) plus living ($26,160) — is $32,700. In Taiwan: $31,200 ($12,000 tuition + $19,200 living).Taiwan is 5% cheaper, saving $1,500 over the degree.
In Italy, 20 hrs/week at $8/hr earns $654/month — covering 75% of outside-city rent. In Taiwan, the same hours earn $424/month — covering 112% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Italy retains $251/month from $1,962. In Taiwan: $635/month from $1,600. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $23,040. Tech salaries: $3,815/mo (Italy) vs $3,000/mo (Taiwan).
Italy: PR pathway ~5 years. Taiwan: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Italy) and 12 months (Taiwan). Student visa fee: $55 vs $110.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Italy) and 6.0 (Taiwan).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 51 | 58 |
| Work GoScore | 51 | 55 |
| Settle GoScore | 57 | 67 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,270 | $6,000 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,090 | $800 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,962 | $1,600 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,199/mo | $650/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 55 / 100 | 77 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇮🇹 Italy
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
The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is the world's oldest continuously operating university.
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.
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
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
🇹🇼 Taiwan
Taiwan produces 90% of the world's most advanced semiconductor chips (below 7nm) — TSMC's fab engineers are among the highest-paid in Asia.
Source: Semiconductor Industry Association 2024
Taiwan ranked #1 globally for ease of doing business in manufacturing for the 8th consecutive year.
Source: World Bank 2024
Taiwan's National Health Insurance covers all residents including foreign workers from day one — comprehensive healthcare with no private insurance needed.
Source: NHI Taiwan 2024
Taiwan's Gold Card programme offers a 3-year open work permit to skilled professionals earning $60,000+/year — processed in 30 days.
Source: NDC Taiwan 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.