Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Latvia
57
GoScore
Budget/mo
$720
Salary/mo
$1,250
Philippines
44
GoScore
Budget/mo
$400
Salary/mo
$500
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
Latvia wins for students (GoScore 57 vs 44). A 2-year master's costs $12,600 in Philippines — 50% less than Latvia, saving $12,680.
Latvia wins for working professionals (GoScore 50 vs 33). Professionals in Latvia retain $340/month after expenses — $540/month more than in Philippines.
Latvia is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 64 vs 46). PR takes ~5 years in Latvia vs ~10 years in Philippines.
Total cost of attendance in Latvia — tuition ($8,000) plus living ($17,280) — is $25,280. In Philippines: $12,600 ($3,000 tuition + $9,600 living).Philippines is 50% cheaper, saving $12,680 over the degree.
In Latvia, 20 hrs/week at $5/hr earns $400/month — covering 114% of outside-city rent. In Philippines, the same hours earn $160/month — covering 59% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Latvia retains $340/month from $1,250. In Philippines: $0/month from $500. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $32,400. Tech salaries: $2,300/mo (Latvia) vs $900/mo (Philippines).
Latvia: PR pathway ~5 years. Philippines: ~10 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Latvia) and 0 months (Philippines). Student visa fee: $80 vs $70.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Latvia) and 5.5 (Philippines). Philippines 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 | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 🇵🇭 Philippines |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 57 | 44 |
| Work GoScore | 50 | 33 |
| Settle GoScore | 64 | 46 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $4,000 | $1,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $720 | $400 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,250 | $500 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $550/mo | $450/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 10 years |
| Safety index | 62 / 100 | 40 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇱🇻 Latvia
Latvia's Startup Visa (2017) was one of Europe's first — allowing non-EU founders to establish companies in Latvia with a path to EU residency.
Source: LIAA Latvia 2024
Riga is ranked Europe's most affordable capital city to live in while earning an EU salary.
Source: Numbeo 2024
Latvia joined the Eurozone in 2014 — providing currency stability while maintaining costs significantly below Western Europe.
Latvian pine forests cover 54% of the country — wood processing and sustainable architecture are uniquely important industries.
🇵🇭 Philippines
The Philippines is the world's 3rd largest source of English-speaking professionals — over 100 million people speak English as a working language.
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) generates $30 billion/year in the Philippines — it's the world's largest offshore service delivery hub.
Source: IBPAP 2024
Filipino nurses and doctors work in over 40 countries — healthcare training here is internationally recognised across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
The Philippines became a lower-middle-income country in 2010 and is projected to join the upper-middle-income tier by 2026.
Source: World Bank 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.