Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Lithuania
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$750
Salary/mo
$1,400
Portugal
54
GoScore
Budget/mo
$927
Salary/mo
$1,526
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
Lithuania wins for students (GoScore 58 vs 54). A 2-year master's costs $26,000 in Lithuania — 6% less than Portugal, saving $1,698.
Portugal wins for working professionals (GoScore 52 vs 52). Professionals in Lithuania retain $458/month after expenses — $666/month more than in Portugal.
Lithuania is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 65 vs 63). PR takes ~5 years in Portugal vs ~5 years in Lithuania.
Total cost of attendance in Lithuania — tuition ($8,000) plus living ($18,000) — is $26,000. In Portugal: $27,698 ($5,450 tuition + $22,248 living).Lithuania is 6% cheaper, saving $1,698 over the degree.
In Lithuania, 20 hrs/week at $5/hr earns $400/month — covering 105% of outside-city rent. In Portugal, the same hours earn $610/month — covering 70% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Lithuania retains $458/month from $1,400. In Portugal: $0/month from $1,526. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $39,960. Tech salaries: $2,500/mo (Lithuania) vs $2,725/mo (Portugal).
Lithuania: PR pathway ~5 years. Portugal: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Lithuania) and 12 months (Portugal). Student visa fee: $80 vs $90.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Lithuania) and 6.0 (Portugal).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 🇵🇹 Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 58 | 54 |
| Work GoScore | 52 | 52 |
| Settle GoScore | 65 | 63 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $4,000 | $2,725 |
| Monthly student budget | $750 | $927 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,400 | $1,526 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $600/mo | $1,308/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 65 / 100 | 72 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇱🇹 Lithuania
Lithuania attracted over €1 billion in fintech investment in 2023 — Vilnius is now Europe's 3rd largest fintech hub after London and Stockholm.
Source: Invest Lithuania 2024
Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to declare independence (1990) — a political fact that reflects the country's notably strong democratic institutions.
Vilnius' old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring the world's highest concentration of Baroque architecture per square kilometre.
Source: UNESCO
Lithuanian universities charge €2,000–5,500/year for English-taught programmes — among the best value EU degrees available.
🇵🇹 Portugal
Portugal's D8 Digital Nomad Visa allows remote workers earning €3,040+/month to live in Portugal, with a direct path to permanent residency after 5 years.
Source: AIMA Portugal 2024
Lisbon was ranked Europe's #1 city for quality of life for international professionals (InterNations Expat Insider 2023).
Source: InterNations 2023
Porto's rent is 60% cheaper than London for equivalent quality — making Portugal the best value destination in Western Europe for English-speakers.
Portugal ranks in the top 5 globally for safety, healthcare, and passport strength (160 visa-free destinations).
Source: Global Peace Index 2023
Portugal's Golden Visa has attracted €7 billion in foreign investment since 2012 — one of Europe's most established residency-by-investment programmes.
Source: SEF Portugal 2023
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.