PolandvsSerbia
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Poland
55
GoScore
Budget/mo
$633
Salary/mo
$1,645
Serbia
54
GoScore
Budget/mo
$650
Salary/mo
$950
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
Poland wins for students (GoScore 55 vs 54). A 2-year master's costs $20,600 in Serbia — 10% less than Poland, saving $2,182.
Poland wins for working professionals (GoScore 51 vs 49). Professionals in Poland retain $430/month after expenses — $478/month more than in Serbia.
Serbia is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 63 vs 58). PR takes ~5 years in Serbia vs ~5 years in Poland.
Poland vs Serbia: Complete Cost & Immigration Analysis 2026
Total Cost of a 2-Year Master's Degree
Total cost of attendance in Poland — tuition ($7,590) plus living ($15,192) — is $22,782. In Serbia: $20,600 ($5,000 tuition + $15,600 living).Serbia is 10% cheaper, saving $2,182 over the degree.
Can Students Cover Rent With Part-Time Work?
In Poland, 20 hrs/week at $8/hr earns $607/month — covering 96% of outside-city rent. In Serbia, the same hours earn $320/month — covering 80% of rent.
Real Monthly Savings After Living Expenses
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Poland retains $430/month from $1,645. In Serbia: $0/month from $950. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $28,680. Tech salaries: $3,795/mo (Poland) vs $2,800/mo (Serbia).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Poland: PR pathway ~5 years. Serbia: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Poland) and 0 months (Serbia). Student visa fee: $127 vs $80.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Poland) and 6.0 (Serbia).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇵🇱 Poland | 🇷🇸 Serbia |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 55 | 54 |
| Work GoScore | 51 | 49 |
| Settle GoScore | 58 | 63 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,795 | $2,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $633 | $650 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,645 | $950 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $886/mo | $620/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 61 / 100 | 63 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Poland & Serbia
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇵🇱 Poland
- 1.
Warsaw's tech sector grew 40% between 2019 and 2023 — Poland is now home to the EU's 5th largest startup ecosystem.
Source: Startup Poland 2024
- 2.
Poland issued more work visas to non-EU nationals than any other EU country in 2023 — reflecting one of Europe's most open labour markets.
Source: Eurostat 2023
- 3.
Polish university fees for international students are €2,000–4,000/year — up to 10× cheaper than UK fees for comparable engineering and IT degrees.
- 4.
Poland's GDP grew at an average of 4.5% per year from 2000 to 2023 — the fastest sustained growth of any EU member state.
Source: World Bank 2024
- 5.
Copernicus, Marie Curie (born Maria Skłodowska), and John Paul II were all Polish — reflecting a deep culture of scientific and intellectual achievement.
🇷🇸 Serbia
- 1.
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
- 2.
Serbia allows digital nomad residency with low income requirements — popular for EU-adjacent living at Central Asian costs.
- 3.
Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia (then part of the Austrian Empire) — reflecting a long national tradition of engineering excellence.
- 4.
Serbia's flat 10% income tax rate is one of the lowest in Europe.
Source: Tax Administration Serbia 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.