PolandvsSpain
Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Poland
55
GoScore
Budget/mo
$633
Salary/mo
$1,645
Spain
53
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,036
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
Poland wins for students (GoScore 55 vs 53). A 2-year master's costs $22,782 in Poland — 25% less than Spain, saving $7,532.
Spain wins for working professionals (GoScore 53 vs 51). Professionals in Poland retain $430/month after expenses — $43/month more than in Spain.
Spain is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 63 vs 58). PR takes ~5 years in Spain vs ~5 years in Poland.
Poland vs Spain: 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 Spain: $30,314 ($5,450 tuition + $24,864 living).Poland is 25% cheaper, saving $7,532 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 Spain, the same hours earn $715/month — covering 94% 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 Spain: $387/month from $1,962. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $2,580. Tech salaries: $3,795/mo (Poland) vs $3,488/mo (Spain).
Permanent Residency Timeline
Poland: PR pathway ~5 years. Spain: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Poland) and 12 months (Spain). Student visa fee: $127 vs $87.
IELTS Score Required
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Poland) and 6.0 (Spain).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇵🇱 Poland | 🇪🇸 Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 55 | 53 |
| Work GoScore | 51 | 53 |
| Settle GoScore | 58 | 63 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,795 | $2,725 |
| Monthly student budget | $633 | $1,036 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,645 | $1,962 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $886/mo | $1,090/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 61 / 100 | 62 / 100 |
Fascinating Facts: Poland & Spain
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.
🇪🇸 Spain
- 1.
Spain has the world's 2nd longest healthy life expectancy at 73.8 years, behind only Japan.
Source: WHO 2023
- 2.
Spain's 2023 Startup Law (Ley de Startups) created a special visa and flat 15% tax rate for entrepreneurs and remote workers for 4 years.
Source: ENISA Spain 2023
- 3.
Barcelona and Madrid rank in Europe's top 5 startup ecosystems, hosting European HQs for Uber, Amazon Web Services, and Zoom.
Source: Startup Genome 2024
- 4.
Spanish is the world's 2nd most spoken native language — learning it unlocks career markets across 21 countries and 600 million speakers.
- 5.
Spain's unemployment rate for under-35s with STEM degrees is just 6% — among the lowest in Southern Europe.
Source: Eurostat 2024
Popular Comparisons
Ready to take the next step?
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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.