Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Romania
57
GoScore
Budget/mo
$550
Salary/mo
$1,000
Turkey
48
GoScore
Budget/mo
$500
Salary/mo
$850
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
Romania wins for students (GoScore 57 vs 48). A 2-year master's costs $15,000 in Turkey — 22% less than Romania, saving $4,200.
Romania wins for working professionals (GoScore 49 vs 36). Professionals in Romania retain $302/month after expenses — $67/month more than in Turkey.
Romania is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 63 vs 50). PR takes ~5 years in Romania vs ~8 years in Turkey.
Total cost of attendance in Romania — tuition ($6,000) plus living ($13,200) — is $19,200. In Turkey: $15,000 ($3,000 tuition + $12,000 living).Turkey is 22% cheaper, saving $4,200 over the degree.
In Romania, 20 hrs/week at $4/hr earns $320/month — covering 119% of outside-city rent. In Turkey, the same hours earn $320/month — covering 145% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Romania retains $302/month from $1,000. In Turkey: $235/month from $850. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $4,020. Tech salaries: $2,200/mo (Romania) vs $1,500/mo (Turkey).
Romania: PR pathway ~5 years. Turkey: ~8 years. Post-study work visas: 9 months (Romania) and 12 months (Turkey). Student visa fee: $120 vs $50.
Minimum IELTS band: 5.5 (Romania) and 5.5 (Turkey).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇷🇴 Romania | 🇹🇷 Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 57 | 48 |
| Work GoScore | 49 | 36 |
| Settle GoScore | 63 | 50 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $3,000 | $1,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $550 | $500 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,000 | $850 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $420/mo | $360/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 9 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 8 years |
| Safety index | 63 / 100 | 42 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇷🇴 Romania
Romania produces more software engineers per capita than any other EU country — Bucharest is now a major Eastern European tech hub.
Source: Invest Romania 2024
Cluj-Napoca (Romania) hosts the UNTOLD festival — one of Europe's top 5 music festivals — reflecting a surprisingly vibrant cultural and creative economy.
Romania's flat 10% income tax rate and growing startup ecosystem attracted over $500 million in tech investment in 2023.
Source: Romanian Startups 2024
Romania has more castles per square kilometre than any country in Europe — Transylvania's heritage creates unique tourism and hospitality opportunities.
🇹🇷 Turkey
This country has a growing international professional community with increasing support infrastructure for newcomers.
The local economy is experiencing above-average demand for skilled workers in technology, healthcare, and engineering.
English-medium professional environments are increasingly available, particularly in major cities and tech sectors.
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.