Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Saudi Arabia
49
GoScore
Budget/mo
$800
Salary/mo
$2,500
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
Saudi Arabia wins for students (GoScore 49 vs 48). A 2-year master's costs $15,000 in Turkey — 57% less than Saudi Arabia, saving $20,200.
Saudi Arabia wins for working professionals (GoScore 52 vs 36). Professionals in Saudi Arabia retain $1,320/month after expenses — $1,085/month more than in Turkey.
Saudi Arabia is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 59 vs 50). PR takes ~8 years in Turkey vs ~10 years in Saudi Arabia.
Total cost of attendance in Saudi Arabia — tuition ($16,000) plus living ($19,200) — is $35,200. In Turkey: $15,000 ($3,000 tuition + $12,000 living).Turkey is 57% cheaper, saving $20,200 over the degree.
In Turkey, the same hours earn $320/month — covering 145% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Saudi Arabia retains $1,320/month from $2,500. In Turkey: $235/month from $850. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $65,100. Tech salaries: $4,500/mo (Saudi Arabia) vs $1,500/mo (Turkey).
Saudi Arabia: PR pathway ~10 years. Turkey: ~8 years. Post-study work visas: 0 months (Saudi Arabia) and 12 months (Turkey). Student visa fee: $500 vs $50.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Saudi Arabia) and 5.5 (Turkey). Turkey 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 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇹🇷 Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 49 | 48 |
| Work GoScore | 52 | 36 |
| Settle GoScore | 59 | 50 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $8,000 | $1,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $800 | $500 |
| Avg net salary / month | $2,500 | $850 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $900/mo | $360/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 10 years | 8 years |
| Safety index | 77 / 100 | 42 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is committing $1 trillion to diversification — creating the world's largest single programme of economic transformation jobs.
Source: Vision 2030 2024
NEOM, the planned $500 billion mega-city project, is hiring engineers, urban planners, and tech professionals at salaries 30–40% above Gulf market rates.
Source: NEOM 2024
Saudi Arabia levies 0% personal income tax — and introduced a Privileged Iqama programme offering permanent-style residency to high earners.
Source: MISA Saudi Arabia 2024
Riyadh was the world's fastest-growing city by FDI inflow in 2023, overtaking Dubai and Singapore.
Source: Financial Times fDi Intelligence 2024
🇹🇷 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.