Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Serbia
54
GoScore
Budget/mo
$650
Salary/mo
$950
Vietnam
46
GoScore
Budget/mo
$420
Salary/mo
$520
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
Serbia wins for students (GoScore 54 vs 46). A 2-year master's costs $15,080 in Vietnam — 27% less than Serbia, saving $5,520.
Serbia wins for working professionals (GoScore 49 vs 35). Professionals in Serbia retain $-48/month after expenses — $109/month more than in Vietnam.
Serbia is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 63 vs 48).
Total cost of attendance in Serbia — tuition ($5,000) plus living ($15,600) — is $20,600. In Vietnam: $15,080 ($5,000 tuition + $10,080 living).Vietnam is 27% cheaper, saving $5,520 over the degree.
In Serbia, 20 hrs/week at $4/hr earns $320/month — covering 80% of outside-city rent. In Vietnam, the same hours earn $224/month — covering 70% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Serbia retains $0/month from $950. In Vietnam: $0/month from $520. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $6,540. Tech salaries: $2,800/mo (Serbia) vs $1,100/mo (Vietnam).
Serbia: PR pathway ~5 years. Vietnam: no clearly defined pathway. Post-study work visas: 0 months (Serbia) and 0 months (Vietnam). Student visa fee: $80 vs $25.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Serbia) and 5.5 (Vietnam). Vietnam 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 | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 54 | 46 |
| Work GoScore | 49 | 35 |
| Settle GoScore | 63 | 48 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $650 | $420 |
| Avg net salary / month | $950 | $520 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $620/mo | $520/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 0 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 0 years |
| Safety index | 63 / 100 | 61 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇷🇸 Serbia
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
Serbia allows digital nomad residency with low income requirements — popular for EU-adjacent living at Central Asian costs.
Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia (then part of the Austrian Empire) — reflecting a long national tradition of engineering excellence.
Serbia's flat 10% income tax rate is one of the lowest in Europe.
Source: Tax Administration Serbia 2024
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Vietnam's economy grew at 7.1% in 2023 — the fastest in Southeast Asia — driven by electronics manufacturing (Samsung, Intel, LG all produce here).
Source: World Bank 2024
Ho Chi Minh City ranks in Asia's top 10 startup ecosystems, with particular strength in fintech and e-commerce.
Source: Startup Genome 2024
Vietnam produced 1.2 million university graduates per year in STEM fields as of 2023 — the fastest-growing STEM talent pipeline in Southeast Asia.
Source: MOET Vietnam 2023
Vietnam's coast stretches 3,260 km — making tourism, hospitality management, and marine engineering uniquely important industries.
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.