Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Spain
53
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,036
Salary/mo
$1,962
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
Spain wins for students (GoScore 53 vs 46). A 2-year master's costs $15,080 in Vietnam — 50% less than Spain, saving $15,234.
Spain wins for working professionals (GoScore 53 vs 35). Professionals in Spain retain $387/month after expenses — $544/month more than in Vietnam.
Spain is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 63 vs 48).
Total cost of attendance in Spain — tuition ($5,450) plus living ($24,864) — is $30,314. In Vietnam: $15,080 ($5,000 tuition + $10,080 living).Vietnam is 50% cheaper, saving $15,234 over the degree.
In Spain, 20 hrs/week at $9/hr earns $715/month — covering 94% 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 Spain retains $387/month from $1,962. In Vietnam: $0/month from $520. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $32,640. Tech salaries: $3,488/mo (Spain) vs $1,100/mo (Vietnam).
Spain: PR pathway ~5 years. Vietnam: no clearly defined pathway. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Spain) and 0 months (Vietnam). Student visa fee: $87 vs $25.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Spain) 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 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 53 | 46 |
| Work GoScore | 53 | 35 |
| Settle GoScore | 63 | 48 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $2,725 | $2,500 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,036 | $420 |
| Avg net salary / month | $1,962 | $520 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,090/mo | $520/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 0 years |
| Safety index | 62 / 100 | 61 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇪🇸 Spain
Spain has the world's 2nd longest healthy life expectancy at 73.8 years, behind only Japan.
Source: WHO 2023
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
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
Spanish is the world's 2nd most spoken native language — learning it unlocks career markets across 21 countries and 600 million speakers.
Spain's unemployment rate for under-35s with STEM degrees is just 6% — among the lowest in Southern Europe.
Source: Eurostat 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.