Most Affordable Countries to Study Abroad

Affordability becomes a major consideration for students who wish to study abroad for higher education. While searching for the most affordable countries to study abroad, it is important to keep in mind the cost of living in the country and the tuition fees of the desired courses. International students who are looking for affordable education abroad have many potential options. In this article, you will get complete information about the cheapest countries to study abroad, along with the details of average tuition fees and living costs in these countries.

Table of Contents

• Cheapest Countries to Study Abroad
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Norway
  • Spain
  • Taiwan
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
  • Poland
  • Malaysia

Cheapest Countries to Study Abroad

In most countries, the cost of education has increased significantly. Due to this reason, international students prefer to study abroad to get an affordable education and quality education, and a high standard of living. The following table contains a list of the most affordable countries to study abroad, along with the cheapest universities and popular courses available in these countries.

S.No.	Country	Cheapest Universities	Popular Courses
1.	Germany	Heidelberg University Free University of Berlin Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Hamburg University of Technology University of Leipzig	Engineering Business Studies IT/Computing Tourism and Hotel Management Visual Communications
2.	France	Ecole Normale Supérieure Ecole Polytechnique University of Strasbourg Ecole Centrale de Lyon Grenoble Institute of Technology	Business Studies Space and Aviation Teaching Engineering Art History
3.	Italy	Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna University of Bologna Polytechnic University of Milan University of Florence	Architecture Fashion and Design International Relations Business Administration
4.	Norway	Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) University of Agder (UiA) University of Oslo	Management Natural Sciences Industrial Engineering Energy Medicine
5.	Spain	University of Granada Open University of Catalonia University of Valencia Pompeu Fabra University	Law Hospitality Management Arts and Humanities Spanish Marketing and Finance
6.	Taiwan	National Cheng Kung University National Taipei University National Chung Hsing University	Information Management Business Innovation and Management International Business Tourism and Hospitality
7.	Mexico	Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM) Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL) University of Guadalajara (UdeG) Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)	Business Administration International business Computer Science Legal Studies Health Science
8.	Argentina	University of Buenos Aires Universidad Nacional de la Plata Universidad Nacional de Cuyo Universidad Nacional de Quilmes	Business Administration Computer Engineering Design, Technology and Business Marketing Organizational Analysis and Management
9.	Poland	University of Wroclaw AGH University of Science and Technology Academy of Finance and Management in Bialystok Adam Mickiewicz University	Finances and Accounting Management International Relations Computer Science and Information Technology
10.	Malaysia	University of Malaya University Putra Malaysia Open University Malaysia USCI University	Business Management Engineering Medicine Mass Communication Accounting and Finance

Now that you have a fair idea about the cheapest countries to study abroad, let us explore the cost of living and average tuition fees in each country. Please note that the costs mentioned here are tentative and can vary according to the living standard of the student.

Germany

Beautiful sceneries and castles, delicious beer, and a paradise for automobile enthusiasts; all these characteristics perfectly describe Germany. It is ranked #3 in the overall rankings by US News and World Report Rankings. The most amazing fact is that a number of public universities in this country provide free-of-cost education to students for pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Besides being one of the most affordable countries to study abroad and charging the minimum administrative cost of around 150-250 Euros, no other fee is charged by the universities in Germany. However, if the students want to pursue a master’s degree in a subject different from their bachelor’s degree, they must pay the tuition fees. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Germany.

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	Average tuition fees at public universities	100 to 200 Euro per annum
2.	Average tuition fees at private universities	More than 3,000 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	650 to 1000 Euro per month

France

Ranked at #11 in the overall rankings by US News and World Report Rankings, France is famous for its high standard of education and is considered among some of the affordable countries to study abroad. Most of the cities in France have made it to the list of top 100 cities for international students. You would be delighted to know that Paris has been ranked the most student-friendly city five times in a row. These rankings are given based on various indicators of excellence, including the cost of studies, quality of life, the city's desirability, student mix, and university rankings. The approximate tuition fee for international students is 184 Euros per year for undergraduate programs and 256 Euros per year for postgraduate programs. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in France:

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	Average tuition fees at public universities	Bachelor’s degree- 2770 Euro per annum Master’s degree- 3770 Euro per annum
2.	Average tuition fees at private universities	3000 to 10,000 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	500 Euro per month

Italy

Italy is the best place for art lovers and creative souls and attracts students worldwide. It is home to the University of Bologna, one of the world’s oldest running educational institutions and is ranked #16 overall in the U.S. News Best Countries rankings. Several institutions in Italy are public-funded, where tuition fees are comparatively lower than that of other countries making it one of the most affordable countries to study abroad. However, the cost of living differs from one place to another. Accommodation costs in cities like Milan, Rome, and Venice can be much higher than that of cities like Bologna, Naples, Florence, and Catania. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Italy:

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	Average tuition fees at public universities	800 to 4,000 Euro per annum
2.	Average tuition fees at private universities	More than 6000 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	700 to 1000 Euro per month

Norway

One of the most beautiful tourist destinations globally, Norway is known for providing quality education and a high standard of living at a reasonable cost. It is ranked #13 in the overall rankings by US News and World Report Rankings. 40 public higher education institutions in Norway are tuition-free for all students. Candidates are just required to pay a semester fee that gives them access to health services, counselling services, welfare organizations, and an official student card. Management, Industrial Engineering, and Mathematics are some of the most popular courses taken up by international students in Norway. Living in Norway can be an expensive affair when compared to other affordable countries to study abroad. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Norway:

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	Average tuition fees at public universities	32 to 64 Euro per semester
2.	Average tuition fees at private universities	8000-9500 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	1000 to 2000 Euro per month

Spain

Having gained popularity from Bollywood, Spain is one of the most affordable countries to study abroad ranked #19 in overall rankings by US News and World Report Rankings. The low tuition fees and living costs make the country an appropriate choice for international students to pursue higher studies. Another great fact is that there are no differences between European and Non-European students in terms of bearing costs. Some of the popular courses offered in the universities of Spain include arts and humanities, management, hospitality, Spanish, marketing, and finance, among many others. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Spain:

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	Average tuition fees at public universities	Bachelor’s degree- 750 to 2100 Euro per annum Master’s degree- 1000 to 3500 Euro
2.	Average tuition fees at private universities	More than 4000 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	600 to 1000 Euro per month

Taiwan

Taiwan is considered amongst the most affordable countries to study abroad in Asia. The tuition fees for undergraduate students pursuing liberal arts programs come up to TW$124,200 (~US$4,050) per year. Over 120 courses are taught in English, at more than 40 universities. Taiwan offers a good quality of life with relatively low living costs with accommodation costs being as little as TW$88,000 (~US$2,900) per year. It is also a popular destination for students willing to learn Mandarin. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Taiwan:

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	The average tuition fee	Bachelor's degree- 1,517 to 2,297 Euro per annum Master's degree- 1,472 to 2,343 Euro per annum
2.	The average cost of living	680 to 880 Euro per month

Mexico

Ranked at #31 in the overall rankings by US News and World Report Rankings, Mexico is one of Latin America’s most-visited nations that offer varying tuition rates for international students. The average tuition fee comes is around US$6,300 per year for international undergraduate students studying in the capital Mexico City which is considered one of the world’s top 100 cities for students. The living expenses are also reasonable and are around US$9,250 on a standard budget in the capital or US$6,450 elsewhere. In spite of the main language of instruction being Spanish, Mexican universities offer more English-taught courses to attract international students. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Mexico.

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	Average tuition fees at public universities	367 to 781 Euro per annum
2.	Average tuition fees at private universities	1,473 to 14,671 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	Under 685 Euro per month

Argentina

Argentina is the second-largest country in South America that boasts of stunning natural beauty with a diverse geography. It is ranked #42 in the overall rankings by the US News and World Report Rankings. It is also one of the safest countries in the region and is known for its fun-loving culture. Students keen on outdoor adventure and exploration can consider Argentina as its also one of the most affordable countries to study abroad. Education is free at any state-funded (public) university and private institutions charge tuition fees of around US$5,100 or more per year. Around US$5,000 can be considered for living expenses, with rent costing as little as US$350 per month. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Argentina.

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	Average tuition fees at public universities	Free of cost
2.	Average tuition fees at private universities	4,595 to 13,793 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	2,299 to 13,793 Euro per annum

Poland

Ranked #43 in the overall rankings by the US News and World Report Rankings, Poland is another country considered among the most affordable countries to study abroad on a budget. High-quality education is provided along with plenty of fantastic culture and history to explore. Students speaking in Polish can pursue their studies for free and take the same entrance exams as Polish students. English-taught programs are also available costing around €2,000-3000 (~US$2,340-3,500) per year. Living costs are not more than €6,600 (~US$7,700) per year. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Poland.

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	For first, second and long-cycle studies	2,206 Euro per annum
2.	For Master's studies, postdoctoral internships, vocational courses and apprenticeships	3,357 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	500 to 850 Euros per month

Malaysia

Malaysia, ranked #36 in the overall rankings by the US News and World Report Rankings, is one of the cheapest countries to study abroad, particularly in terms of the cost of living. Most students only need about MYR 14,400 (~US$3,550) per year to live comfortably. An average of US$4,000 per academic year is charged as tuition fees but there are a few courses that are cheaper. Malaysia is also home to branch campuses of some of the top universities of the world such as the UK’s University of Nottingham or Australia’s Monash University. International students willing to study in Malaysia have an opportunity to gain an academic degree from these accredited universities at a much lower cost. The table given below summarizes the overall living cost in Malaysia.

S.No.	Particulars	Costs
1.	Average tuition fees at public universities	1,378 to 5,505 Euro per annum
2.	Average tuition fees at private universities	8,274 Euro per annum
3.	The average cost of living	430 Euro per month