Study Abroad Budget Calculator
Total cost of a program — tuition, living, and one-off costs.
≈ USD 35,900 per year · USD 2,992 per month
| Item | Calculation | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 20,000 × 2 yr | 40,000 |
| Living | 1,200 × 24 mo | 28,800 |
| One-off | fixed | 3,000 |
| Total | 71,800 |
To budget for studying abroad, add tuition for every year, monthly living costs across the whole program, and one-off expenses like visa fees, flights, and a deposit. The formula is tuition × years + living × 12 × years + one-off, all entered in a single currency so the total stays exact.
The real cost is more than tuition
Tuition is only the headline figure. Rent, food, transport, insurance, visa fees, flights, and a deposit all add up — often rivalling tuition itself. The total breaks into three parts: tuition you pay each year, living costs you pay each month, and one-off costs you pay once.
enter every figure in a single currency; the tool does no exchange-rate conversion
Worked example
A 2-year program: tuition 20,000/year, living 1,200/month, and 3,000 in one-off costs (visa, flights, deposit).
- 1 Add up tuition. 20,000 × 2 years = 40,000.
- 2 Add up living costs. 1,200 × 12 months × 2 years = 1,200 × 24 = 28,800.
- 3 Add the one-off costs. 40,000 + 28,800 + 3,000 = 71,800 total.
- 4 Break it down per period. 71,800 ÷ 2 = 35,900 per year, or 71,800 ÷ 24 = 2,991.67 per month.
Planning scenarios
Compare two offers. Run the same figures twice with each school’s tuition and city living cost. A cheaper tuition in an expensive city can easily lose to pricier tuition in a cheap one once you multiply living by 24 months.
Build in a buffer. Add 10–15% on top of the total for emergencies and price rises. On the 71,800 example that is roughly 7,000–11,000 — the difference between a tight year and a comfortable one.
Match it to your funding. Subtract any scholarship, grant, or family contribution from the total to see the gap you actually need to cover through savings, loans, or part-time work.
Keep one currency. Because the tool does no exchange-rate conversion, the total stays exact and never goes out of date. Convert to your home currency separately at the rate you actually expect to pay. If you are weighing offers in different countries, the grading systems guide helps you compare what each grade and program actually means.