US$200,000 and US$600,000 — which price tag would you pay for your education, especially for a medical degree — one of the most expensive degrees in the world?
The gap between the two numbers is just a single digit, but it can impact your entire future and how you approach money. One path means graduating with barely any debt, while the other…well, it may take an entire lifetime to pay off.
In studying abroad math, the “singular number” is the difference. Which is why it’s important for you to choose wisely.
Our methodology
We analysed the top-ranked universities in 10 countries, using the QS World University Rankings 2026 as our benchmark.
To keep the comparison fair, we examined degrees in the same field and same level at each institution — comparing apples to apples.
We then calculated the total annual cost by adding the tuition fees for the medical degree and estimated living expenses in each country.
Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, is the oldest medical education institution in Transylvania. Source: Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca website
5 undergraduate medical degrees below US$200,000
Romania
Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca
QS World Ranking by Subject: 401 – 450
City:
Degree: Bachelor of General Medicine
Tuition fee per year: 10,016 leu / US$2,320
Cost of living per year: 10,200 leu / US$2,363
Total cost per year: 20,216 leu / US$4,684
Total cost: 121,296 leu / US$28,107 (for six years)
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China
Fudan University
QS World Ranking by Subject: 59
City: Shanghai
Degree: Undergraduate Programme of Clinical Medicine (MBBS)
Tuition fee per year: RMB 75,000 / US$10,803
Cost of living per year: RMB 59,256 to RMB 73,056 / US$8,535 to US$10,523
Total cost per year: RMB 134,256 to RMB 148,056 / US$19,339 to US$21,327
Total cost: RMB 805,536 to RMB 888,336 / US$116,034 to US$127,962 (for six years)
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi is a premier, autonomous public medical university and hospital established in 1956. Source: All India Institute of Medical Sciences Facebook page
India
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
QS World Ranking by Subject: 145
City: New Delhi
Degree: MMBS
Tuition fee per year: Rs. 1,351,611 / US$15,000
Cost of living per year: Rs. 707,736 / US$7,854
Total cost per year: Rs. 2,059,347 / US$22,854
Total cost: Rs. 10,296,735 / US$114,271 (for five years)
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South Korea
Seoul National University
QS World Ranking by Subject: 38
City: Seoul
Degree: Undergraduate Medicine
Tuition fee per year: 6,034,163 KRW / US$4,087.30
Cost of living per year: 10,080,000 KRW to 19,680,000 KRW / US$6,947 to US$13,564
Total cost per year: 16,114,163 KRW to 25,714,163 KRW / US$11,000 to US$17,554
Total cost: 96,684,978 KRW to 154,284,978 KRW / US$66,004 to US$105,326 (for six years)
Sechenov University is the largest research medical school in Russia. Source: Sechenov University Official Website
Russia
Sechenov University
QS World Ranking by Subject: 186
City: Moscow
Degree: Bachelor of General Medicine
Tuition fee per year: 1,035,000 RUB / US$13,583
Cost of living per year: 1,478,028 RUB / US$19,398
Total cost per year: 2,513,038 RUB / US$32,981
Total cost: 15,078,168 RUB / US$197,890 (for six years)
5 undergraduate medical degrees below US$600,000
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Malaysia
Universiti Malaya (UM)
QS World Ranking by Subject: 123
City: Kuala Lumpur
Degree: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Tuition fee per year: RM134,640 / US$34,142
Cost of living per year: RM18,000 to RM30,000 / US$4,567 to US$7,612
Total cost per year: RM152,640 to RM164,640 / US$38,706 to US$41,749
Total cost: RM763,200 to RM 823,200 / US$193,435 to US$208,642 (for five years)
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UK
University of Oxford
QS World Ranking by Subject: 2
City: Oxford
Degree: BM BCh in Medicine
Tuition fee per year: 49,400 pounds / US$67,248
Cost of living per year: 16,860 pounds to 25,260 pounds / US$22,951 to US$34,386
Total cost per year: 66,260 pounds to 74,660 pounds / US$90,199 to US$101,634
Total cost: 397,560 pounds to 447,960 pounds / US$541,198 to US$609,807 (for six years)
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Ireland
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
QS World Ranking by Subject: 83
City: Dublin
Degree: Undergraduate Medicine
Tuition fee per year: 60,000 euros / US$70,809
Cost of living per year: 26,724 euros to 32,880 euros / US$31,497 to US$38,753
Total cost per year: 86,724 euros to 92880 euros / US$ 102,347 to US$109,612
Total cost: 433,620 euros to 464,400 euros / US$511,736 to US$548,061 (for five years)
The National University of Singapore is a national public research university in Singapore and was officially established in 1980. Source: National University of Singapore Facebook page
Singapore
National University of Singapore
QS World Ranking by Subject: 25
City: Melbourne
Degree: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Tuition fee per year: SGD 73,550 to SGD 83,950 / US$57,754 to US$65,920
Cost of living per year: SGD 12,400 / US$9,731
Total cost per year: SGD 85,950 to SGD 96,350 / US$67,491 to US$75,657
Total cost: SGD 515,700 to SGD 578,100 / US$404,948 to US$453,947 (for six years)
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New Zealand
The University of Auckland
QS World Ranking by Subject: 119
City: Auckland
Degree: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB)
Tuition fee per year: NZ$86,561 / US$51,808
Cost of living per year: NZ$22,472 / US$12,935
Total cost per year: NZ$109,033 / US$65,258
Total cost: NZ$654,198 / US$391,553 (for six year)
