Cheapest English-Speaking Countries to Study Abroad from Pakistan (2026)

What counts as a cheap English-speaking country?

Two things have to be true at once. First, the medium of instruction is English, so you sit lectures, write exams, and submit assignments in English. Second, the total yearly cost, meaning tuition plus rent plus food plus transport, stays low enough that a middle-income Pakistani family can manage it, often without a loan.

That second test rules out the famous destinations. A degree in London or Toronto can cross PKR 8 million a year once you add living costs. The countries below sit in a very different range. Many students finish a full Bachelors in Malaysia or North Cyprus for less than the cost of a single year in the UK. The catch is that some of these places offer weaker post-study work rights, so you have to be clear about your goal before you pick one.

One more point on language. A country can be English-speaking in daily life, like Malta, or it can simply teach in English while the street language is something else, like Malaysia or North Cyprus. Both work fine for your degree and your CV. What matters for admission is that the programme is taught and assessed in English.

Malaysia

Malaysia is usually the first name that comes up, and for good reason. English is used across universities, banks, hospitals, and most workplaces, so you settle in quickly. Private universities such as Taylor’s, Sunway, UCSI, Asia Pacific University, and Multimedia University run British and Australian style degrees, and several have twinning programmes where part of the degree is awarded by a partner university abroad.

What does it cost?

Undergraduate tuition at a good private university runs roughly USD 2,500 to USD 4,500 a year. Living in Kuala Lumpur sits around USD 350 to USD 550 a month if you share accommodation and cook at home. A full three-year Bachelors, all costs included, can land near USD 14,000 to USD 20,000, which is hard to beat for an English degree with international recognition.

Admission and visa

Most universities accept FSc or A Levels directly. Some accept students without IELTS if you pass the institution’s own English test or show English-medium schooling. The student pass is handled through Education Malaysia Global Services, and approval is fairly predictable when your documents are clean. You can read our fuller breakdown in the Malaysia study guide.

North Cyprus

North Cyprus has become popular with Pakistani families because of generous scholarships and very low living costs. Universities like Eastern Mediterranean University, Near East University, Cyprus International University, and Girne American University teach almost everything in English and routinely offer 50 to 75 percent tuition scholarships.

What does it cost?

After a typical scholarship, tuition often comes to USD 2,000 to USD 4,000 a year. Rent and food are cheap, around USD 300 to USD 450 a month. Many students manage the whole year on a modest budget, which is why the destination keeps growing.

Our detailed pages on North Cyprus and the south of the island compare the two sides honestly so you can decide which fits.

Malta

Malta is the quiet option that many students overlook. English is one of its two official languages, so everything from your lease to your bank account is handled in English. It is also a small European Union country inside the Schengen area, which means your student residence permit lets you travel across much of Europe.

What does it cost?

Tuition at the public University of Malta and at private colleges ranges widely, roughly EUR 1,000 to EUR 9,000 a year depending on the course. Living costs are higher than Asia, around EUR 700 to EUR 900 a month, so Malta works best if your tuition is on the low end. The payoff is a European degree, English daily life, and easy travel.

The Philippines

The Philippines teaches in English at almost every level, and tuition is among the lowest anywhere. Business, IT, nursing, and hospitality degrees are common choices, and the cost of living is gentle on a student budget.

What does it cost?

Tuition often sits at USD 1,500 to USD 3,000 a year, with living costs near USD 300 to USD 450 a month. If you are considering a medical degree there, be careful and check both Pakistan Medical and Dental Council rules and the licensing exams you would need to sit later. For most other fields the recognition picture is simpler.

South Africa

South Africa is the surprise on this list. Its top universities, including the University of Cape Town, the University of the Witwatersrand, Stellenbosch University, and the University of Pretoria, teach in English and carry real research weight. The University of Cape Town regularly ranks as the strongest university in Africa.

What does it cost?

International tuition runs about USD 2,500 to USD 6,000 a year, and living costs are moderate. The visa process asks for solid financial proof and medical cover, so plan your documents early. For a research-minded student who wants an English degree without European prices, it deserves a look.

What about the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia?

These are the destinations most students dream about, and they are English-speaking, but none of them is cheap. The honest way to think about them is as an investment rather than a low-cost option.

Rough yearly tuition in 2026

In the United Kingdom, tuition for most taught degrees runs about GBP 12,000 to GBP 22,000. Ireland sits near EUR 10,000 to EUR 25,000. Canada is around CAD 20,000 to CAD 35,000, and Australia about AUD 25,000 to AUD 40,000. Add living costs and these become the most expensive English-speaking routes by a wide margin.

Why students still choose them

The reason is what happens after graduation. The UK Graduate Route, the Irish stay-back scheme, Canadian post-graduation work permits, and Australian temporary graduate visas let you stay and work for two to three years or more. That work time can repay the higher tuition and, in Canada and Australia, can open a path to permanent residence. If your plan is to settle abroad, these countries earn their cost. If your plan is simply to get an English degree affordably, the five countries above make more sense. Compare the routes on our destinations page, and see the deeper guides for the UK, Canada, and Ireland.

How can you lower your costs even more?

Even within a cheap country, your final bill depends on choices you control. Start with scholarships. Almost every university on this list offers merit awards, and in North Cyprus they are close to standard. A 50 percent tuition cut changes your budget completely, so apply for every award you qualify for.

Next, pick a smaller city. Rent in a second city is often half the price of the capital, and your degree certificate looks the same either way. Share accommodation rather than living alone, cook at home, and use student transport cards. These small habits add up to a lot over three or four years.

Finally, apply early. Early applicants get the better scholarship slots, cheaper flights, and calmer visa timelines. If you also want to skip the language test, our guide to studying abroad without IELTS shows which of these universities accept alternatives. And if you want the widest view of low-cost options beyond English-speaking ones, the cheapest countries guide is worth reading next.