European Software Developer Salaries

European Software Developer Salaries

It’s a great time to be a software developer. Especially if you are filled with a desire to travel and want to try living in new places. Europe is catching up with the US when it comes to tech industries, and as we’ve discussed before, there’s a huge digital skills gap waiting to be filled. Here’s a look at some European software developer salaries.

Nordic Tech Scene

Let’s take Denmark for a start. It is reported that 43% of ICT-related companies claim to have experienced the skills gap. Companies in Copenhagen are scrambling to attract talent to the Danish capital. The city is aiming to become one of the global hubs for tech talent and startups. It can be an expensive city in which to live, but there are compensations for that — not least some very impressive salary levels. According to daxx.com, software developers can expect to earn as much as €60-65,000 per year. That puts Denmark behind only Norway, Switzerland, and the USA when it comes to software development salaries.

Coding in Poland

You could look further afield, though. Warsaw, in Poland, is fast rising up the ranks of global digital cities. It now has its very own Google Campus, which is attracting other tech startups and companies to the area. However, salaries in Poland are lower if you compare them with those just across the border in Germany. That’s not so much of a problem though because the cost of living in Poland is much lower than in Germany, and indeed almost all of the rest of Europe. It’s worth noting that the average monthly salary in Poland across all industries during March 2019 was 5164.53 zl (PLN). According to Statistics Poland, the average monthly salary for the ICT sector in 2018 was 7946 zl. Which means it’s a very attractive industry for those who live there.

Sunny Barcelona

If you fancy a bit more sunshine to go with your coding, how about Barcelona? In 2017, the Catalan capital became the fourth-biggest European investor in startups, sinking €612-million into tech development and investment. As with Poland, salaries appear lower when compared with other European countries. However, the cost of living is pretty low, so that helps. A more accurate picture can be attained when you compare the average national salary across all industries with that of a software developer. According to INE (National Institute of Statistics), the average monthly income in Catalunya is €1992.90. This works out at €23914.80 per annum. Daxx reckons that the average software developer salary in Barcelona is €30231 (or $34041 US – exchange rate correct at time of writing).

Ireland & the UK

You could potentially earn a lot more in software development by moving to London (where a programme manager could expect to earn as much as €120,000) or Dublin (up to €70,000 or more) but the costs of living in those two cities are significantly higher, so it’s a case of swings and roundabouts.

Don’t forget the Netherlands

On several occasions, the Netherlands has been referred to as the Silicon Valley of Europe. It’s a real hotbed of technological development. It offers generous rewards too, with Glassdoor reckoning that the average salary is above €53,000. The Netherlands is also well known for offering among the best work-life balance. Hubspot.com recently gave Amsterdam an award as The Best City To Work In Tech In Europe.

Berlin tech scene

Actually, the best of all worlds could be Berlin. Average software development salaries are in the middle of the road, at around €50,000. However, Berlin itself has a tempting combination of affordable living costs mixed with the vibrancy and variety of a capital city.

The short version? Software development skills travel well. Right now in Europe, it’s a great time to be working in the tech sphere. Pick a city that has the right combination of wage levels and living costs, and you could make the best move of your life.

Want to learn to code? If you haven’t done it yet, try our free 5 Day Coding Challenge. With just one hour a day, over five days, you should have built your first ever web page.