Job offer comparison calculator

How to compare two job offers abroad

1. Compare take-home pay, not gross. The same gross salary can leave very different amounts: income tax, social security and the number of payments differ by country.
2. Check whether an expat regime applies, and for how long. The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France tax some newcomers less for a few years. Count it, but know what you will earn when it ends.
3. Allow for prices. Consumer prices in the countries covered here range from 87% to 136% of the EU average. The same take-home pay does not buy the same life.
4. Put in your rent. Rent is the biggest single cost for most people who move, and it varies more between cities than any national figure shows. Look up real listings for the area you would live in.
5. Add what is not in the salary. Employer pension contributions, meal vouchers, transport passes, a company car or a relocation package can be worth thousands a year.

What the salary does not show

• The number of payments. Salaries in Spain and Portugal are often paid in 14 instalments, and in Italy in 13. Compare the yearly gross, which this calculator uses, not the monthly payment.
• Holiday allowance in the Netherlands. Dutch employers pay an 8% holiday allowance. Check whether the gross in your offer already includes it; the figures here assume it does.
• Health insurance. In the Netherlands you pay a basic health insurance premium of about €157 a month yourself, on top of the tax shown. In the other countries covered, public healthcare is paid for through the tax and social security already deducted here.
• Paid leave. The legal minimum is four weeks in Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy, 22 working days in Portugal, 30 calendar days in Spain, five weeks in France and 5.6 weeks in the UK, which can include bank holidays. Many employers give more.
• Pension. What the employer adds to your pension differs widely, and none of it is in take-home pay. Ask for the employer contribution as a percentage of salary.

How the numbers are worked out

Take-home pay comes from the same tax calculators as the rest of this site, one for each country, built from the official rules and tested against the tax authorities' own worked examples. "Worth at EU prices" divides take-home pay by Eurostat's price level index for household spending in 2025 (EU average = 100), as on the cost of living adjusted salary page. Rent is taken off the monthly take-home pay as you enter it, in the local currency. Each result links to the full calculator for that country, where you can set your region, family situation and pension.

Frequently asked questions

How do I compare two job offers in different countries?

Compare what each salary leaves after income tax and social security, not the gross. Then allow for prices and rent, check whether an expat tax regime applies and how long it lasts, and add the benefits that are not in the salary, such as employer pension contributions, meal vouchers and paid leave.

Is €75,000 in Dublin better than €70,000 in Berlin?

After tax, yes: the Dublin offer leaves €52,591 a year against €42,583. But consumer prices in Ireland are 26% higher than in Germany, so at average EU prices the Berlin offer is worth €39,319 and the Dublin offer €38,613.

How are salaries in pounds compared with salaries in euros?

UK take-home pay is worked out in pounds with the 2026/27 rules, then converted at the European Central Bank reference rate of 23 October 2026 (€1 = £0.83728). A different exchange rate on the day you are paid changes the result.

Should I count an expat tax regime in the comparison?

Yes, if you qualify, but plan for the day it ends. On €70,000 in the Netherlands the 30% ruling raises take-home pay to €59,645 a year; without it, the same salary leaves €49,047.