Software engineer salaries in Europe vary enormously by city, company type, and seniority. Here's what the official data shows — not self-reported surveys, but government earnings statistics.
London
The UK ONS ASHE 2025 survey puts median full-time software developer earnings at approximately £65,000. At the 75th percentile, this rises to around £85,000. Senior engineers at large tech companies and financial services firms routinely exceed £100,000 in base salary.
London commands a significant premium over the rest of the UK — typically 30–45% above the national median for the same role.
Berlin
Destatis earnings structure data places the median software developer salary in Berlin at approximately €70,000–75,000 gross per year. The 75th percentile sits around €90,000–95,000. Senior and staff engineers at established tech companies often reach €100,000–120,000 base.
Note: German salaries are frequently quoted gross, and tax burdens at higher incomes are significant. €80k gross in Germany translates to roughly €50–52k net.
Amsterdam
Dutch CBS labour accounts show Amsterdam software engineers earning a median of around €75,000–80,000. The Dutch tech market has grown substantially with the presence of Booking.com, Adyen, and a large number of scale-ups. Top-end packages at these companies can reach €110,000–130,000 total compensation.
Paris
INSEE data for Paris puts software engineers at approximately €55,000–65,000 at the median, with the 75th percentile closer to €75,000–80,000. France's tech market has expanded rapidly, but salaries remain somewhat lower than London, Amsterdam, or Berlin for equivalent roles.
Barcelona
INE data for Barcelona shows median software developer earnings of around €40,000–45,000. While significantly below Northern European markets, Barcelona has become a major European tech hub and salaries at international companies are often higher than national benchmarks suggest. Senior engineers at scale-ups and multinationals can reach €60,000–80,000.
What these numbers mean in practice
Raw salary comparisons across countries are complicated by:
- Tax rates: Germany and France have high marginal income taxes; the Netherlands has a 30% ruling for qualifying expats that significantly reduces the tax burden for the first 5 years
- Social security: employer contributions vary widely; in France the employer's total cost of employment is typically 40–50% above gross salary
- Bonus and equity norms: more common and more valuable at UK and US-style companies; less standard in German Mittelstand or French CAC 40 companies
Seniority and company type matter as much as location
City benchmarks are averages across all company sizes and types. Within any city:
- FAANG/major tech: typically p75–p90 of the market
- Scale-ups (Series B–D): typically p50–p75, often with meaningful equity
- Established corporates: often at or slightly below median, with stronger job security and benefits
- Early-stage startups: often below market in cash, with equity that may or may not be worth anything
These figures are derived from official government sources: ONS (UK), Destatis (Germany), CBS (Netherlands), INSEE (France), and INE (Spain). Want to benchmark your specific offer? CompVerdict gives you an instant verdict based on the same official data.