A job offer in Europe arrives as a single number, and that number is almost useless on its own. The same salary can mean comfort in one city and a monthly struggle in another two hours away by train. Working out what an offer is actually worth takes about an hour, and it is the most valuable hour you will spend on the decision.

Start with net, not gross

European gross salaries look generous next to net pay because income tax and social contributions are deducted at source, and both are substantial in most of the continent. The gap between gross and net differs enormously between countries, and within countries it changes with marital status, children and religious affiliation in a few places.

Almost every European country has an official or well-established salary calculator online. Run the offer through one before responding. A gross figure that looks lower may deliver more in hand than one that looks higher.

Rent is the variable that dominates everything

Housing is the single largest line in most budgets, and the spread across Europe is wider than any other cost. Within a single country, capital cities routinely cost far more than regional ones for the same flat.

Two adjustments people forget. First, service charges and heating are frequently additional to advertised rent. Second, the up-front cost of moving in — deposit, first month, sometimes an agency fee, sometimes a kitchen — can consume several months of salary before you unpack.

The costs that do not appear in comparison tables

Heating. Northern and eastern Europe have long, cold winters, and in poorly insulated buildings winter energy bills can be several times the summer figure. A cheap flat with single glazing is not cheap.

Transport. Many European cities have excellent public transport with monthly passes that make a car unnecessary. Others do not, and a car brings insurance, fuel, parking and, in some countries, road tax and mandatory inspections.

Local taxes and fees. Depending on the country, residents may pay a municipal tax, a waste collection fee, a broadcasting fee or a church tax. Individually small, collectively noticeable, and invisible until the letters arrive.

Childcare. Ranges from nearly free to one of the largest items in a family budget, and the difference between two neighbouring countries can be extreme. For anyone moving with young children this deserves its own research.

Health costs. Even where healthcare is free at the point of use, dental care, glasses and prescription co-payments usually are not.

What is often cheaper than newcomers expect

Not everything is expensive. Across much of Europe, people are pleasantly surprised by:

  • public transport, where a monthly pass covers a whole city
  • fresh food from markets and discount supermarkets
  • mobile and internet plans, which are competitive in most of the continent
  • domestic travel, with dense rail networks and low-cost airlines
  • university tuition, which is free or low in several countries

A simple method for comparing two offers

  1. Convert both gross salaries to net using each country’s official calculator.
  2. Subtract realistic rent for the kind of home you actually need, including service charges.
  3. Subtract a transport pass or car costs.
  4. Subtract childcare if relevant.
  5. Subtract health insurance if it is not automatic.
  6. Compare what is left, then sanity-check it against local grocery and restaurant prices.

The number at the end of that exercise regularly reverses people’s first instinct about which offer is better.

The things money does not capture

Two cities can produce the same figure at step six and feel completely different to live in. Consider commuting time, daylight hours in winter, how easy it is to function in English while you learn the language, how far you are from an international airport, and whether the local job market would have a second employer for you if the first did not work out.

That last point matters more than people expect. A slightly lower salary in a city with a deep market for your skills is usually a safer bet than a higher one in a town with a single large employer.

Before you sign

Ask the employer three questions: what the net figure will be for your situation, whether relocation costs are covered, and whether there is any housing assistance. Companies that hire internationally are used to all three, and the answers can shift the comparison substantially.

Prices, tax rates and allowances change every year and vary by region, so treat any figure you read as a starting point and confirm current numbers against official sources before making a decision.