Where Software Engineers Build the Most Wealth

What role are we comparing?

• Mid-level software engineer (individual contributor, roughly the 3–6 year band at large tech employers).
• Same employer archetype and title in each country — not a generic national average that mixes employers and levels.
• Total cash compensation in the model is base + cash bonus + annualized equity, rounded from employee-reported aggregates (e.g. Glassdoor-style reports, Levels.fyi) where sample sizes are usually dense for that band and geography.

Countries & cities included

Representative cities match our public cost-of-living reference file and tax engine coverage.

• ·UK — London
• ·Germany — Berlin
• ·Netherlands — Amsterdam (illustrative tax/COL — NL not in engine)
• ·USA — New York (reference; SF/SV packages often higher)
• ·Canada — Toronto
• ·UAE — Dubai (illustrative)
• ·Australia — Sydney

Gross salary comparison

Engine rows use country-specific total gross for that title and level (base + bonus + annualized equity), not one salary figure converted with FX. Illustrative rows (Amsterdam, Dubai) stay as broad market bands where we do not run the tax engine.

The USD column uses the same conversion approach as the tables below (not live market rates).

Take-home pay (critical)

After tax, social contributions, and mandatory deductions — as modelled in the Wiser Move tax engine (where available).

The USD ≈ columns are rounded for comparison. Illustrative rows have no single-point conversion.

• Germany — High deductions fund strong social benefits — net looks lower than the US, but coverage differs.
• UAE — No broad income tax for many expats, but private costs (rent, schools) can erase the advantage.
• US — Headline gross is often highest — rent and city taxes can swing what's left to save.

Cost of living (consistent lifestyle)

Same 1-bed city-centre rent proxy, groceries, transport, dining-out frequency, and a small misc bucket — aligned with our snapshot methodology (see footnotes on our methodology page).

Food = groceries + dining-out proxy (8 meals). Misc = rounded buffer. Engine surplus uses its internal lifestyle module — small differences vs this display table are normal.

Savings comparison (key section)

Estimated cash left after taxes and the modelled lifestyle — using the same-employer, same-title gross package in each country we support in-app.

Winner (modelled): London (UK) — $102,666 / yr surplus in USD terms (£74,946 local; 41.3% of gross).

Key insights (shareable)

• First vs second place (USD) — On this run, London ranks ahead of Vancouver by about $10,631 / yr in modelled surplus once both are on the same USD scale (same ranking as the savings section). The long-term section below uses this same pair so the story matches the table, not a separate city pick.
• Dubai — Tax-free income helps on paper, but housing and lifestyle spend can compress the gap vs mid-tier EU cities.
• United States — Salaries are often highest in nominal terms, but savings depend heavily on city rent and state/local taxes.
• Amsterdam — Frequently cited as a strong balance of net pay, English hiring, and livability — we show illustrative ranges until NL is added to the engine.

What happens over 5–10 years?

Simple sums assume you bank the same surplus every month. The "invested" line assumes monthly deposits into a 4% / yr nominal return (illustrative — not a product recommendation). Where we compare two cities below, they are first and second place in this snapshot after converting annual surplus to USD — the same order as the savings rankings, not an extra London–Berlin benchmark.

• London: ~ $513,329 saved over 5 years (simple sum in USD terms) — £374,730 local.
• London: ~ $1,026,658 over 10 years (simple sum in USD) — £749,460 local.
• Same $8,555/mo surplus invested at 4% annual (monthly compounding, illustrative): ~ $1,259,790 after 10 years in USD (£919,647 local).

London vs Vancouver (winner vs runner-up) — Over 10 years, the simple accumulated surplus gap (first minus second, both on the USD scale we use in the tables) is about $106,312 in USD. Small annual gaps compound when you line up the same scenario for two cities.

Financial outcomes first — but a few non-cash factors often show up in real decisions:

• Work-life norms vary by team, not just country — EU hubs often advertise shorter hours; US roles can pay more with higher intensity.
• Healthcare is financed differently (taxes vs premiums) — compare total out-of-pocket, not just salary.
• Job market liquidity differs: US + London hire aggressively; Amsterdam/Berlin can be competitive but stable.

Interactive tool

Pre-filled UK vs Germany: each side's gross is set to the modelled total package for this same-title scenario (single gross field in the tool). Adjust salary, countries, rent sensitivity, and wealth settings inside the tool.