What 2025 taught us about Tech Careers in Europe
Summary of the "Europe's Tech Careers: 2025 Wrapped" video
Last week I published my first video deep-dive on YouTube
This was the result of:
Things I learnt helping coaching clients, collecting data for Euro Top Tech stats and tracking top jobs in Euro Top Tech
I recommend you watch the above video, which has been greatly appreciated by other viewers so far:
And in today’s article I’ll share some inputs from the video.
What happened in the past few years
State of things now
What’s next
Hope you’ll enjoy!
2025 was the year of “The Great Reset” for software engineers looking for top jobs.
The year in which old rules stopped working.
In 2021 (COVID peak) it was easy mode:
• massive hiring
• low interest rates
• employees had leverage
2023–2024: layoffs, hiring freezes and offshoring.
In 2025 we realised that:
• TC numbers alone only tell part of the story
• The US isn’t the default “mecca” for devs anymore
• Western Europe is not the only place to get good pay in Europe
The market didn’t just “go down”.
It rebalanced.
Some locations became stagnant (few new headcount).
Others experienced sustained growth.
You need to stop looking at places / companies / strategies that worked in 2021 but no longer work.
In 2026:
• pick expanding geographies
• optimise for saving rate + purchasing power (not TC)
• treat remote as a deliberate career path (that demands custom job-search strategies)
Remote IS the new FAANG 🌐📈
In 2021, “FAANG in a top hub” was the dream.
In 2026 the trade-off changed:
• layoffs normalised
• companies have leverage again
• onsite = more control, less freedom
• cost of living exploded in top hubs while pay stagnated
Remote went through 3 phases:
pre-COVID: niche
COVID: chaos (everyone kinda “remote”)
post-COVID: codified (remote as a deliberate strategy)
Now we have:
• companies that are remote by design
• hiring globally
• paying $100k+
• letting you choose your location
You don’t need a “top hub salary” if you can choose your base.
A $120–180k remote role in the right place easily beats $250–350k in a top hub
…in savings, lifestyle, and happiness.
Remote isn’t “dead”.
It’s maturing into a real career path.
You need a tailored strategy for it though.
One of the biggest shifts in European tech: growth moved east
In 2024 people said: “If you’re junior, you’re screwed.”
Reality:
You were screwed in the US and Western Europe.
But if you were junior in Poland / Serbia / Romania, you could still find good roles in top companies.
Why?
Because big tech and scaleups hired where it made business sense:
• lower cost base
• growing talent pool
• expanding offices and tech scene
Google Zurich was ~4,000 people 10 years ago — and still roughly the same.
Google Warsaw barely existed — now it’s thousands.
That’s where momentum is 🇵🇱📈
And the comp gap shrank a lot:
• mid-level big tech devs in Poland making $100k+
• senior/staff engineers in India making $200k+
The CEE play became very strong:
• good salaries
• lower taxes (often)
• lower cost of living
• less competition than Western hubs
• lifestyle better than most people expect
Warsaw became a cheat code: opportunity + lifestyle + economics.
Important note:
Easy entry-level CEE opportunities were 2024–2025.
2026+ might slow down, as lots of hiring already happened.
We may even see a Western European rebound
(I’m already seeing it in Amsterdam and London on Euro Top Tech).
You need to act when it’s time, not after.
“100k vs 150k” is a bad framework in 2026
Salary is only part of the story.
Also consider:
• taxes
• savings rate
• cost of living
• work-life balance
• purchasing power
• lifestyle quality
• job stability / offshoring risk
• social security (lost money or not?)
Example:
A “high salary” in a high-cost, high-tax city can mean:
• lower savings than a lower salary elsewhere
• worse lifestyle
• higher risk
Meanwhile, a “smaller” salary in the right place can mean:
• strong savings
• high purchasing power
• better life
That’s why prestige is fading.
People are realising:
👉 net savings + lifestyle + optionality > gross comp + brand
If you optimise a tech career in Europe in 2026:
Stop chasing just TC.
Start chasing purchasing power, stability, growth, leverage.
Finally:
Are high-paying tech careers gone?
No.
But you don’t get them with 2021 behaviour.
2026 rules:
1. Strategy first
Stop spraying applications.
Design a strategy:
• role
• level
• location
• company type
• interview loop
2. Location matters more than ever
Some markets expand.
Some stagnate.
3. Referrals are not optional
Cold applying to competitive roles rarely works.
4. Seniors still win
If you’re good and positioned well, opportunities exist — onsite and remote.
5. Juniors must be tactical
“Learn React + apply” is dead.
You need leverage:
• right location
• right company type
• real proof of skill
6. Stop optimising for prestige
Optimise for:
• net savings
• purchasing power
• stability
• lifestyle
• optionality
7. Bonus
Have a long-term plan (you can adjust later).
“But where do I even start?”
If you’re asking this, you’re already ahead.
1. Roles
Assess:
• your skills
• market demand
• long-term outcomes you like
Synthesize and find paths
(use AI if needed — ChatGPT or Euro Top Tech / AI-lab).
2. Companies
Based on skills and lifestyle (remote vs onsite):
• big tech
• high-paying remote startups
• local companies in attractive countries
For the first two: Euro Top Tech is top-tier.
3. Countries
If you’re young: be flexible.
Once you gain leverage, optimise for life:
• social vs family-oriented
• safety vs excitement
• travel connectivity
• beach, mountain, city, nature
For a general overview of the best countries and cities, check Euro Top Tech Data
You can also join the Euro Top Tech Discord and connect with other European devs.
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