Salary by city · Software engineer
Best cities for a Software engineer: salary vs cost of living
Senior individual-contributor software engineer working on production systems at a tech-product company.
NYC P50 anchor: $180,000/year · scaled by local pay-tier multipliers + FX into each city's currency. Net + lifestyle-tier mapping uses each country's effective payroll deduction.
Illustrative bands, not negotiation data. Cross-check against Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, or local recruiters before quoting these numbers in a real offer conversation.
Who this band describes
The software engineer archetype here is a senior IC — typically 5+ years of professional experience, comfortable owning systems end-to-end, ramping new hires, and reviewing architectural decisions. Common stacks vary; the pay band tends to be stable across language and framework choices at this seniority.
Employers anchoring the highest salary bands are public tech companies (FAANG-equivalents and their local analogues), late-stage scale-ups with funding, and high-margin SaaS businesses. Mid-band employers are mature non-tech companies, regional tech leaders, and earlier-stage startups paying mostly in equity rather than cash.
All cities ranked by best-supported lifestyle tier
P50 local-currency band shown; net is the post-tax monthly take-home at P50. Lifestyle tier is the highest Mundevo tier that net covers in this city.
| City | P25 / P50 / P75 (gross/year) | Net / month at P50 | Best tier | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria· Egypt | EGP 4,249,443 EGP 3,423,163 – EGP 5,429,844 | EGP 279,755 | Premium | +555% |
| Delhi· India | ₹8,667,261 ₹6,981,960 – ₹11,074,833 | ₹541,704 | Premium | +429% |
| Cairo· Egypt | EGP 4,249,443 EGP 3,423,163 – EGP 5,429,844 | EGP 279,755 | Premium | +395% |
| Bangalore· India | ₹8,667,261 ₹6,981,960 – ₹11,074,833 | ₹541,704 | Premium | +369% |
| Arequipa· Peru | PEN 320,713 PEN 258,352 – PEN 409,800 | PEN 23,519 | Premium | +354% |
| Jakarta· Indonesia | IDR 1,615,510,022 IDR 1,301,383,073 – IDR 2,064,262,806 | IDR 117,124,477 | Premium | +330% |
| Chiang Mai· Thailand | THB 3,023,519 THB 2,435,612 – THB 3,863,385 | THB 226,764 | Premium | +280% |
| Penang· Malaysia | MYR 367,609 MYR 296,129 – MYR 469,722 | MYR 25,426 | Premium | +271% |
| Valparaiso· Chile | CLP 82,583,519 CLP 66,525,612 – CLP 105,523,385 | CLP 5,701,704 | Premium | +261% |
| Hanoi· Vietnam | ₫2,164,810,690 ₫1,743,875,278 – ₫2,766,146,993 | ₫139,810,690 | Premium | +252% |
| Bogota· Colombia | COP 352,783,964 COP 284,187,082 – COP 450,779,510 | COP 27,046,771 | Premium | +251% |
| Cebu· Philippines | ₱5,634,120 ₱4,538,597 – ₱7,199,154 | ₱394,388 | Premium | +246% |
| Marrakech· Morocco | MAD 865,924 MAD 697,550 – MAD 1,106,459 | MAD 59,171 | Premium | +245% |
| Mumbai· India | ₹8,667,261 ₹6,981,960 – ₹11,074,833 | ₹541,704 | Premium | +230% |
| Manila· Philippines | ₱5,634,120 ₱4,538,597 – ₱7,199,154 | ₱394,388 | Premium | +222% |
| Lima· Peru | PEN 320,713 PEN 258,352 – PEN 409,800 | PEN 23,519 | Premium | +206% |
| Casablanca· Morocco | MAD 865,924 MAD 697,550 – MAD 1,106,459 | MAD 59,171 | Premium | +200% |
| Ho Chi Minh City· Vietnam | ₫2,164,810,690 ₫1,743,875,278 – ₫2,766,146,993 | ₫139,810,690 | Premium | +196% |
| Medellin· Colombia | COP 352,783,964 COP 284,187,082 – COP 450,779,510 | COP 27,046,771 | Premium | +192% |
| Santiago· Chile | CLP 82,583,519 CLP 66,525,612 – CLP 105,523,385 | CLP 5,701,704 | Premium | +169% |
| Johannesburg· South Africa | ZAR 1,505,746 ZAR 1,212,962 – ZAR 1,924,009 | ZAR 101,638 | Premium | +169% |
| Guadalajara· Mexico | MX$1,650,067 MX$1,329,220 – MX$2,108,419 | MX$122,421 | Premium | +154% |
| Bali· Indonesia | IDR 1,615,510,022 IDR 1,301,383,073 – IDR 2,064,262,806 | IDR 117,124,477 | Premium | +146% |
| Cordoba· Argentina | ARS 84,187,082 ARS 67,817,372 – ARS 107,572,383 | ARS 5,191,537 | Premium | +142% |
| Osaka· Japan | ¥14,191,537 ¥11,432,071 – ¥18,133,630 | ¥915,827 | Premium | +136% |
| Ankara· Turkey | TRY 4,423,430 TRY 3,563,318 – TRY 5,652,160 | TRY 266,880 | Premium | +133% |
| Jeddah· Saudi Arabia | SAR 324,722 SAR 261,581 – SAR 414,922 | SAR 24,354 | Premium | +132% |
| Seoul· South Korea | ₩145,571,492 ₩117,265,924 – ₩186,008,018 | ₩10,160,890 | Premium | +123% |
| Beijing· China | CN¥603,413 CN¥486,083 – CN¥771,028 | CN¥39,725 | Premium | +122% |
| Shanghai· China | CN¥603,413 CN¥486,083 – CN¥771,028 | CN¥39,725 | Premium | +118% |
| São Paulo· Brazil | R$469,924 R$378,550 – R$600,459 | R$26,237 | Premium | +116% |
| Debrecen· Hungary | HUF 29,601,782 HUF 23,845,880 – HUF 37,824,499 | HUF 1,640,432 | Premium | +110% |
| Thessaloniki· Greece | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €5,026 | Premium | +110% |
| Cape Town· South Africa | ZAR 1,505,746 ZAR 1,212,962 – ZAR 1,924,009 | ZAR 101,638 | Premium | +109% |
| Rio de Janeiro· Brazil | R$469,924 R$378,550 – R$600,459 | R$26,237 | Premium | +103% |
| Athens· Greece | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €5,026 | Premium | +99% |
| Taipei· Taiwan | NT$2,766,147 NT$2,228,285 – NT$3,534,521 | NT$186,139 | Premium | +97% |
| Krakow· Poland | PLN 350,980 PLN 282,734 – PLN 448,474 | PLN 22,357 | Premium | +95% |
| Brno· Czech Republic | CZK 1,961,960 CZK 1,580,468 – CZK 2,506,949 | CZK 130,781 | Premium | +93% |
| Busan· South Korea | ₩121,309,577 ₩97,721,604 – ₩155,006,682 | ₩8,467,408 | Premium | +91% |
| Tokyo· Japan | ¥17,029,844 ¥13,718,486 – ¥21,760,356 | ¥1,098,993 | Premium | +90% |
| Istanbul· Turkey | TRY 4,423,430 TRY 3,563,318 – TRY 5,652,160 | TRY 266,880 | Premium | +88% |
| Prague· Czech Republic | CZK 1,961,960 CZK 1,580,468 – CZK 2,506,949 | CZK 130,781 | Premium | +80% |
| Toronto· Canada | CA$179,420 CA$144,532 – CA$229,258 | CA$11,129 | Premium | +80% |
| Kuala Lumpur· Malaysia | MYR 220,565 MYR 177,678 – MYR 281,833 | MYR 15,256 | Premium | +79% |
| Riyadh· Saudi Arabia | SAR 324,722 SAR 261,581 – SAR 414,922 | SAR 24,354 | Premium | +79% |
| Budapest· Hungary | HUF 29,601,782 HUF 23,845,880 – HUF 37,824,499 | HUF 1,640,432 | Premium | +75% |
| Bangkok· Thailand | THB 1,814,111 THB 1,461,367 – THB 2,318,031 | THB 136,058 | Premium | +70% |
| Cluj-Napoca· Romania | RON 428,857 RON 345,468 – RON 547,984 | RON 19,656 | Premium | +70% |
| Bucharest· Romania | RON 428,857 RON 345,468 – RON 547,984 | RON 19,656 | Premium | +67% |
| Warsaw· Poland | PLN 350,980 PLN 282,734 – PLN 448,474 | PLN 22,357 | Premium | +67% |
| Gothenburg· Sweden | SEK 905,212 SEK 729,198 – SEK 1,156,659 | SEK 57,406 | Premium | +60% |
| Valencia· Spain | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €5,208 | Premium | +57% |
| Lyon· France | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,842 | Premium | +56% |
| Wellington· New Zealand | NZ$160,372 NZ$129,189 – NZ$204,920 | NZ$10,551 | Premium | +55% |
| Dubai· United Arab Emirates | AED 413,800 AED 333,339 – AED 528,744 | AED 32,759 | Premium | +55% |
| Montreal· Canada | CA$128,157 CA$103,237 – CA$163,756 | CA$7,949 | Premium | +54% |
| Auckland· New Zealand | NZ$160,372 NZ$129,189 – NZ$204,920 | NZ$10,551 | Premium | +53% |
| Tallinn· Estonia | €64,143 €51,670 – €81,960 | €4,338 | Premium | +51% |
| Rome· Italy | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,829 | Premium | +49% |
| Singapore· Singapore | SGD 161,258 SGD 129,902 – SGD 206,051 | SGD 12,632 | Premium | +48% |
| Paris· France | €96,214 €77,506 – €122,940 | €5,811 | Premium | +41% |
| Abu Dhabi· United Arab Emirates | AED 318,307 AED 256,414 – AED 406,726 | AED 25,199 | Premium | +39% |
| Mexico City· Mexico | MX$990,040 MX$797,532 – MX$1,265,051 | MX$73,453 | Premium | +31% |
| Zurich· Switzerland | CHF 126,475 CHF 101,883 – CHF 161,608 | CHF 8,582 | Premium | +31% |
| Stockholm· Sweden | SEK 995,733 SEK 802,118 – SEK 1,272,325 | SEK 63,146 | Premium | +28% |
| Sydney· Australia | A$168,605 A$135,821 – A$215,440 | A$10,548 | Premium | +25% |
| Florence· Italy | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,829 | Premium | +24% |
| Edinburgh· United Kingdom | £68,176 £54,919 – £87,113 | £4,338 | Premium | +22% |
| Salzburg· Austria | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,481 | Premium | +22% |
| Munich· Germany | €104,232 €83,964 – €133,185 | €5,435 | Premium | +22% |
| Vienna· Austria | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,481 | Premium | +22% |
| Melbourne· Australia | A$129,696 A$104,478 – A$165,723 | A$8,114 | Premium | +20% |
| Antwerp· Belgium | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,013 | Premium | +20% |
| Manchester· United Kingdom | £68,176 £54,919 – £87,113 | £4,338 | Premium | +19% |
| Vancouver· Canada | CA$128,157 CA$103,237 – CA$163,756 | CA$7,949 | Premium | +19% |
| New York· United States | $180,000 $145,000 – $230,000 | $11,363 | Premium | +18% |
| Berlin· Germany | €88,196 €71,047 – €112,695 | €4,599 | Premium | +17% |
| Brisbane· Australia | A$129,696 A$104,478 – A$165,723 | A$8,114 | Premium | +17% |
| Madrid· Spain | €64,143 €51,670 – €81,960 | €4,166 | Premium | +15% |
| Amsterdam· Netherlands | €104,232 €83,964 – €133,185 | €6,310 | Premium | +14% |
| Hamburg· Germany | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,181 | Premium | +14% |
| London· United Kingdom | £95,446 £76,887 – £121,958 | £6,073 | Premium | +12% |
| Austin· United States | $90,000 $72,500 – $115,000 | $5,681 | Premium | +11% |
| Milan· Italy | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,829 | Premium | +10% |
| Hong Kong· Hong Kong | HK$706,241 HK$568,917 – HK$902,420 | HK$47,083 | Premium | +10% |
| Barcelona· Spain | €64,143 €51,670 – €81,960 | €4,166 | Premium | +10% |
| Porto· Portugal | €56,125 €45,212 – €71,715 | €3,342 | Premium | +9% |
| Rotterdam· Netherlands | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,854 | Premium | +9% |
| Frankfurt· Germany | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,181 | Premium | +8% |
| Lisbon· Portugal | €64,143 €51,670 – €81,960 | €3,819 | Premium | +5% |
| Copenhagen· Denmark | DKK 719,064 DKK 579,246 – DKK 918,803 | DKK 38,356 | Premium | +4% |
| Brussels· Belgium | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,013 | Premium | +3% |
| Cork· Ireland | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,813 | Comfortable | +20% |
| Chicago· United States | $90,000 $72,500 – $115,000 | $5,681 | Comfortable | +16% |
| Oslo· Norway | NOK 868,330 NOK 699,488 – NOK 1,109,532 | NOK 52,027 | Comfortable | +15% |
| Tel Aviv· Israel | ₪275,877 ₪222,234 – ₪352,510 | ₪17,743 | Comfortable | +14% |
| Dublin· Ireland | €80,178 €64,588 – €102,450 | €4,813 | Comfortable | +12% |
| Seattle· United States | $90,000 $72,500 – $115,000 | $5,681 | Comfortable | +6% |
| Los Angeles· United States | $90,000 $72,500 – $115,000 | $5,681 | Comfortable | +4% |
| Geneva· Switzerland | CHF 74,397 CHF 59,931 – CHF 95,063 | CHF 5,048 | Comfortable | +3% |
| Miami· United States | $90,000 $72,500 – $115,000 | $5,681 | Comfortable | +1% |
| Buenos Aires· Argentina | ARS 33,674,833 ARS 27,126,949 – ARS 43,028,953 | ARS 2,076,615 | Balanced | +18% |
| San Francisco· United States | $90,000 $72,500 – $115,000 | $5,681 | Frugal | +16% |
See the full math per city
Click any city in the table above for the full breakdown: gross-to-net derivation, monthly budget allocation, tier-by-tier salary requirements, and what the band would actually buy you locally. Or jump to the calculator for your own inputs.