Salary by city · UX researcher
Best cities for a UX researcher: salary vs cost of living
Senior UX researcher running qualitative + quantitative studies that inform product direction.
NYC P50 anchor: $165,000/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
Senior UX researchers in this band have 5-8 years of experience, typically a graduate degree in HCI / psychology / sociology, and own multi-method research programs (generative interviews, usability studies, surveys, analytics integration).
Highest pay at public tech companies with mature research orgs. Mid-band at enterprise SaaS and consultancies. The role overlaps with data science in pure-quant settings and with strategy in qualitative-heavy ones — comp varies accordingly.
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 3,643,750 EGP 2,870,833 – EGP 4,747,917 | EGP 239,880 | Premium | +715% |
| Cairo· Egypt | EGP 3,643,750 EGP 2,870,833 – EGP 4,747,917 | EGP 239,880 | Premium | +544% |
| Cordoba· Argentina | ARS 72,187,500 ARS 56,875,000 – ARS 94,062,500 | ARS 4,451,563 | Premium | +383% |
| Dubai· United Arab Emirates | AED 363,917 AED 286,722 – AED 474,194 | AED 28,810 | Premium | +311% |
| Cebu· Philippines | ₱4,262,500 ₱3,358,333 – ₱5,554,167 | ₱298,375 | Premium | +307% |
| Delhi· India | ₹6,187,500 ₹4,875,000 – ₹8,062,500 | ₹386,719 | Premium | +295% |
| Arequipa· Peru | PEN 275,000 PEN 216,667 – PEN 358,333 | PEN 20,167 | Premium | +290% |
| Chiang Mai· Thailand | THB 2,646,875 THB 2,085,417 – THB 3,448,958 | THB 198,516 | Premium | +274% |
| Penang· Malaysia | MYR 347,188 MYR 273,542 – MYR 452,396 | MYR 24,014 | Premium | +271% |
| Kuala Lumpur· Malaysia | MYR 231,458 MYR 182,361 – MYR 301,597 | MYR 16,009 | Premium | +223% |
| Manila· Philippines | ₱4,262,500 ₱3,358,333 – ₱5,554,167 | ₱298,375 | Premium | +214% |
| Bogota· Colombia | COP 302,500,000 COP 238,333,333 – COP 394,166,667 | COP 19,662,500 | Premium | +207% |
| Ankara· Turkey | TRY 2,887,500 TRY 2,275,000 – TRY 3,762,500 | TRY 170,844 | Premium | +205% |
| Hanoi· Vietnam | ₫1,856,250,000 ₫1,462,500,000 – ₫2,418,750,000 | ₫119,882,813 | Premium | +199% |
| Bangkok· Thailand | THB 1,764,583 THB 1,390,278 – THB 2,299,306 | THB 132,344 | Premium | +189% |
| Mumbai· India | ₹6,187,500 ₹4,875,000 – ₹8,062,500 | ₹386,719 | Premium | +183% |
| Valparaiso· Chile | CLP 70,812,500 CLP 55,791,667 – CLP 92,270,833 | CLP 4,425,781 | Premium | +180% |
| Lima· Peru | PEN 275,000 PEN 216,667 – PEN 358,333 | PEN 20,167 | Premium | +179% |
| Marrakech· Morocco | MAD 742,500 MAD 585,000 – MAD 967,500 | MAD 50,738 | Premium | +176% |
| Buenos Aires· Argentina | ARS 32,083,333 ARS 25,277,778 – ARS 41,805,556 | ARS 1,978,472 | Premium | +174% |
| Bali· Indonesia | IDR 1,203,125,000 IDR 947,916,667 – IDR 1,567,708,333 | IDR 87,226,563 | Premium | +172% |
| Jakarta· Indonesia | IDR 1,203,125,000 IDR 947,916,667 – IDR 1,567,708,333 | IDR 87,226,563 | Premium | +170% |
| Guadalajara· Mexico | MX$1,478,125 MX$1,164,583 – MX$1,926,042 | MX$108,088 | Premium | +165% |
| Casablanca· Morocco | MAD 742,500 MAD 585,000 – MAD 967,500 | MAD 50,738 | Premium | +145% |
| Bangalore· India | ₹6,187,500 ₹4,875,000 – ₹8,062,500 | ₹386,719 | Premium | +140% |
| Johannesburg· South Africa | ZAR 1,375,000 ZAR 1,083,333 – ZAR 1,791,667 | ZAR 92,813 | Premium | +131% |
| Seoul· South Korea | ₩113,055,556 ₩89,074,074 – ₩147,314,815 | ₩7,442,824 | Premium | +120% |
| Osaka· Japan | ¥11,550,000 ¥9,100,000 – ¥15,050,000 | ¥702,625 | Premium | +119% |
| Santiago· Chile | CLP 70,812,500 CLP 55,791,667 – CLP 92,270,833 | CLP 4,425,781 | Premium | +118% |
| Mexico City· Mexico | MX$985,417 MX$776,389 – MX$1,284,028 | MX$72,059 | Premium | +118% |
| Istanbul· Turkey | TRY 2,887,500 TRY 2,275,000 – TRY 3,762,500 | TRY 170,844 | Premium | +117% |
| Medellin· Colombia | COP 302,500,000 COP 238,333,333 – COP 394,166,667 | COP 19,662,500 | Premium | +116% |
| Debrecen· Hungary | HUF 27,156,250 HUF 21,395,833 – HUF 35,385,417 | HUF 1,504,909 | Premium | +108% |
| Busan· South Korea | ₩101,750,000 ₩80,166,667 – ₩132,583,333 | ₩6,698,542 | Premium | +107% |
| Tokyo· Japan | ¥14,116,667 ¥11,122,222 – ¥18,394,444 | ¥858,764 | Premium | +103% |
| Cape Town· South Africa | ZAR 1,375,000 ZAR 1,083,333 – ZAR 1,791,667 | ZAR 92,813 | Premium | +95% |
| Taipei· Taiwan | NT$2,371,875 NT$1,868,750 – NT$3,090,625 | NT$159,607 | Premium | +85% |
| Rio de Janeiro· Brazil | R$398,750 R$314,167 – R$519,583 | R$22,264 | Premium | +83% |
| Ho Chi Minh City· Vietnam | ₫1,856,250,000 ₫1,462,500,000 – ₫2,418,750,000 | ₫119,882,813 | Premium | +78% |
| Thessaloniki· Greece | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,667 | Premium | +68% |
| Brno· Czech Republic | CZK 1,684,375 CZK 1,327,083 – CZK 2,194,792 | CZK 110,186 | Premium | +62% |
| Budapest· Hungary | HUF 27,156,250 HUF 21,395,833 – HUF 35,385,417 | HUF 1,504,909 | Premium | +52% |
| Cluj-Napoca· Romania | RON 343,750 RON 270,833 – RON 447,917 | RON 15,755 | Premium | +49% |
| Bucharest· Romania | RON 343,750 RON 270,833 – RON 447,917 | RON 15,755 | Premium | +49% |
| Toronto· Canada | CA$145,979 CA$115,014 – CA$190,215 | CA$8,759 | Premium | +44% |
| Beijing· China | CN¥536,250 CN¥422,500 – CN¥698,750 | CN¥35,303 | Premium | +44% |
| Sydney· Australia | A$163,854 A$129,097 – A$213,507 | A$10,514 | Premium | +42% |
| Tallinn· Estonia | €61,111 €48,148 – €79,630 | €3,993 | Premium | +42% |
| Singapore· Singapore | SGD 143,993 SGD 113,449 – SGD 187,627 | SGD 11,279 | Premium | +41% |
| Prague· Czech Republic | CZK 1,684,375 CZK 1,327,083 – CZK 2,194,792 | CZK 110,186 | Premium | +40% |
| Krakow· Poland | PLN 295,625 PLN 232,917 – PLN 385,208 | PLN 17,122 | Premium | +39% |
| Athens· Greece | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,667 | Premium | +37% |
| Stockholm· Sweden | SEK 957,917 SEK 754,722 – SEK 1,248,194 | SEK 51,887 | Premium | +37% |
| Warsaw· Poland | PLN 295,625 PLN 232,917 – PLN 385,208 | PLN 17,122 | Premium | +36% |
| Jeddah· Saudi Arabia | SAR 278,437 SAR 219,375 – SAR 362,812 | SAR 20,883 | Premium | +34% |
| Valencia· Spain | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €4,331 | Premium | +34% |
| Wellington· New Zealand | NZ$123,750 NZ$97,500 – NZ$161,250 | NZ$8,559 | Premium | +33% |
| São Paulo· Brazil | R$398,750 R$314,167 – R$519,583 | R$22,264 | Premium | +32% |
| Shanghai· China | CN¥536,250 CN¥422,500 – CN¥698,750 | CN¥35,303 | Premium | +32% |
| Montreal· Canada | CA$101,062 CA$79,625 – CA$131,687 | CA$6,064 | Premium | +26% |
| Auckland· New Zealand | NZ$123,750 NZ$97,500 – NZ$161,250 | NZ$8,559 | Premium | +23% |
| Brisbane· Australia | A$113,437 A$89,375 – A$147,813 | A$7,279 | Premium | +20% |
| Gothenburg· Sweden | SEK 783,750 SEK 617,500 – SEK 1,021,250 | SEK 42,453 | Premium | +18% |
| New York· United States | $165,000 $130,000 – $215,000 | $10,361 | Premium | +16% |
| Vienna· Austria | €76,389 €60,185 – €99,537 | €3,692 | Premium | +15% |
| Riyadh· Saudi Arabia | SAR 278,437 SAR 219,375 – SAR 362,812 | SAR 20,883 | Premium | +15% |
| Melbourne· Australia | A$113,437 A$89,375 – A$147,813 | A$7,279 | Premium | +9% |
| Lyon· France | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,667 | Premium | +9% |
| Porto· Portugal | €53,472 €42,130 – €69,676 | €3,075 | Premium | +8% |
| Zurich· Switzerland | CHF 123,368 CHF 97,199 – CHF 160,752 | CHF 8,173 | Premium | +6% |
| Manchester· United Kingdom | £58,437 £46,042 – £76,146 | £3,604 | Premium | +6% |
| Florence· Italy | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,753 | Premium | +5% |
| Amsterdam· Netherlands | €99,306 €78,241 – €129,398 | €5,586 | Premium | +5% |
| Madrid· Spain | €61,111 €48,148 – €79,630 | €3,850 | Premium | +4% |
| Antwerp· Belgium | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,552 | Premium | +3% |
| Paris· France | €91,667 €72,222 – €119,444 | €4,889 | Premium | +2% |
| Lisbon· Portugal | €61,111 €48,148 – €79,630 | €3,514 | Comfortable | +23% |
| Rome· Italy | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,753 | Comfortable | +21% |
| Edinburgh· United Kingdom | £58,437 £46,042 – £76,146 | £3,604 | Comfortable | +21% |
| Berlin· Germany | €84,028 €66,204 – €109,491 | €4,061 | Comfortable | +18% |
| Brussels· Belgium | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,552 | Comfortable | +18% |
| London· United Kingdom | £90,903 £71,620 – £118,449 | £5,606 | Comfortable | +17% |
| Abu Dhabi· United Arab Emirates | AED 272,938 AED 215,042 – AED 355,646 | AED 21,608 | Comfortable | +17% |
| Vancouver· Canada | CA$101,062 CA$79,625 – CA$131,687 | CA$6,064 | Comfortable | +17% |
| Salzburg· Austria | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,323 | Comfortable | +15% |
| Barcelona· Spain | €61,111 €48,148 – €79,630 | €3,850 | Comfortable | +14% |
| Milan· Italy | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,753 | Comfortable | +13% |
| Copenhagen· Denmark | DKK 683,833 DKK 538,778 – DKK 891,056 | DKK 31,342 | Comfortable | +11% |
| Rotterdam· Netherlands | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,867 | Comfortable | +11% |
| Cork· Ireland | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €4,068 | Comfortable | +9% |
| Munich· Germany | €91,667 €72,222 – €119,444 | €4,431 | Comfortable | +7% |
| Oslo· Norway | NOK 797,500 NOK 628,333 – NOK 1,039,167 | NOK 41,071 | Balanced | +20% |
| Hamburg· Germany | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,323 | Balanced | +11% |
| Dublin· Ireland | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €4,068 | Balanced | +9% |
| Frankfurt· Germany | €68,750 €54,167 – €89,583 | €3,323 | Balanced | +8% |
| Austin· United States | $74,250 $58,500 – $96,750 | $4,662 | Balanced | +2% |
| Chicago· United States | $74,250 $58,500 – $96,750 | $4,662 | Balanced | +0% |
| Hong Kong· Hong Kong | HK$580,937 HK$457,708 – HK$756,979 | HK$38,729 | Frugal | +21% |
| Tel Aviv· Israel | ₪275,000 ₪216,667 – ₪358,333 | ₪15,125 | Frugal | +17% |
| Los Angeles· United States | $74,250 $58,500 – $96,750 | $4,662 | Frugal | +9% |
| Seattle· United States | $74,250 $58,500 – $96,750 | $4,662 | Frugal | +8% |
| Geneva· Switzerland | CHF 65,312 CHF 51,458 – CHF 85,104 | CHF 4,327 | Frugal | +8% |
| Miami· United States | $74,250 $58,500 – $96,750 | $4,662 | Frugal | +2% |
| San Francisco· United States | $74,250 $58,500 – $96,750 | $4,662 | Out of reach | −-7% |
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.