Is Europe Better Than the U.S. for Software Engineers in 2024? The Surprising Truth About WLB, Layoffs, and Quality of Life

I started this newsletter with the idea that the US Tech Employment market was much better than Europe's one.

And that devs had it much better there than here.

Having a great life as a dev in the US seemed quite straightforward.

While achieving the same stuff in Europe seemed almost like "mission impossible".

That's why I personally spent 5 to 10 years trying to figure out how to plan a tech career in Europe in such a way that I'd be able to have a similar experience to that of devs in the US.

In short, that ended up with me getting a big tech job in Switzerland, making €200k+ per year, working on a cool tech product, without nonsense like dress-codes, standup meetings, impact measured by effort and not results, etc.

Then something happened.

Explore balanced career opportunities →

What Changed: The Great Reversal

1. Work-Life Balance Reality Check

The more time I spent in big tech, the more I realised how many "big tech influencers" aren't all that honest about what it actually takes to work in such hypercompetitive environments.

Don't get me wrong: you can still manage to have a pretty reasonable WLB in big tech too, if you're in the right company and team.

But there's the risk of it being very demanding.

2. The Layoffs Craze

After 2 years of layoffs, companies have begun to have more leverage than devs, and are being more demanding of their work.

Devs are scared, because they don't want to lose their job. And, not to risk it, they might work extra-hard.

This constant anxiety affects both productivity and mental health. (More on how location protects you from layoff anxiety)

3. The US Changed Dramatically

These mass layoffs have affected the US significantly more than Europe, and this has kind of reversed things a little bit:

Before: The US was the place where most European devs wanted to move to

Now: A place where devs nowadays are stressed af and always on the edge

Salaries have stagnated too. 2018-type packages of €400k for SDE II are unheard of nowadays.

4. Europe: A Different Story

In Europe, the layoffs' craze has been more moderate.

In general, employees also have better labour laws, and they don't really risk ending up on the street.

It's also much harder to get fired.

5. Central Europe: Barely Affected

Moreover, countries in Central/Eastern Europe have barely witnessed any crisis at all, as companies continue to expand in the area given the large amount of skilled devs at a good price.

Poland, for example, is seeing massive growth with companies like Google, Waymo, Netflix, and NVIDIA expanding their presence.

6. Low-Cost Low-Tax and Remote

Remote work seems to be here to stay, and a growing number of devs seems to feel its appeal.

If we're talking about remote work, then countries with lower taxation and cost of living become very appealing, especially if they offer a great quality of life.

There are many such countries in Europe that fit the bill much better than most US states.

7. Europe and Work-Life Balance

More people seem to be realising that grinding for a corporation might not be all that worth it after all, and they prefer to focus on their well-being, diet, relationships and so on.

Europe, again, seems to offer all these things much more than the US.

The Old Way vs The New Way

What Used to Be Good (2015-2022)

1. Join Google in the US or Switzerland
2. Work your way up the ladder: manage up, work hard, get as many promos as possible as fast as possible
3. Increase your total compensation (TC) from $100k to $300k, $500k, $800k…
4. Invest in the market: you'll be a millionaire someday
5. Be frugal, keep track of your expenses, have a tension around your finances
6. Goal: Achieve Financial Independence in a place like California, send your kids to the best schools, make sure they'll get into Stanford and have their shot at becoming billionaires

Why It Doesn't Work Anymore

This path doesn't seem so good anymore.

In fact, it seems like an almost guaranteed way to lead a miserable life, filled with stress and mental health problems for you and your family.

Old Way (US 2015-2022)	Problems in 2024
€300k-500k packages	Stagnated, hard to get
Job security	Constant layoff anxiety
Work-life balance	Burnout culture intensified
Company loyalty	"Poor performance" mass firings
Path to wealth	HCOL eats gains, market volatility
Quality of life	Stress, commute, competition

The New Way: A Better Alternative

The good news is that there is a very solid alternative available nowadays.

And it's also not that hard to pursue.

Here It Is

1. Learn your software engineering craft properly
2. Join a company that treats employees like human beings (they exist!)
3. Shoot for salaries in the €50k-€200k range (plenty in this range in Europe)
4. Base yourself in a place that is affordable and has low taxes
5. Work less than 30-40 hours per week (actually sustainable)
6. Be there for the people you love and who love you
7. Work on keeping your family together and happy
8. Have time for hobbies and rest
9. Prioritise your health

Seems like a no brainer?

Why Is It Easier in Europe?

1. Better Labor Protection

European countries have strong labor laws that protect employees:

• Can't be fired for "poor performance" without documentation and process
• Mandatory notice periods (often 1-3 months)
• Severance packages are legally required
• Paid vacation (20-30 days standard)
• Paid sick leave without counting against you
• Parental leave (months, not weeks)

2. Healthcare Not Tied to Employment

Losing your job in Europe doesn't mean losing healthcare. This dramatically reduces the anxiety of potential layoffs.

In the US: Lose job → lose healthcare → desperation

In Europe: Lose job → still have healthcare → can be selective about next role

3. Affordable Quality of Life

Metric	Western Europe	Eastern Europe	US (HCOL)
2-bed apartment	€1,200-2,000	€600-1,200	€3,000-5,000
Healthcare	€0-€200/mo	€50-€150/mo	€500-€1,500/mo
Childcare	€400-€1,200/mo	€200-€600/mo	€1,500-€3,000/mo
Public transport	€50-€100/mo	€20-€50/mo	Car required
Restaurant meal	€12-€25	€8-€15	€20-€40

Even in expensive European cities, you can live well on much less than comparable US cities.

4. Remote Work Advantage

Europe has an edge here:

• Time zones work better for global remote work (middle ground between US and Asia)
• Lower cost of living in many countries (Poland, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic)
• Similar or better quality of life than US at fraction of cost
• Tax optimization opportunities in several countries
• Strong digital infrastructure across the continent

Check out opportunities for optimized remote work locations.

5. Culture Shift Toward Balance

European tech culture increasingly values:

• Sustainable pace over sprints
• Results over presence
• Family time over face time
• Health over hustle
• Community over competition

This isn't universal, but it's far more common than in US tech culture.

6. Geographic Flexibility

Living in Europe means:

• €50-€200 flights to dozens of countries
• Weekend trips to completely different cultures
• Easy to maintain international relationships
• Work from Portugal in winter, Sweden in summer
• Cultural richness concentrated in small area

From Warsaw, you're 2 hours from Berlin, Vienna, or Stockholm. From Lisbon, you're 2.5 hours from London or Barcelona.

The Comprehensive Europe vs US Comparison

Factor	Europe	United States
Max Salaries	€150-350k (big tech Switzerland/London)	€300-600k+ (FAANG SF)
Median Good Salary	€70-120k	€150-250k
Cost of Living	Low-Medium in most places	High-Very High in tech hubs
Saving Rate	30-50% achievable	20-35% typical
Job Security	High (labor laws)	Low (at-will employment)
Healthcare	Universal, affordable	Expensive, job-dependent
Work Hours	35-40 typical	45-60+ typical
Vacation Days	25-30+ standard	10-15 (if you take them)
Parental Leave	6-18 months	0-12 weeks
Burnout Risk	Lower	Higher
Layoff Frequency	Lower	Higher (mass layoffs)
Quality of Life	High in most cities	Variable, often stressful
Community	Stronger social fabric	More isolated

Real-World Scenarios: Who Wins?

Scenario 1: Single Engineer, Age 25-30

US Advantage: If you can land and keep a top-paying role (€200k+), you'll build wealth faster in absolute terms.

Europe Advantage: Better work-life balance, less burnout, easier to travel, more sustainable long-term.

Verdict: US edge on pure wealth, Europe edge on life quality. Depends on priorities.

Scenario 2: Family with Kids

Europe wins clearly: Lower childcare costs, better schools, safer cities, more family time, less stress, better parental leave.

Scenario 3: Mid-Career Remote Worker

Europe wins: €100k remote salary goes much further in Poland (€25k/year costs) than €200k in SF (€80k/year costs). Better saving rate, less stress, more freedom.

Scenario 4: Ambitious Early Career

Slight US advantage: If you want fastest skill growth and maximum resume building, US big tech still edges out. But this window is 2-3 years, not a career.

Scenario 5: Financial Independence Seeker

Europe wins: Lower costs, tax optimization options (remote LCLT strategy), real estate opportunities, sustainable saving rates of 50-60%+.

The Optimal Strategy for 2024 and Beyond

Based on everything we've discussed:

Path 1: Pure Europe Play

1. Start career in good European company or local big tech office
2. Build skills, aim for €70-100k within 3-5 years
3. Move to or work remotely from LCLT location
4. Target €100-150k remote or local roles
5. Save 50-60% of income
6. Achieve financial independence in 10-15 years
7. Maintain quality of life throughout

Path 2: US Boost Then Europe

1. Start in US big tech (2-4 years max)
2. Build resume, skills, network
3. Save as much as possible despite HCOL
4. Transition to European remote role (€100-150k)
5. Base in LCLT location
6. Leverage US experience for higher European comp
7. Dramatically reduce costs and stress
8. Achieve financial independence in 12-18 years
9. Enjoy better quality of life for most of your career

Path 3: Switzerland Hybrid

1. Land big tech role in Switzerland (€200-350k)
2. Work there 3-5 years (manageable grind)
3. Build wealth (€100-150k saved per year)
4. Transition to remote role from LCLT location
5. Use Switzerland resume to command €120-180k remote
6. Achieve financial independence in 10-15 years
7. Best of both worlds

My recommendation: Path 3 or Path 1 depending on your circumstances. Path 2 only if you have specific US opportunity and can handle the stress.

For most people reading this: Europe is the better choice in 2024.

Explore career planning strategies for Europe to find your optimal path.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Don't US engineers still make way more money than European engineers?

Yes at the top end, but the gap is closing and total wealth building often favors Europe. Top US (SF/NYC): €300-600k but €80-120k annual costs = €220-480k net. Top Europe (Switzerland): €200-350k but €50-70k annual costs = €150-280k net. Europe remote (LCLT): €100-150k but €25-35k annual costs = €75-115k net. The remote LCLT strategy often beats US on percentage saved, and quality of life is dramatically better. Pure salary isn't everything when taxes, healthcare, and living costs vary so dramatically.

What about career growth and learning opportunities in Europe vs US?

US still has an edge in cutting-edge tech and fastest skill growth at top companies, but Europe is closing the gap rapidly. Companies like DeepMind (London), Stripe (Dublin), Spotify (Stockholm), and Google Zurich do world-class work. The learning differential is significant mainly in first 2-3 years of career. After that, your learning depends more on role, team, and personal drive than location. For 80% of engineers, European opportunities provide sufficient growth. For the 20% who want bleeding-edge AI/ML research or hypergrowth startup experience, US may still edge out (though London increasingly competes here).

Is it realistic for a European engineer to make €100k+ working remotely?

Absolutely, and increasingly common. Many paths: European startups hiring across continent (€80-120k), US companies with European remote policies (€100-180k), Consulting/contracting for multiple clients (€100-150k+), Big tech remote roles (varies by company), Specialized skills (security, ML, blockchain): €120-200k+. Key requirements: 3-5+ years experience, strong English, specific in-demand skills, professional online presence. Start by checking companies on platforms like Remote.co, AngelList, and EuroTopTechJobs.

What if I'm already in the US on H1B - should I move back to Europe?

Complex decision requiring personal evaluation. Stay in US if: You're on path to green card (1-3 years away), Current role is exceptional for growth/resume, You're building US network you'll leverage long-term, Compensation is truly exceptional (€300k+). Consider Europe if: H1B renewal is uncertain or stressful, You're experiencing burnout or poor quality of life, You want to start a family soon (Europe is much better), Your savings rate is poor due to HCOL, You can secure €100k+ European role. Many engineers do 3-5 years in US, then return to Europe with boosted resume and earning power. This is often optimal.

Which European country is best for software engineers prioritizing quality of life?

Depends on priorities, but top contenders: Poland (Warsaw): Best savings rate, growing opportunities, safe, affordable. Portugal (Lisbon): Weather, beaches, culture, growing tech scene, reasonable taxes for remote workers. Spain (Barcelona/Madrid): Lifestyle, weather, food, social culture, improving tech market. Netherlands (Amsterdam): English-friendly, cycling, tolerance, great work-life balance. Switzerland (Zurich): Highest salaries, but HCOL and can be isolating. Germany (Berlin/Munich): Large market, good salaries, culture, affordability (Berlin). For pure quality of life: Portugal or Spain. For wealth building: Poland or Switzerland. For balance: Netherlands or Germany.

Is the European advantage just a 2024 trend or will it last?

The structural advantages favoring Europe are long-term: Labor protections aren't changing, Universal healthcare is entrenched, Remote work is permanent shift, Geographic compactness endures, US political/social instability may worsen. Short-term factors (layoffs, US salary stagnation) may fluctuate, but the fundamental quality-of-life and cost advantages are durable. One risk: If US market roars back with €500k packages widely available, pure wealth building might swing back. But even then, the lifestyle and stress trade-offs remain. My assessment: Europe's advantages will persist and likely strengthen over the next 5-10 years as remote work normalizes and people prioritize sustainable careers.