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Best European Cities for Remote Software Engineers 2026: Live Well, Work Anywhere

A data-driven guide to the best cities for remote work in Europe for developers in 2026. Compare costs, lifestyle scores, and top hubs for remote software engineers.

The European Engineer

February 5, 2026

16 min read

So you’ve finally landed that sweet remote gig paying a Western salary… and now the real question hits:

Where the hell should you live in Europe? 🌍💻

This guide is my data-backed take on the best European cities for remote software engineers in 2026 – especially if:

You’re paid at US/UK/Western EU levels, but
You want lower costs, good infrastructure, and
You prefer to live well, not just scrape by.

We’ll talk numbers (savings), lifestyle scores, internet, visas, time zones, and actual programmer-friendly vibes – not generic “digital nomad” fluff.

If you just want the raw rankings, jump here:
See full city rankings → • Browse remote tech jobs →

How I Ranked the Best Cities for Remote Developers in Europe

This article is based on 32 cities across 20 countries, using real salary and cost data from job submissions to the platform. For each place, I looked at:

Annual savings for a remote dev on a Western package (after estimated living costs)
Lifestyle score (1–2.1 scale) – higher = better quality of life per € spent
Sample size (how many job submissions we have per city)
Infrastructure: internet speed, reliability, coworking scene
“Soft factors”: expat/dev communities, language, time zone, visas

⚠️ Data caveat: For cities with <20 job submissions, treat the numbers as early indicators, not gospel. I’ll flag those clearly.

We’ll focus on the “best value” cities first – places where you can save aggressively without living like a hermit.

TL;DR: Best Cities for Remote Work in Europe (Developers, 2026)

If you’re in a hurry, here’s the core list you care about – best cities for remote work in Europe for developers with Western salaries, ranked by annual savings:

City	Est. Annual Savings	Lifestyle Score	Sample Size	Data Confidence
London	€48,598	1.92	39	✅ Strong
Bucharest	€38,583	2.00	12	⚠️ Limited
Warsaw	€34,417	1.92	25	✅ Solid
Brussels	€29,800	2.00	5	⚠️ Very limited
Belgrade	€23,905	2.05	22	✅ Solid

Top overall value picks (my opinion):

Bucharest & Belgrade – insane value if you’re comfortable in Eastern Europe
Warsaw – best “serious city” balance for many remote programmers
London – only makes sense if you’re earning London-level comp
Brussels – underrated, but we need more data

We’ll go city by city, but first…

What Makes a Great City for Remote Software Engineers?

This isn’t a generic “digital nomad cities Europe tech” list with Bali and Lisbon spammed everywhere. You’re a developer with a real job, so your filters should be different.

When I talk about the best cities for remote work in Europe for a developer, I’m essentially optimising for:

1. Savings vs. Lifestyle

If your remote job pays, say, €80k–€150k gross:

In London: you can live well, save decently, but housing will eat your soul
In Warsaw/Bucharest/Belgrade: you can live very well and still save big chunks

Those “savings” numbers like €38,583 or €29,800 are basically:

Your remote comp – estimated local living costs (decent 1BR, food, transport, life)

It’s not perfect, but it is a useful way to compare.

2. Internet & Infrastructure

Obvious, but underestimated. You want:

100–500 Mbps home internet options
4G/5G that doesn’t die in the city centre
Several coworking spaces that aren’t just influencer photo studios

Eastern and Central Europe are quietly some of the best in the world for this.

3. Time Zone & Overlap

Most remote software engineers work with:

US East Coast (UTC-5)
UK (UTC / UTC+1)
Central Europe (UTC+1)

Pretty much all of the cities here are in CET/CEST or near it, making them ideal for “work remotely Europe programmer” setups with global teams.

4. Community & Culture

Some questions I always ask:

Will you find other devs/remote workers easily?
Are there meetups, conferences, hackathons?
Do locals speak some English, or will you mime your way through life?

Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen crush this. But even places like Belgrade and Bucharest are catching up rapidly.

5. Visas & Long-Term Options

If you’re EU/EEA, you can mostly ignore this section (lucky you).

If you’re non-EU, pay attention to:

Digital nomad visas (e.g., in some Eastern European countries)
Tech visas / blue cards
Whether you actually want residency/citizenship down the line

Specific visa instructions change fast, so treat this as directional and always check official sites.

City Deep Dives: Where Remote Devs Actually Win

1. London – High Salary, High Cost, Still Worth It?

Est. annual savings: €48,598
Lifestyle score: 1.92
Sample size: 39 (strong data)
Country: UK

Yes, London. On a cost-of-living basis, it’s terrible. On a “remote software engineer where to live in Europe if my salary is insane” basis? Surprisingly competitive.

Why? Because:

UK/US remote roles often pay London or US-level comp
If you’re earning €120k–€200k+, London’s cost doesn’t completely wreck you
You still end up with ~€48k+ in savings after living a central-ish life

Pros for Remote Developers

Top-tier earning potential if your employer localises salary to London
Massive tech community: meetups daily, niche language groups, fintech, AI, cloud
English-speaking, obviously
Super connected: cheap flights to pretty much everywhere in Europe

Cons

Housing is absurd – decent 1BR in Zones 1–2 can easily be £2k+/month
Quality-of-life tradeoff: more commuting, more noise, less space
If your company doesn’t adjust your pay for London… it’s not worth it

My take:
London belongs on the “best cities remote work Europe developer” list only if:

Your salary is pegged to London/US rates, and
You actually want the big-city chaos, networking, and career upside

Otherwise, you can earn London money and live better almost anywhere else below.

2. Bucharest – Western Lifestyle at Half the Price

Est. annual savings: €38,583
Lifestyle score: 2.0
Sample size: 12 (⚠️ limited data)
Country: Romania

Bucharest is one of my top picks for 2026 if you:

Work remotely for a Western company
Want low cost + big city energy + proper infrastructure

Even with limited sample size, the pattern is clear: Romania gives you serious leverage on a Western salary.

Why Bucharest Works for Remote Devs

Internet: some of the fastest and cheapest in Europe
Tech scene: plenty of local devs, outsourcing companies, and startups
Cost of living:
- Good 1BR in central-ish area: €400–700/month
- Eating out: €6–12 for a meal at a decent restaurant
Coworking: multiple solid options, usually cheaper than Western Europe

Time Zone & Remote Work

UTC+2 (winter) / UTC+3 (summer)
Great for working with Western Europe and manageable for US East (afternoons/evenings).

Visas & Bureaucracy

EU/EEA: easy.
Non-EU: Romania has evolving options, and as part of the EU it’s often a decent long-term bet if you find a local contract or pathway.

Based on current numbers, Bucharest is one of the best “digital nomad cities Europe tech” wise if you don’t mind a bit of chaos and concrete.

My take:
If you’re making €70k–€120k remote, Bucharest lets you live extremely well and stash €30–40k/year without sacrificing decent restaurants, nightlife or infrastructure.

3. Warsaw – The Serious, Sustainable Remote Hub

Est. annual savings: €34,417
Lifestyle score: 1.92
Sample size: 25 (solid data)
Country: Poland

Warsaw doesn’t market itself as a “digital nomad city”, but for actual programmers working remotely, it’s one of the most balanced cities in Europe.

Why Warsaw is a Top “Work Remotely Europe Programmer” Base

Massive presence of big tech, banks, consultancies → plenty of devs
Good English among younger professionals
Modern infrastructure, efficient public transport, relatively safe

Cost-wise:

1BR in a good area: €600–900/month
Groceries, public transport, and social life are all cheaper than Western Europe, but not ultra-dirt-cheap like some Balkans spots.

Internet & Work Setup

Widely available fiber connections, reliable mobile data
Decent network of coworking spaces and cafes with plugs & Wi-Fi

Time Zone & Travel

UTC+1 (winter) / UTC+2 (summer)
Perfect overlap with Berlin/London teams, okay for US East Coast
Good flight connections to most of Europe

My take:
For many remote software engineers, if you ask “remote software engineer where to live Europe?” the boring but correct answer is: Warsaw.

Big city stability
Measurable community
Strong savings without feeling like a nomad floating in tourist-land

4. Brussels – Underrated and Weirdly Good on Paper

Est. annual savings: €29,800
Lifestyle score: 2.0
Sample size: 5 (⚠️ very limited data)
Country: Belgium

Brussels almost never shows up on “digital nomad” lists, but the numbers here are interesting:

€29.8k in savings with a 2.0 lifestyle score suggests:
- Decent remote salary levels
- Strong quality of life for what you spend

But: sample size is only 5 submissions, so treat this as a hint, not a conclusion.

Pros for Remote Devs

Centrally located in Western Europe; trains to Paris, Amsterdam, London in hours
Multilingual, international (EU institutions, NGOs, consultancies)
High average salary environment → may attract remote-friendly employers

Cost of living is lower than London/Zurich, but not “cheap”. Think:

1BR: €900–1,400/month depending on area
Food and going out: similar to France/Netherlands, slightly less punishing than Paris/Amsterdam

Why It Could Work

As a base for a remote software engineer:

You get access to Western European lifestyle
Without the full pain of Paris/London rent
With fairly strong savings if your salary is pegged to big-market rates

My take:
Brussels is probably one of the most underrated “best cities remote work Europe developer” picks, but we need more data. If you’re already eyeing Belgium for personal reasons, this data is a nice confirmation.

5. Belgrade – Maximum Lifestyle per Euro

Est. annual savings: €23,905
Lifestyle score: 2.05 (highest in this set)
Sample size: 22 (solid data)
Country: Serbia

Belgrade is where things get interesting: lower absolute savings, but the best lifestyle-per-euro score of the bunch.

That 2.05 lifestyle score basically screams:

“You’re not just saving money – you’re living really, really well while you do it.”

Why Remote Devs Love Belgrade

Cost of living is brutally low compared to Western Europe
Very vibrant social life, nightlife, café culture
Tons of young people, many in tech or creative industries
English is widely spoken in urban professional circles

Think:

1BR in good area: €300–600/month
Eating out often is absolutely doable without wrecking your budget
Coworking spaces are cheap and decent

Tradeoffs

Serbia is non-EU, so:
- Different visa/residency setup
- Different long-term stability considerations
Some remote employers may be weird about payroll/contracting to Serbia
Fewer direct flights compared to EU hubs like Berlin or Amsterdam

Still, for a digital nomad in Europe in tech, Belgrade is one of the best places to:

Work remotely
Have a proper social life
Save €20k+ per year while not feeling like you’re sacrificing much

My take:
If you’re early/mid-career, not tied to EU bureaucracy, and want to maximise fun + savings, Belgrade is a monster value pick.

Other Notable Cities in the Rankings

We also have solid data for several well-known hubs:

City	Notes
Berlin (54 submissions)	Huge tech scene, strong community, costs rising but still below London/Zurich.
Amsterdam (35)	Great for quality of life, very bikeable, expensive housing.
Copenhagen (37)	High salaries locally, high costs, excellent infrastructure.
Zurich (40)	Insane local salaries, insane costs, but huge savings if paid Swiss rates.
Hamburg (9, ⚠️ limited)	Appears in top cities; likely a quieter, more livable alternative to Berlin.
Valencia (5, ⚠️ limited)	Early signals: great climate and lifestyle, but data too thin for bold claims.
Sofia, Krakow, Helsinki, Dublin	Appear in data but with limited samples; promising, but I wouldn’t move solely on these numbers yet.

You can dig into the full numbers here:
Full country & city rankings →

Choosing the Right City for Your Remote Setup

Let’s match cities to realistic situations.

Scenario 1: “I’m Paid US/UK Money, Want to Maximise Savings”

Priorities: Savings first, then lifestyle

Best fits:

Warsaw – balanced, stable, easy overlap with employers
Bucharest – higher chaos, higher upside in savings
Belgrade – slightly less savings than Bucharest, but incredible lifestyle for the price

If you’re making €100k+ remotely and want to save €30–40k/year, this trio should be your shortlist.

Scenario 2: “I Want a Big, International City and Don’t Mind Paying”

Priorities: Community, network, international vibe

Best fits (using our data + known ecosystems):

London – still top-tier in terms of tech community and earning potential
Berlin – massive dev scene, slightly more relaxed and cheaper than London
Amsterdam – compact, international, very liveable (but pricey)

You’ll save less percentage-wise, but your career/network compounding can be huge if you switch later to non-remote roles or startups.

Scenario 3: “I Want Digital-Nomad Vibes, But with Real Infrastructure”

Priorities: Cafés, coworking, social life, but no island internet disasters

Best fits among European tech cities:

Belgrade – digital-nomad vibe without tourist saturation
Valencia (⚠️ limited data, but very popular anecdotally)
Bucharest – chaotic good energy, lots of cafes and coworking

These don’t always show up on traditional “top digital nomad cities Europe tech” lists, but they’re much better suited for engineers who actually want to ship code, not just post laptop-on-a-beach photos.

Time Zones: Don’t Ignore This

Working fully remote as a programmer in Europe, three main patterns:

You work for a European company (UTC–1 to UTC+3):
– Any city on this list is fine.
You work for US East Coast:
– Cities like Warsaw, Bucharest, Belgrade give you afternoons/evenings overlap.
– You might be working 2pm–10pm locally – great if you’re a night owl.
You work for US West Coast:
– Expect late nights: 5pm–1am+
– If this is long-term, you might prefer Portugal/Canaries for slightly better overlap, but all these cities are technically viable.

For many remote software engineers asking “where to live in Europe?”, time zone flexibility is your stealth superpower. You can:

Start days later
Enjoy quiet mornings
Do gym/errands when everyone else is in the office

As long as your team is okay with it.

Visas & Bureaucracy (Quick Reality Check)

Very high-level pointers (this is not legal advice, do your homework):

EU/EEA citizens
- You can live and work remotely in Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Bucharest, etc. with minimal friction.
- Serbia (Belgrade) will require a bit more paperwork and visa thinking.
Non-EU citizens
- EU cities: look into digital nomad visas, local tech visas, or being officially employed by your remote company in your existing country while you reside in Europe (grey area in some places).
- Serbia: more flexible for long stays for many nationalities, but differ by passport.

General tip:
Many remote engineers do:

Start on tourist visas (90 days in Schengen, etc.),
Then formalise once they decide where they actually want to stay.

Don’t over-optimise visas until you’ve actually tried living somewhere for at least a month.

Actionable Strategy: How to Pick Your City in 2026

Here’s how I’d approach it if you asked me over a beer:

Step 1: Lock in the Remote Job First

Use your current country as the base when negotiating
Aim for a salary that’s competitive in London/Berlin/Amsterdam terms
Once you have that Western-level comp, then play geography arbitrage

Explore high-paying remote roles in Europe →

Step 2: Shortlist 3–4 Cities Based on Your Priorities

Examples:

Max savings + solid city: Warsaw, Bucharest
Fun + cheap + social: Belgrade, Bucharest, Valencia (with caveats)
Big city + network: London, Berlin, Amsterdam
Balanced Western EU life: Brussels, Hamburg (early data)

Step 3: Do 1–2 Month Test Runs

Use Airbnb/short-term rentals (not cheap, but cheaper than moving blind)
Test:
- Internet stability
- Coworking spaces
- Gym, groceries, healthcare access
- How you feel working and living day-to-day

You will learn more in 4 weeks on the ground than in 40 hours of reading city guides.

Step 4: Commit for 6–12 Months

Once you’ve tried 2–3 places:

Pick one
Find a longer-term rental (prices drop rapidly beyond 3-month leases)
Start learning the local language basics (or at least “hello”, “beer”, and “where’s the router?”)

Final Thoughts: Europe is Ridiculously Good Right Now

If you’re a remote software engineer in 2026 and still living in a super high-cost city because that’s where the office used to be… you’re probably leaving €20–40k/year on the table.

From this data, my personal 2026 power picks would be:

Warsaw – if you want a serious, long-term base in the EU
Bucharest – if you want aggressive savings with big-city energy
Belgrade – if you want the highest life-per-euro and don’t mind being outside the EU
Berlin/London – if you weight community/network over pure savings
Brussels/Hamburg – if you want Western EU life with slightly better value and lower noise

The cool thing? You don’t have to guess. You’re a dev. Treat this like an experiment:

Collect data (salary, costs, city rankings) → See city rankings →
Run small tests (1–2 months in each city)
Iterate until you find your personal local maximum of savings + happiness

Europe is small, flights are cheap, and your code compiles the same from Warsaw, Belgrade, or Brussels.

Use that to your advantage. 🚀