Serbia vs Netherlands for Software Engineers: Complete Comparison 2026
Serbia ranks #1 by savings score, Netherlands #13 but with higher absolute savings (€28,570 vs €21,833). Full 2026 guide: salaries, taxes, visas, jobs, lifestyle.
Thinking about software engineer Serbia or Netherlands and stuck between Balkan affordability and Dutch infrastructure? You’re not alone. I see this “Serbia vs Netherlands developer” dilemma constantly: one is a rising Central/Eastern Europe powerhouse, the other a mature Western EU hub with strong brands and salaries.
In this deep dive I’ll break down, with numbers, how tech jobs Serbia Netherlands comparison actually looks in 2026: salaries, taxes, cost of living, savings, visas, language barriers, and who should pick which country depending on your career stage and risk tolerance.
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Key Takeaways / TL;DR
- Both are objectively good – for different reasons: In our CodeCapitals dataset, Serbia ranks #1 country overall by composite score with €21,833 yearly savings and lifestyle 2.04. The Netherlands sits at #13 but with higher average savings of €28,570 and lifestyle 1.81.
- Netherlands = higher gross pay, Serbia = better geo‑arbitrage play: Dutch salaries and social safety nets are stronger, but Serbia’s much lower costs and decent taxes make it excellent if you earn remote/foreign income or want to optimize for FIRE.
- Job market quality vs quantity: The Netherlands (especially Amsterdam with 35+ data points) has denser, more mature tech ecosystems and better brand names; Serbia has fewer top‑tier logos but growing remote work, outsourcing, and product companies.
- Visas and long‑term plans matter: EU/EEA citizens can move to NL trivially; non‑EU devs often find the Netherlands easier via the Highly Skilled Migrant visa. Serbia is easier from a tax and residency angle, but doesn’t give you EU status.
- My blunt take: If you want brand, safety net, and long‑term EU base, go Netherlands. If you want max savings on remote income, early FIRE, or low cost of experimentation, Serbia wins – especially when combined with geo‑arbitrage strategies.
How do Serbia and the Netherlands rank for software engineers in 2026?
Both Serbia and the Netherlands are strong contenders in Europe, but for different profiles. Serbia tops our composite ranking (#1) because its low costs and decent salaries produce excellent purchasing power. The Netherlands delivers higher absolute savings (€28,570 vs €21,833) and stronger job market depth, but at a higher cost of living and tax burden.
From our CodeCapitals country dataset (20 countries analyzed):
| Metric | Serbia | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Country Rank (overall) | #1 | #13 |
| Avg Yearly Savings | €21,833 | €28,570 |
| Lifestyle Score (lower=better) | 2.04 | 1.81 |
| Typical Role Mix | Remote, nearshore, local product | Big Tech, scale‑ups, fintech, corporates |
| Tax / Social Burden (rough) | Medium | Medium‑High |
Two things to notice:
- Rank vs raw money can diverge. The Netherlands has higher savings, but when you factor in risk, market maturity, and lifestyle, it scores lower than Serbia in our composite model.
- Serbia’s #1 rank is heavily driven by costs and geo‑arbitrage – it becomes truly powerful when you combine it with foreign salaries (US/EU remote), not just local Serbian pay.
If you want a broader map of where these two sit relative to Poland, Switzerland, Portugal etc., read Best Countries for Software Engineers 2026 after this.
How do salaries for software engineers compare: Serbia vs Netherlands?
If you’re choosing Serbia vs Netherlands developer paths purely on salary, the Netherlands will almost always put more raw euros in your bank account. Mid/senior dev roles in the Netherlands routinely offer €60k–€110k gross, while Serbia’s local salaries are usually €25k–€55k gross, with exceptions at top remote/foreign employers.
Rough 2026 salary ranges (non‑FAANG, typical offers)
| Level / Type | Serbia (local contracts) | Netherlands (local contracts) |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0–2 yrs) | €12k–€25k | €40k–€60k |
| Mid (3–5 yrs) | €25k–€40k | €60k–€80k |
| Senior IC (5–10 yrs) | €35k–€55k | €80k–€110k |
| Staff+ / Lead (IC or EM) | €45k–€70k (often remote) | €100k–€150k+ (incl. bonus/RSU) |
| Fully‑remote for foreign companies | €60k–€140k (USD/EUR) | €70k–€140k (USD/EUR) |
Caveats:
- Serbia numbers are split between:
- local employers (outsourcing, local product)
- foreign remote contracts (US, UK, DACH), often paid higher.
- Netherlands numbers include:
- multinational hubs (Booking, Adyen, Uber, ASML, fintechs)
- EU/US scale‑ups and large incumbents.
If your goal is maximize absolute euros, the Netherlands wins. If your goal is maximize savings per unit of stress and relocation friction, Serbia gets interesting, especially if you follow strategies from How to Make €100k as a Software Engineer in Europe.
Who wins on cost of living and real savings?
The interesting twist: despite lower salaries, Serbia is competitive on real savings because your monthly burn rate is dramatically lower. But in our country‑level data, the Netherlands still shows higher average savings (€28,570 vs €21,833) – why?
Because many Netherlands entries are high‑earning seniors at strong employers, while many Serbian entries are still tied to local pay.
Cost of living: Belgrade vs Amsterdam as proxies
We use Belgrade (22 submissions) and Amsterdam (35 submissions) as relatively robust city proxies.
| Item | Belgrade (Serbia) | Amsterdam (NL) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1‑bed city center | €450–€700 | €1,600–€2,200 |
| Rent, 1‑bed outside center | €300–€500 | €1,200–€1,700 |
| Monthly groceries (single) | €150–€250 | €250–€400 |
| Restaurant (mid‑range, 2 ppl) | €25–€35 | €60–€90 |
| Public transport monthly pass | €25–€40 | €80–€120 |
| Coworking / desk | €80–€150 | €200–€350 |
Rough monthly savings simulations (single mid‑level dev):
| Scenario | Serbia (Belgrade) | Netherlands (Amsterdam) |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | €35k/year | €70k/year |
| Net monthly (after tax, ballpark) | ~€2,100 | ~€3,600 |
| Living costs (frugal but comfortable) | €900–€1,100 | €2,100–€2,400 |
| Monthly savings | €1,000–€1,200 | €1,200–€1,500 |
So with local salaries:
- The Netherlands still edges out on annual savings for mid‑level devs, thanks to the salary multiple.
- Serbia gives you a much lower “failure cost” – cheaper to experiment, switch jobs, or take a break.
Now flip the game: remote salary, living in Serbia (classic geo‑arbitrage).
| Scenario | Serbia (Belgrade) | Netherlands (Amsterdam) |
|---|---|---|
| Remote salary | €120k/year | €120k/year |
| Net monthly (assuming low‑tax setup in RS*) | ~€7,000+ | ~€5,500 (NL progressive) |
| Living costs (similar lifestyle) | €1,200–€1,500 | €2,500–€3,000 |
| Monthly savings | €5,500–€5,800 | €2,500–€3,000 |
*Depending on structure (employee vs contractor, tax regime). See Best Low‑Cost Low‑Tax Countries for Remote Devs.
Conclusion:
- On local contracts, Netherlands usually wins on absolute savings, especially at mid/senior levels.
- On remote contracts, Serbia completely destroys the Netherlands on savings rate and FIRE speed.
How do taxes compare for software engineers in Serbia vs Netherlands?
You don’t feel taxes in job offers; you feel them in your bank account 12 times a year. Let’s simplify.
Netherlands tax for developers
- Progressive income tax, effectively ~37–49% including social contributions, with brackets that shift slightly year to year.
- For a common dev salary of €70k–€90k, your effective total tax + social rate usually lands in the 38–45% range.
- Very strong social benefits: healthcare, unemployment, pensions, sick leave, etc.
Serbia tax for developers
Serbia has a hybrid system; rough ballpark:
- Flat income tax + social contributions, but often lower effective costs than Western Europe.
- For employees, total burden often around 30–35% depending on salary and caps.
- For contractors or via optimized structures, effective tax can drop below 20% in some setups (company + dividends, special regimes, etc.).
- Social safety net is weaker, and you’ll likely supplement with private healthcare (still cheap by Western standards).
Tax takeaway for a “software engineer Serbia or Netherlands” decision:
- If you value strong public services and don’t want to think about optimization, Netherlands fits your psychology.
- If you’re willing to do tax planning and take some responsibility for your own safety net, Serbia can be significantly more efficient. See Tax Optimization for Software Engineers in Europe.
How strong is the tech job market in each country?
What does the Netherlands tech market look like in 2026?
Direct answer: dense, mature, competitive – but still worth it. Amsterdam alone has 35 submissions in our database, indicating a well‑sampled, robust market. Combine that with Berlin (54), Copenhagen (37), Zurich (40) nearby, and you’re in the Western European tech belt.
Netherlands tech landscape:
- Big Tech & “near‑Big Tech”: Booking, Uber, Adyen, Mollie, bunq, ASML, TomTom, and a lot of global R&D centers.
- Well‑funded scale‑ups across fintech, SaaS, logistics, climate tech.
- Strong English‑friendly environment, especially in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Eindhoven.
- Lots of internal mobility between companies once you’re inside.
If you care about brand stacking and CV polish, Netherlands is very strong – similar logic as in my Western Europe Tech Hubs: Germany vs Netherlands vs Belgium breakdown.
What does the Serbian tech market look like in 2026?
Direct answer: smaller, more fragmented, but growing fast and heavily leveraged by remote work. Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš are the main clusters.
Serbia tech landscape:
- Strong outsourcing / nearshoring presence (US, DACH, UK clients).
- Growing number of product companies and startups, but still fewer globally recognizable brands.
- Large proportion of senior engineers choosing remote contracts and treating Serbia as a lifestyle + tax + cost base.
- Local market competition can be less brutal than in Amsterdam, especially for mid‑seniors.
If you want maximum optionality to pivot to remote and are fine not having “FAANG‑ish” logos, Serbia punches far above its weight. For more context, see Central Europe for Software Engineers: Why Poland, Serbia, and Bulgaria Offer the Highest Purchasing Power.
How do visas and residency compare for Serbia vs Netherlands?
Is it easier to move to the Netherlands or Serbia as a non‑EU dev?
-
Netherlands:
- Has the Highly Skilled Migrant (HSM) scheme – one of Europe’s most straightforward work visas for developers.
- Employers are used to sponsoring; many have in‑house relocation teams.
- Moving here also gives you a Schengen / EU base for long‑term planning, which matters if you eventually want PR or citizenship in the EU.
-
Serbia:
- Much more flexible for medium‑term stays, digital nomads, and remote workers.
- Residency can often be obtained via employment contract, company formation, or property investment.
- But: Serbia is not in the EU, so if your long‑term plan is “EU passport + freedom of movement”, it doesn’t directly move you toward that.
For EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, the story is simple:
- Netherlands: basically no visa friction. You show up, register, get your BSN, find a job.
- Serbia: also relatively accessible, but again, it doesn’t compound into EU advantages.
If your dominant constraint is immigration from outside the EU, the Netherlands generally gives you more long‑term leverage. For a broader visa overview, read Relocating to Europe as a Software Engineer: Complete Visa & Immigration Guide.
What about language barriers and everyday life?
Can you work in English in Serbia vs Netherlands?
-
Netherlands:
- You can live an entire life in Amsterdam/Utrecht working 100% in English.
- Lots of companies have English as the official working language.
- Dutch people have some of the highest English proficiency in the world.
-
Serbia:
- Tech companies, especially those with international clients, often operate comfortably in English.
- Outside tech / big cities, English proficiency is spottier, but improving.
- You can survive in Belgrade in English, but you’ll feel the ceiling more than in Amsterdam.
If “I never want to learn the local language” is your stated preference (not recommended, but hey), Netherlands is much more forgiving.
How do lifestyle and culture actually feel?
Lifestyle scores in our data:
- Serbia Lifestyle: 2.04
- Netherlands Lifestyle: 1.81
(Reminder: lower is better in this scale – it mixes subjective ratings of weather, safety, bureaucracy, healthcare, and general “annoyance factor”.)
My qualitative take:
-
Netherlands pros:
- Biking infrastructure, urban planning, safe cities, good healthcare.
- Flat, calm culture, predictable rules, low corruption.
- Great for families and long‑term stability.
-
Netherlands cons:
- Housing crisis is real – insane competition and prices in Amsterdam.
- Weather is… grey. A lot.
- Can feel “corporate” and expensive quickly.
-
Serbia pros:
- Low cost of living for good quality: cafes, food, social life.
- Vibrant, social culture; nightlife is strong in Belgrade.
- Flexibility in how you structure your life and work (especially as a remote dev).
-
Serbia cons:
- Bureaucracy can be chaotic.
- Healthcare weaker; you’ll probably blend public with private.
- Less institutional stability; you should have emergency savings and maybe a Plan B country.
If you’re 24, optimizing for fun and runway, Serbia will feel amazing. If you’re 34 with kids and want stable schools + bike lanes + predictable systems, Netherlands has a clear edge.
Tech jobs Serbia Netherlands comparison: who should pick which country?
Here’s the part most people skip: you’re not choosing a country, you’re choosing a strategy.
Which profile fits the Netherlands best?
You should lean Netherlands if:
- You want brand‑name employers (Adyen, Uber, Booking, ASML, etc.) on your CV.
- You prioritize social safety nets, strong institutions, and EU residency.
- You like the idea of English‑speaking, international teams without crazy relocation culture shock.
- You’re okay with higher taxes and housing costs in exchange for this stability.
Which profile fits Serbia best?
You should lean Serbia if:
- Your main income is or will be remote / foreign and you want to minimize burn and taxes.
- You care less about prestige logos and more about time to FIRE, savings rate, and flexibility.
- You’re comfortable with a bit more chaos and DIY problem‑solving (bureaucracy, healthcare planning).
- You want to try entrepreneurship, freelancing, or side projects without living under €2,000/month just in rent.
If you resonate with the “remote + geo‑arbitrage + early financial independence” life, go read Geo‑Arbitrage for Software Engineers: Earn Western Salaries, Live in Low‑Cost Europe and FIRE in Europe: How Software Engineers Can Reach Financial Independence Faster.
Concrete strategies: How to actually choose and sequence them?
Let’s get practical. Here are 3 strategies I’d recommend depending on where you are in your career.
Strategy 1: Early career – Brand first, then optimize
- Stage: 0–4 years experience.
- Move to: Netherlands.
- Goal: Stack 1–2 strong brands and level up professionally.
- Plan:
- Target Amsterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven.
- Aim for well‑structured companies or strong scale‑ups.
- Build your portfolio + LinkedIn + references aggressively.
- After 3–5 years, consider remote or relocation to lower‑cost hubs (Serbia, Poland, etc.) with higher leverage.
This leverages what I talk about in Breaking Into Big Tech Europe via Lower‑Competition Markets – except here you’re using NL as your initial launchpad.
Strategy 2: Mid/senior – Remote income + Serbian base
- Stage: 4–12 years experience, reasonably strong skillset.
- Move to: Serbia.
- Goal: Lock in high remote income plus low costs; accelerate FIRE.
- Plan:
- Keep or get a €100k–€180k remote role (US/EU company).
- Base yourself in Belgrade or Novi Sad, spend €1,200–€1,800/month comfortably.
- Use legal tax optimization, understand residency rules.
- Save 50–70% of income, invest aggressively (ETFs, possibly real estate – see Real Estate Investing 101 for Software Engineers).
Here, Serbia’s #1 rank and €21,833 savings baseline become a joke compared to what you can achieve on foreign pay.
Strategy 3: Family / long‑term EU plan
- Stage: Any, but especially 30+ with dependents.
- Move to: Netherlands.
- Goal: Stability, education, healthcare, EU path.
- Plan:
- Optimize total package (salary, RSUs, pension contributions, parental leave) – see Senior Engineers: How to Maximize Your Compensation in Europe.
- Live slightly outside Amsterdam to control rent.
- Build long‑term residency and citizenship path for you/your family.
- Potential later‑life pivot: keep Dutch citizenship, then geo‑arbitrage out to Central/Eastern Europe for lower costs.
Quick comparison tables: Serbia vs Netherlands at a glance
Overall comparison
| Dimension | Serbia | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Country Rank (CodeCapitals) | #1 | #13 |
| Avg Yearly Savings | €21,833 | €28,570 |
| Lifestyle Score | 2.04 | 1.81 |
| Typical Dev Salary Range | €12k–€70k (local), up to €140k remote | €40k–€150k local |
| Cost of Living (single, city) | €900–€1,300/month | €2,100–€2,800/month |
| Visa Power / EU | Non‑EU, flexible stays | EU, strong long‑term option |
| English in Daily Life | Good in tech hubs, mixed elsewhere | Excellent, near‑universal in cities |
| Best For | Geo‑arbitrage, FIRE, low‑cost base | Brand‑building, families, EU stability |
Where each wins
| “Winner” Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute salary potential | Netherlands | Denser big tech / fintech ecosystem |
| Local contract savings (average) | Netherlands | Higher salaries outweigh higher costs on average |
| Remote‑salary savings | Serbia | Low costs + decent tax optimization |
| Social safety net | Netherlands | Healthcare, unemployment, pensions |
| Ease of living in English | Netherlands | Almost universal English in tech and daily life |
| Nightlife + low cost social life | Serbia | Very cheap cafes, bars, restaurants |
| Long‑term EU path | Netherlands | Residency → PR → citizenship |
| Flexibility for experimentation | Serbia | Cheap to fail, cheap to pivot |
Actionable next steps (how to not overthink this for 2 years)
- Decide your primary constraint:
- Is it money, brand, lifestyle, or immigration? Rank them.
- Pick a 3–5 year plan, not a forever plan.
- “Netherlands for 4 years, then remote from Serbia” is a perfectly rational combo.
- Run your personal numbers.
- Use CodeCapitals‑style logic: expected net, rent, taxes, savings rate.
- Aim for €2k+/month savings as a baseline; €4k+ if you’re optimizing for FIRE.
- Start targeting matching employers.
- For Netherlands: English‑first, relocation‑friendly tech companies.
- For Serbia: remote‑friendly employers not pegged to local salary bands.
- Time the market, don’t be at its mercy.
- Use hiring seasonality and macro trends from 2025 Survival Guide for Software Engineers.
And whatever you pick: be intentional about it. The biggest mistake I see is people “sliding” into a country because of one random offer instead of running an actual Serbia vs Netherlands developer comparison like you just did.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Netherlands or Serbia better for saving money as a software engineer?
On local contracts, the Netherlands usually wins on absolute yearly savings: our data shows €28,570 average savings vs €21,833 for Serbia. This is because Dutch salaries for mid/senior devs are often 2x local Serbian pay, even after higher taxes and rent. However, if you are or plan to be a remote developer earning foreign income, Serbia can easily double your savings rate thanks to €900–€1,300 typical monthly living costs. So: Netherlands wins for “normal employee path”, Serbia wins for “geo‑arbitrage path”.
Which country has better career growth for software engineers: Serbia or Netherlands?
For brand‑driven career growth, the Netherlands is clearly stronger. Amsterdam alone has 35+ data points in our dataset and hosts big names like Adyen, ASML, Booking, and a lot of US tech offices, which help you build a CV that travels globally. Serbia’s market is smaller and more focused on outsourcing and remote roles, with fewer globally recognizable product companies, but it shines if your growth path is consulting, freelancing, or remote leadership roles. Think of NL as better for corporate ladder + pedigree and Serbia as better for flexible, independent career paths.
How hard is it to get a visa for the Netherlands vs Serbia as a non‑EU software engineer?
The Netherlands is one of the easier Western European countries for skilled devs thanks to the Highly Skilled Migrant visa and employers experienced with sponsorship; salary thresholds are clear and many tech companies handle bureaucracy for you. Serbia, meanwhile, is relatively easy for temporary residence via employment or company formation, and many remote workers use it as a base, but it doesn’t move you toward EU citizenship or Schengen rights. If your long‑term plan includes an EU passport, Netherlands is usually the more strategic choice.
Can I work only in English in Serbia or is Serbian required?
In major Serbian tech hubs like Belgrade and Novi Sad, you can absolutely work in English‑speaking environments, especially at companies serving foreign clients or with remote teams. Many dev teams use English as their internal language and documentation standard. However, outside tech bubbles (government offices, small landlords, some healthcare), Serbian becomes important and you’ll feel friction if you don’t speak it. In contrast, in Dutch cities, you can function almost entirely in English in both tech and daily life, with very high English proficiency across the population.
Is it realistic to move to the Netherlands first and then later base myself in Serbia?
Yes, and it’s actually one of the best hybrid strategies I recommend. You can spend 3–6 years in the Netherlands, stack strong brands and senior experience, and reach €80k–€120k+ compensation. Once you’re established and can land fully remote work (often via US or EU companies), you can relocate to Serbia, cut your living costs roughly in half, and potentially double your savings rate (e.g. from €2k/month to €4k–€5k/month). This combo makes financial independence much more realistic in 10–15 years instead of 25–30.
Is Serbia safe and stable enough long‑term compared to the Netherlands?
From a day‑to‑day perspective, major Serbian cities like Belgrade are reasonably safe, especially in tech and expat neighborhoods; violent crime is low, and you’ll mostly deal with petty bureaucracy and occasional annoyances. However, compared to the Netherlands, Serbia has weaker institutions, lower healthcare quality, and more political/economic volatility, which is why I recommend keeping a 6–12 month emergency fund and possibly a “Plan B” country or passport. The Netherlands offers much stronger systemic stability, but at the cost of higher taxes and living expenses.