Salary Comparison by Country
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Compare salaries by country — median full-time earnings, PPP adjustment that re-ranks everything, and the relocation-negotiation math between nominal and purchasing-power pay.
Quick answer: Rough median full-time gross (US$/yr, 2025-era): Switzerland ~85k, US ~62k, Australia ~55k, Germany ~54k, UK ~48k, Japan ~36k, South Korea ~35k, Poland ~22k, Mexico ~12k, India ~4-5k formal / ~2.5k overall. PPP-adjust and the gaps compress 30-50% — the relocation question is always nominal-vs-local-costs.
The Medians and What They Hide
Country medians mix sectors, hours, and formality — tech/finance salaries in Bangalore or Warsaw sit 5-10x the national median while Zurich’s premium over its median is modest. The useful comparisons:
| Lens | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Nominal US$ | Savings-abroad power, remittances, global purchasing (travel, imports, FIRE math) |
| PPP-adjusted | Local living standard — India’s ~3.5x price-level gap turns $12k into ~$42k of local purchasing power |
| Net after the wedge | See the take-home comparison — Germany gross ≠ Germany net |
| Sector-specific | Your actual market: a software role prices globally-ish; retail prices locally |
Relocation Math Worked
$60k in Austin → offered £45k (~$57k) in London: nominal −5%, but London’s cost level + the UK wedge ≈ −20-25% living standard; the role must pay career value (market access, visa, CV) to clear. The reverse — $60k US → $30k in Lisbon — can RAISE living standards with remote-anchored savings. Always run: nominal → net → local-cost-adjusted → career-value.
Remote-Work Arbitrage
Global-remote salaries (US-pegged pay, low-cost residence) break the whole table — which is why employers increasingly band pay by location and why tax residency (183-day rules, permanent-establishment risk) is the real constraint on the arbitrage. Figures here are orientation-grade; verify current data (OECD, national statistics) for decisions.
Negotiation Uses
Cross-country offers: anchor on the DESTINATION’s sector pay (levels.fyi-style data beats national medians), claim the relocation premium explicitly (10-20% for the disruption), and price the pension/healthcare deltas from the take-home page into the ask. Within-country: the median tells you little — percentile-within-role data wins raises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has the highest salaries?
Switzerland leads full-time medians (~$85k nominal), with the US close on disposable income after its lower wedge — PPP and cost adjustments compress the European gaps substantially.
How should I compare an international offer?
Four steps: nominal → net (each country’s wedge) → local-cost-adjusted → career value (market, visa, trajectory); national medians are the weakest input — use sector data.
Why do PPP adjustments matter?
Price levels differ 3-4x: India’s $4.5k formal median buys ~$15k+ of local living; comparing nominals alone misranks every emerging market.
Do these medians apply to tech/professional roles?
No — professional salaries decouple from national medians (Bangalore tech pays 5-10x the Indian median); your role’s market data governs.
Where does the data come from?
OECD and national statistical agencies’ full-time median series, 2025-era, rounded for orientation — verify current releases for decisions.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026