report
The real cost of employment across Europe in 2026
Europe's employment landscape is as fragmented as its languages and cultures - each country has its own unique contribution rates, deduction structures, and tax bands. The distance between the cheapest and most expensive market represents a cost difference of over 47% on the same gross salary. These figures rarely surface before a location is chosen or a salary band is set.
This report puts them in front of you first. It provides a full picture across 36 European countries, including what the business pays, what the employee receives, and everything in between. Each country is benchmarked at €70,000 gross and at local market rates, so the figures reflect both how each system works and what it costs in practice.
This report puts them in front of you first. It provides a full picture across 36 European countries, including what the business pays, what the employee receives, and everything in between. Each country is benchmarked at €70,000 gross and at local market rates, so the figures reflect both how each system works and what it costs in practice.
In this report, you will learn:
- The total cost of employment in 36 European countries, and how it shifts at local salary benchmarks
- A full breakdown of employer contributions, deductions and taxes for every country
- What employees actually take home in net pay
- Which countries deliver the most net pay for every euro spent, and which don’t
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Understanding employment costs across Europe in 2025
A detailed comparison of true employment costs across 36 European countries to support smarter hiring and compensation decisions for 2025.
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