IT Salaries: Poland, Czech Republic, Germany 2026

When LinkedIn says "competitive salary in Warsaw" or "attractive package in Berlin", that can mean wildly different things. One person relocated and takes home 4,500 PLN a month. Someone else on the same job title clears 9,000. The gap is real, and sources like Glassdoor or DOU don't always show what actually lands in your account after taxes. This post is about concrete numbers: gross, net, typical deductions, and when relocating to the EU actually makes financial sense.

Poland: most popular destination, but not always the best deal

Poland took in millions of Ukrainians after 2022. The IT crowd moved there en masse too, especially to Warsaw and Krakow. The job market is genuinely large, with big company offices, outstaffing firms, and local product companies. But salaries quoted in PLN are disorienting at first.

• Junior Frontend/Backend developer: 6,000-9,000 PLN gross. After PIT and ZUS contributions: roughly 4,300-6,400 PLN (around 1,000-1,500 EUR).
• Mid-level developer (3-5 yrs): 12,000-18,000 PLN gross. Net: 8,500-12,800 PLN (1,950-2,950 EUR). On a B2B contract (faktura VAT) you keep slightly more, but you cover your own ZUS contributions.
• Senior / Tech Lead: 20,000-30,000 PLN gross. Net: 14,000-20,000 PLN (3,200-4,600 EUR). B2B contracts dominate at this level; higher take-home, but no employer-covered benefits.
• QA Manual/Automation (mid): 9,000-15,000 PLN gross. Net: 6,400-10,600 PLN.
• Product Manager (mid-senior): 15,000-25,000 PLN gross. Net: 10,600-17,500 PLN.
• Data Analyst / Data Engineer (mid): 12,000-20,000 PLN gross. Net: 8,500-14,000 PLN.

Now for expenses. A one-bedroom flat in Warsaw: 2,500-4,000 PLN per month. In Krakow it's a bit cheaper, around 2,000-3,200 PLN. Food, transport, phone, internet - another 1,500-2,500 PLN. So a junior on UoP (employment contract) is left with very little after rent and basics. Mid-level and above can live comfortably and even save.

Czech Republic: the quiet option nobody talks about enough

Prague is genuinely underrated. The IT market is smaller than Poland's but stable. Many international companies keep offices there. Salaries are quoted in Czech crowns (CZK), which sounds scary at first, but let's look at the numbers.

• Junior developer: 45,000-60,000 CZK gross. Net: roughly 34,000-45,000 CZK (1,350-1,800 EUR). Czech income tax is 15% plus employee social contributions of around 11%.
• Mid-level developer: 75,000-110,000 CZK gross. Net: 56,000-82,000 CZK (2,240-3,270 EUR).
• Senior developer / Tech Lead: 120,000-170,000 CZK gross. Net: 88,000-124,000 CZK (3,500-4,950 EUR). On IČO (self-employed) the take-home is higher, similar concept to Polish B2B.
• QA Automation (mid): 65,000-95,000 CZK gross. Net: 48,000-70,000 CZK.
• Data Analyst (mid): 70,000-100,000 CZK gross. Net: 52,000-74,000 CZK.

Cost of living in Prague is lower than Warsaw and significantly lower than Berlin. A one-bedroom flat: 18,000-28,000 CZK (720-1,120 EUR). Food is cheap, public transport is solid. Overall a mid-level specialist in Czech lives comfortably and can save. The language is also easier for Ukrainians than it looks at first glance.

Germany: big numbers, big taxes, big "but"

OK, this is where the gap between expectations and reality is biggest. You see a listing saying "80,000 EUR per year in Berlin" and you think: finally. Then you look at what actually lands in your account, and it stings a little.

Germany's tax system is progressive. Add to that social contributions (Sozialabgaben): pension ~9.3%, health insurance ~7.3%, unemployment ~1.3%, long-term care ~1.7%. Employer and employee together pay around 40% on top of gross. So from what's written in the contract, you actually take home 55-65% depending on your tax class.

• Junior developer (Berlin/Munich): 45,000-58,000 EUR gross/year. Net: ~27,000-34,500 EUR/year, or 2,250-2,875 EUR/month.
• Mid-level developer: 65,000-85,000 EUR gross/year. Net: ~38,000-49,000 EUR/year (3,170-4,080 EUR/month).
• Senior / Staff Engineer: 90,000-130,000 EUR gross/year. Net: ~51,000-71,000 EUR/year (4,250-5,900 EUR/month). Beyond that the progression slows because the tax rate climbs.
• QA Automation (mid): 55,000-72,000 EUR gross/year. Net: ~33,000-42,000 EUR/year.
• Product Manager (mid-senior): 75,000-105,000 EUR gross/year. Net: ~43,000-59,000 EUR/year.
• Data Engineer / Analyst (mid): 60,000-85,000 EUR gross/year. Net: ~36,000-49,000 EUR/year.

Now the cost of living. Berlin: one-bedroom flat 1,200-1,800 EUR/month (and climbing every year). Munich: 1,600-2,400 EUR. Food, transport, insurance - another 800-1,200 EUR. So a junior in Berlin is left with very little after expenses. Mid-level is fine. Senior is comfortable, but not extravagant.

When does it actually make sense: comparing to remote work

Here's the question few people ask directly. If you're a mid-level developer working remotely for a foreign company at 3,000-4,000 USD/month, does it make sense to relocate to Berlin for 3,500 EUR net? Honestly, not always. You need to do the math.

Remote work from Ukraine or Poland for a US or UK company often gives better purchasing power simply because your expenses are lower. But there are things money doesn't cover: stability, being in the same timezone as the team, career growth at a big company, just feeling safe. For people who left because of the war, these are real factors, not abstract ones.

Relocation makes financial sense if: you're senior or above with an offer from a large or product company, you're junior and want to grow fast surrounded by a strong team, the company provides a relocation package so the first costs aren't on you. And if you're genuinely planning to stay for at least 2-3 years.

How not to get lost in offers: what to clarify before you sign

You see an offer. There's a number on it. Before agreeing, there are a few things to clarify, because they significantly affect what you actually get.

1. 1Gross or net? In Poland and Czech Republic offers are usually gross. In Germany too. The difference can be 30-45%. Always ask: "Could you clarify if this is gross or net?"
2. 2UoP / B2B / Freelance? The contract type affects everything: take-home amount, paid leave entitlement, sick pay.
3. 3What's in the package? Health insurance, equity (RSU/ESOP), bonus, remote allowance - this can add 10-30% to your base or nothing at all.
4. 4Is there a relocation budget? Some companies give 2,000-5,000 EUR one-time. Some give nothing. Better to know upfront.
5. 5What are the review prospects? How many months until the first salary review? In Berlin companies often do this once a year, and if you don't ask, you might sit at the same number for two years.

If you're actively job searching right now and juggling multiple offers or negotiations in parallel, it's very easy to mix up conditions. In Trackr there's a notes field and custom stages for each vacancy, so you can keep all the offer details in one place instead of a pile of open tabs.

Quick summary: which country works for which level

There's no single right answer. But there are patterns that repeat in the experience of people who already relocated and worked there for at least a year.

• Junior (0-2 years): Czech Republic or smaller Polish cities. Lower cost of living gives more room to learn without financial panic. Berlin for juniors is risky - after rent, very little remains.
• Mid (3-5 years): Warsaw or Krakow on B2B give a decent balance. Prague too. Berlin starts making sense if you have an offer from a recognizable company with a solid package.
• Senior (5+ years): All three options work. In Berlin and Munich you can earn well even after taxes. Poland and Czech Republic are interesting if you want higher purchasing power and lower rent.
• Remote work for a foreign company: If you already have a solid remote offer, relocating for the sake of relocating isn't always financially justified. But if you want EU residency or stability, calculate your specific situation.

One more thing. If you're preparing for interviews at foreign companies, the salary expectations question always comes up and needs separate preparation. The AI Coach in Trackr helps you practice exactly that moment: how to name a number, how not to undersell yourself, and what to say when a recruiter pushes back. Genuinely useful, especially when applying to multiple countries simultaneously where norms differ.