The average wage across all Estonia’s sectors is around €1,400 per month, while €2,000 – €2,500 before taxes are considered high income. Software developers are among the highest-paid occupations since Estonia has a developed IT sector and tech workers are in great demand.
How much you can earn
The average salary for IT workers in Estonia is between €1,200 and €2,900 per month.
As a software developer, you can earn between €1,400 and €4,000 per month in Estonia depending on your experience and specialization. The average net salary for a junior developer is around €1,200 – €1,400, while a middle software developer can earn between €2,000 – €2,700, and a senior software developer between €2,900 and €4,000 per month.
Average IT salaries in Estonia (€/month, net salary with bonuses) according to Palgad.ee:
- ABAP programmer: 830 – 4,800
- Android developer: 1,620 – 4,015
- ASP.NET programmer: 1,115 – 2,580
- Business Intelligence developer: 1,280 – 3,220
- C developer: 1,010 – 2,920
- C# developer: 1,000 – 3,250
- C++ developer: 860 – 4,330
- Database administrator: 980 – 2,340
- Database analyst: 1,060 – 2,810
- DevOps engineer: 1,020 – 3,870
- iOS developer: 1,180 – 3,920
- IT analyst: 1,290 – 2,650
- IT architect: 1,540 – 4,540
- IT consultant: 970 – 2,940
- IT network administrator: 1,060 – 2,865
- IT product manager: 1,530 – 3,900
- IT project manager: 1,200 – 2,730
- IT security specialist: 1,450 – 4,310
- IT system administrator: 1,160 – 2,410
- Java developer: 1,340 – 3,170
- JavaScript developer: 1,260 – 2,610
- .NET developer: 1,2300 – 3,145
- Objective-C developer: 920 – 3,450
- Oracle developer: 1,020 – 3,430
- Perl developer: 890 – 3,225
- PHP developer: 1,060 – 2,550
- Python developer: 1,400 – 2,760
- QA automation tester: 1,170 – 2,680
- Ruby developer: 1,130 – 3,420
- Scrum master: 1,400 – 3,360
- Software engineer: 1,270 – 3,770
- Systems administrator: 900 – 2,410
- Systems engineer: 930 – 3,220
- Technical support specialist: 970 – 2,050
- Technical writer: 850 – 2,210
- UX expert: 990 – 2,540
- Web designer: 1,100 – 2,690
Employers are especially keen to hire specialists with experience in Java, JavaScript, Elixir, and Scala. And, according to Workinestonia.com, Estonian recruiters usually value sincerity, honesty, teamwork skills, and motivation to learn.
Wages are usually negotiable and are paid at least once a month directly to your bank account.
Note that all the above-mentioned salaries are calculated before taxes. In Estonia, the employer pays all the taxes on behalf of the employee. You can use an online calculator to calculate your salary after taxes.
You’ll take home about 20% less after taxes. For example, if your salary is €1,500 per month, your monthly net income would be around €1,220.
Source: Workinestonia.com
Cost of living in Estonia
The net salary of €1,500 per month is enough to live comfortably in Estonia. The average expenses do not usually exceed €1,200 per month (including rent). This sum includes the following monthly expenses:
- Rental accommodation: €400–500
- Food: €100–400
- Health insurance: from €90 (the approximate cost of a minimum package; dental and skin care not included)
- Leisure activities: €30–50
- Utilities: €60–180
- Internet and mobile: €20–40