When two offers come from two countries, the biggest number is rarely the best one. Gross salary is where a comparison starts, and it is a long way from what a household can spend. This guide gives you five questions to ask of every offer, in the order that tends to change the answer.
Start with what you would keep#
Gross pay is what the employer promises. Take-home pay is what reaches your account. In between sit income tax and mandatory social contributions, and they work differently everywhere: some countries collect through payroll, some through a yearly return, and some split the bill between national and regional levels.
So the first comparison is take-home pay in a typical month, not the headline salary. The after-tax pay calculator models this with simplified national rules and labels it as modeled, so you know it is an estimate and not a payslip.
Then price the life around it#
A higher take-home figure can still buy a smaller life. Housing is usually the largest difference, followed by childcare or schooling, health cover and getting around. Put your household's shape into the cost-of-living explorer and compare the same month in each city, not the same country.
Count what the employer provides#
Two offers with the same salary can be worth very different amounts. Write down what each one includes:
- Health insurance, and what you still pay at the point of care
- Pension or retirement contributions, and how they vest
- Bonus, equity or profit share, and how certain they are
- Paid leave, notice periods and parental leave
- Relocation support, and whether you repay it if you leave early
Check the timeline and the paperwork#
An offer you cannot start is not an offer. Ask when the role starts, who handles work authorization, and what happens if it takes longer than planned. A listing that says sponsorship is available describes the employer's position, not your eligibility. For anything about your own status, speak to an authorized adviser.
Put both offers in one table#
Doing this on paper is the quickest way to stop the biggest number from winning by default.
| Question | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay in a typical month | ||
| Monthly cost of the life you want | ||
| What is left each month | ||
| What the employer adds (health, pension, leave) | ||
| Time until you could start, and the risk in it |
Decide what you are optimising for#
Some households want the largest monthly surplus. Others want a shorter commute, a school they trust, or being near family. There is no ranking that fits everyone, and we do not publish one. The point of the table is to make the trade-offs visible so that the choice is yours.
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