If you’re thinking of leaving the UK and starting a new life overseas, you are not alone. Among high-earners in particular, record numbers of moneyed Brits are considering a relocation within the next couple of years, with this trend being particularly pronounced among those with savings of more than £250,000.
Among the destinations preferred by departing British, Europe continues to dominate, despite Brexit. If you’re looking to maintain or increase your salary by moving to Europe, it’s worth knowing where you can expect the highest salaries. Whether you’re looking to start a new life with your family or enjoy a novel solo travel experience, let’s take a closer look at where salaries are highest in Europe right now.
Zurich
Switzerland has long been synonymous with wealth and luxury, and those looking for the best salaries in Europe would do well to move to the financial capital of Zurich. Note that this is firmly within German-speaking Switzerland, so a mastery of the essential German verb conjugations and grammar is essential for landing a top-paying job in the city. If you can learn enough German to get ahead in Zurich’s well-heeled finance sector, you can expect an average salary of 140,000CHF (£113,000). Even for a city as expensive as Zurich, this will get you far.
Geneva
Another Swiss city makes the top five here, with workers in Geneva earning an average salary of around 112,000CHF per year (£90,600). Geneva is the political and cultural capital of Switzerland, while also being home to a number of important global institutions such as CERN, the WHO, and the WTO.
If you can land a job with one of these coveted employers, you can expect good job security and a salary to match. For workers in Geneva, a strong working knowledge of French is essential, as French and English are the joint office languages of most international employers. If you’re a vegan wine fan, you will be pleased to know that the surrounding region is increasingly becoming a contemporary wine hub.
Dublin
A huge and ever-increasing number of Brits have decamped and moved across the Irish Sea to Dublin in recent years, driven partly by continued freedom of movement between the UK and the RoI. A huge number of UK financial giants have expanded their presence in Dublin in recent years, including HSBC, Barclays and Lloyds. Meanwhile, Dublin also offers huge salaries within its booming tech sector, thanks to Silicon Valley bigwigs such as Google, Apple, Salesforce, Amazon, and IBM.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg has long been a major draw for high-skilled and high-earning foreign nationals, with the city of Luxembourg’s population comprising more than 70% foreign-born people. Another enclave for the upper-crust, the average salary in Luxembourg is around €68,000 per year.
Finance is the strongest sector here by far, with many elite banking institutions setting up shop in the low-tax city over the years. However, the city is also known to be friendly to self-starters and entrepreneurs. For most high-earners moving to Luxembourg, a strong command of the English language is enough, since this is the most common working language by far. However, some knowledge of French will help you get ahead here.
These are the best-paid cities in Europe right now. If you’re looking to embark on an overseas adventure and raise your pay packet, these are the places to be.
