“Money is not everything but everything needs money” – or so the people say. Everyone wants to live comfortably, and everyone wants to get adequate remuneration for the work they put in. However, salaries differ. The workplace, type of job, and experience play a huge factor, but so does the location. Let us compare software developer salaries in the US, Ukraine, and United Arab Emirates. Keep in mind that web developers and computer programmers, or even software engineer might earn differently.

Developer salaries in the United Arab Emirates

The demand for developers in UAE, especially Dubai, is super high, according to Khaleej Times. There are both many startups and many big tech firms who want Dubai to be their headquarters. But how well does it pay?

According to Payscale, software developers earn an average of approximately $27,000 (AED 99,000) gross. They also had another post, which included salaries for software engineers/developers/programmers: the average salary was about $31,000 (AED 114,000). Of course, salaries differ. Some developers earn less, while the highest-paid developers earn up to $75,425 (AED 277,000). Of course, such a salary is only achievable for experienced developers with at least 10-year experience. Young developers that only have less than a year of experience can expect to earn about to $24,500 per year. JavaScript and C++ were reported as the highest-paid skills.

However, the Economic Research Institute and SalaryExpert provided much higher numbers. ERI stated that the average salary for a software developer in Dubai is $78,523.  According to SalaryExpert, an average software developer in UAE earns $76,197 per year or AED 279,836. They also claimed that the estimated salary for 2026 is $97,250 or AED 357,149.

Developer salaries in Ukraine

Ukraine, a large country in Eastern Europe, certainly has many developers. According to Daxx, it might be several times faster to hire a Ukrainian developer rather than a local one. Ukraine also has many tech companies. 100 out of Fortune 500 companies have their remote development teams in Ukraine. But how much do developers in Ukraine earn? Read on to learn.

Daxx says that the average developer salary in Ukraine is between $2,000 and 5,000 per month. An annual salary is from $13,000 for entry-level developers. But senior developers can earn $72,000 and more. Interestingly, although entry-level developers in JavaScript software could earn more, senior Python developers had the potential for a higher salary. Check out their article to learn more interesting facts.

According to Payscale, the median of Ukrainian software developer salaries is $1,064 per month or 28,000 Ukrainian hryvnias. A high salary is considered to be $2,208 per month or UAH 58,000. The numbers are low in comparison with Daxx: it might be due to a lack of data. Payscale based the numbers on just a few salaries: from 7 to 37. 

SalaryExpert claimed that the average annual salary for a software developer in UA is $22,150 or UAH 582,689.

Salaries in the US

It will probably come as no surprise that developer salaries are the highest in the US. After all, many consider the States The Land of Opportunities. So let’s look at the numbers.

According to PayScale, the average developer salary in the US is $72,692. Usually, the salary ranges from $51,000 to $106,000. People can expect $70,000 with 1-4 years of experience. With more than 20-year experience: $100,000. Entry-level developers with less than a year of experience can expect up to $63,000 with all the bonuses. Skills in Java and JavaScript seem to be paid better.

US News provides a higher number: a median of $107,510. They reported that in 2019, 25% of the best-paid developers earned an average of $136,320. The 25% lowest-paid developers made $82,430. SalaryExpert provided a similar average: $106,565. They also claim that the average salary will reach $123,538 in 5 years.

In conclusion, although the demand for software developers is high in all three countries, the US, unsurprisingly, pays the most. Of course, we must also consider the cost of living, which is definitely higher in the US than in Ukraine. Perhaps you have some insights about software developer salaries? Share in the comments!