Salary Intelligence
Electrician salaries abroad: where the pay goes furthest
Estimated electrician pay in 43 countries — gross, after-tax net, and purchasing-power-equivalent net — ranked by how far the take-home actually goes.
Where does an electrician earn the most after tax?
Key facts
- Best purchasing power: Switzerland ~$59,341 PPP-equivalent net for a mid-level electrician.
- Highest nominal net: Switzerland ~$79,049/yr take-home before cost of living.
- 43 countries compared each anchored to a primary-sourced national median wage.
- What you actually keep net is after income tax + social contributions (domestic resident tax, not expat regimes).
US benchmark: $62,350ResearchedBLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 47-2111 · scaled to each country's national median.
Best countries for an electrician: explore by experience & metric
Set your experience level, rank by purchasing power or nominal take-home, and highlight your country.
| # | Country | Est. gross | PPP-equiv net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | $98,470 | $59,341 |
| 2 | United States | $62,350 | $52,278 |
| 3 | Iceland | $80,718 | $48,164 |
| 4 | Netherlands | $55,080 | $48,078 |
| 5 | Australia | $67,380 | $47,169 |
| 6 | United Kingdom | $55,739 | $46,684 |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | $32,709 | $45,336 |
| 8 | Germany | $65,423 | $44,839 |
| 9 | Luxembourg | $70,056 | $44,516 |
| 10 | Norway | $65,960 | $43,031 |
| 11 | Ireland | $54,871 | $41,172 |
| 12 | Finland | $53,178 | $40,338 |
| 13 | Canada | $47,969 | $38,832 |
| 14 | Belgium | $54,779 | $38,194 |
| 15 | Austria | $48,235 | $38,151 |
| 16 | Denmark | $69,093 | $38,089 |
| 17 | Estonia | $27,343 | $35,529 |
| 18 | Sweden | $50,918 | $34,087 |
| 19 | Spain | $31,689 | $33,635 |
| 20 | Lithuania | $24,848 | $32,888 |
| 21 | France | $38,538 | $32,875 |
| 22 | Czechia | $21,944 | $32,820 |
| 23 | Singapore | $24,501 | $32,728 |
| 24 | South Korea | $28,490 | $31,606 |
| 25 | Israel | $45,222 | $31,330 |
| 26 | Hungary | $22,310 | $31,307 |
| 27 | Poland | $17,888 | $31,171 |
| 28 | Slovakia | $24,798 | $31,011 |
| 29 | Italy | $34,668 | $30,228 |
| 30 | New Zealand | $35,056 | $29,057 |
| 31 | Thailand | $10,049 | $28,719 |
| 32 | Slovenia | $30,902 | $28,475 |
| 33 | Greece | $24,090 | $28,179 |
| 34 | Japan | $31,398 | $27,014 |
| 35 | Portugal | $22,769 | $26,830 |
| 36 | Latvia | $23,756 | $26,349 |
| 37 | Turkey | $6,925 | $20,447 |
| 38 | South Africa | $10,454 | $19,679 |
| 39 | Brazil | $8,122 | $17,479 |
| 40 | Chile | $10,646 | $15,832 |
| 41 | Colombia | $5,132 | $13,304 |
| 42 | Mexico | $6,623 | $12,784 |
| 43 | Vietnam | $3,299 | $10,248 |
Ranked by purchasing power (after-tax pay restated in US price terms). Experience tiers scale the role's base pay and are re-taxed per country — a modelled estimate, not a survey.
Electrician estimates · Source: National median wage surveys (OECD AV_AN_WAGE, Eurostat SES, national statistical offices) + WhereNext tax engine · Last verified Jun 22, 2026
Where the money goes: Electrician in Switzerland
Gross pay erodes to take-home after tax, then adjusts for local prices — a mid-level estimate, every step sourced.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
- Gross$98,470
- Income tax−$19,421
- Net (after tax)$79,049
- Local prices−$19,708
- Real value$59,341
Keep rate 80% · net $79,049 · real value $59,341 (local prices eat into it)
| Step | USD/yr | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $98,470 | Estimated gross for the role. |
| − Income tax & social | −$19,421 | Resident tax brackets; you keep 80%. |
| Net (after tax) | $79,049 | Take-home in nominal USD. |
| − Local prices (PPP) | −$19,708 | Pricier than the US — your net buys less. |
| Real value (PPP-equiv. net) | $59,341 | What the net is worth in US price terms. |
Nominal pay vs real value: Electrician
Grey = take-home in nominal USD · green = what it's worth after local prices (PPP). The gap is why the highest-paying country isn't always where you keep the most.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
| Country | Nominal net | Real value | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $79,049 | $59,341 | −$19,708 |
| United States | $52,278 | $52,278 | +$0 |
| Iceland | $58,410 | $48,164 | −$10,246 |
| Netherlands | $43,942 | $48,078 | +$4,136 |
| Australia | $52,588 | $47,169 | −$5,419 |
| United Kingdom | $44,894 | $46,684 | +$1,790 |
| United Arab Emirates | $32,709 | $45,336 | +$12,627 |
| Germany | $36,927 | $44,839 | +$7,912 |
The sweet spot: Electrician pay vs cost
Net take-home (up) against cost of living (right). Top-left = high pay, low cost — where the money goes furthest. Lines mark the medians.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
● sweet spot (high pay, low cost) · ● other countries · cost of living = World Bank ICP 2021 price level relative to the US.
| Country | Net take-home | Cost (US=100) | Real value | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $79,049 | 133 | $59,341 | |
| United States | $52,278 | 100 | $52,278 | |
| Iceland | $58,410 | 121 | $48,164 | |
| Netherlands | $43,942 | 91 | $48,078 | |
| Australia | $52,588 | 111 | $47,169 | |
| United Kingdom | $44,894 | 96 | $46,684 | |
| United Arab Emirates | $32,709 | 72 | $45,336 | Sweet spot |
| Germany | $36,927 | 82 | $44,839 | |
| Luxembourg | $51,574 | 116 | $44,516 | |
| Norway | $49,949 | 116 | $43,031 | |
| Ireland | $45,454 | 110 | $41,172 | |
| Finland | $39,271 | 97 | $40,338 | |
| Canada | $37,153 | 96 | $38,832 | |
| Belgium | $33,417 | 87 | $38,194 | |
| Austria | $33,445 | 88 | $38,151 | |
| Denmark | $41,047 | 108 | $38,089 | |
| Estonia | $23,033 | 65 | $35,529 | |
| Sweden | $35,018 | 103 | $34,087 | |
| Spain | $24,785 | 74 | $33,635 | Sweet spot |
| Lithuania | $16,767 | 51 | $32,888 | |
| France | $26,938 | 82 | $32,875 | |
| Czechia | $17,587 | 54 | $32,820 | |
| Singapore | $24,338 | 74 | $32,728 | Sweet spot |
| South Korea | $24,047 | 76 | $31,606 | |
| Israel | $37,016 | 118 | $31,330 | |
| Hungary | $14,836 | 47 | $31,307 | |
| Poland | $13,254 | 43 | $31,171 | |
| Slovakia | $18,077 | 58 | $31,011 | |
| Italy | $23,287 | 77 | $30,228 | |
| New Zealand | $28,509 | 98 | $29,057 | |
| Thailand | $9,697 | 34 | $28,719 | |
| Slovenia | $18,850 | 66 | $28,475 | |
| Greece | $17,991 | 64 | $28,179 | |
| Japan | $24,244 | 90 | $27,014 | |
| Portugal | $17,676 | 66 | $26,830 | |
| Latvia | $15,204 | 58 | $26,349 | |
| Turkey | $5,693 | 28 | $20,447 | |
| South Africa | $9,571 | 49 | $19,679 | |
| Brazil | $7,405 | 42 | $17,479 | |
| Chile | $8,723 | 55 | $15,832 | |
| Colombia | $4,607 | 35 | $13,304 | |
| Mexico | $5,999 | 47 | $12,784 | |
| Vietnam | $2,986 | 29 | $10,248 |
The cost axis is a country-level index. For a category-by-category breakdown (rent, groceries, transport…) across 95 countries and 380 cities, use the cost-of-living calculator.
Modelled estimate, not survey data. Each profession figure is the country's national median wage scaled by the role's skill premium — a directional model, not a per-role salary survey. Singapore is the exception: its figures are the Ministry of Manpower's June 2025 occupational medians. It is for a mid-level professional and varies widely by employer, seniority, bonus, equity, contract type and tax regime. Net is modelled via WhereNext's tax engine and is not tax or employment advice — verify with an employer or qualified advisor before making decisions.
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Electrician salary questions, answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country pays an electrician the most after tax?▾
On purchasing-power-equivalent net income, Switzerland, United States, Iceland lead for a mid-level electrician. On raw nominal take-home, Switzerland is highest (~$79,049/yr). High nominal pay doesn't always win once local prices are factored in.
Where can an electrician save the most money abroad?▾
The countries near the top of the purchasing-power ranking — where after-tax pay buys the most locally — give an electrician the most room to save. Use the cost-of-living calculator for a city-level rent and living-cost breakdown before deciding.
How reliable are these electrician salary estimates?▾
They are a model, not a per-role salary survey. Each figure is the country's primary-sourced national median wage (OECD, Eurostat, national statistical offices) scaled by the electrician skill premium and a tradability factor, then netted through WhereNext's tax engine. Treat them as a directional planning guide and verify any specific offer with the employer.
Do these figures include bonuses, equity or expat tax breaks?▾
No. They model base salary with domestic resident tax only. Bonuses, equity and special expat regimes (e.g. Portugal's IFICI, Spain's Beckham Law, the US FEIE) can change take-home pay substantially.
Are these remote salaries or local-market salaries?▾
Local-market salaries for the role in each country — not a foreign salary paid while living abroad. If you keep your current salary and relocate, use the salary calculator's remote-worker mode and check tax residency rules.